Checkpoints June 2004

The brave men and women who serve in our armed forces protect our freedom and the freedom of the world. We honor their courage Heroes, every one. Forever

spotlight 30

up front

FROM THE BOARDCHAIR

LONG BLUE LINE

INSIDE IRAQ (FINAL SEGMENT)

TRUEBLUE - C1C TYRONE HILL

Secretary Craig Manson, ’76, officially designated the cadet area as an official U.S. National Historic Landmark.

THE AOG AND ACADEMY PRESENT 2004 JABARA AWARD

Maj. Jason Hanover, ’92, was selected for his outstanding contributions to airpower during operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

ClC James Valpiani, spring Cadet Wing commander, offers his perspective on how the changes at the Academy have affected cadet life.

up close 90 A TOAST TO 2004

From the day they first stepped upon the terrazzo, the Class of 2004 has faced many challenges with determination and character. Here’s a photo salute to the Rickenbacker Class.

CELEBRATE USAFA’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH US

AS WE FEATURE STORIES FROM THE PAST

Kim Bassett (ATO) recalls the early days ofthe Academy at Lowry AFB

CHECKPOINTS

Opinions

to the Editor

Checkpoints still shining

You asked for comments on the publication. The first word that comes to mind is “impressive.” You are doing a good job ofblending articles about cadet life, Air Force life and graduate updates. That is a difficult balance to keep and you do it well.

What I find particularly interesting are the pictures grads send in to the class news section. It is great to see photos documenting weddings, children and shared family events. Being a long-time student ofthe family and of marriage, it is great to see grads carving out time for spouses and children that is a challenge in any professional career.

One of the highlights of the new Officer Development System described in the recent issue was the concept “service before self.” I must admit that years of reading leadership literature and attending briefings on leadership did not have the same impact as seeing it in action, watching it being done. I had some great models during active duty andthereafter. But the greatest model was that of my wife, particularly in the home, hours nursing sick kids, preparing meals, working hard when she would rather be taking it easy, and yes, after 30 years, still folding my underwear! Nowhere else have I seen a better example of “servicebefore self.”

So, thanks for a great publication, but thanks particularly for remembering spouses, children and family. They are of immense value and worth protection by the “world’s greatest air and space force...”

Let me add my “congrats” to those I’m sure you’re getting for the continued bettering of this outstanding publication. I’m old enough to remember when the first issue was published. In its time, those first issues were great, doing what they were supposed to do - sort of keep us informed on what was going on at the “zoo” and letting grads know what classmates were doing. But now what a truly classy piece ofwork. Each issue exceeds expectations.

Since I’m old enough to remember those first issues, I’m old enough to remember when Brad Hosmer, ’59, walked his first (and only) tours. We came back late from a yearbook trip to New Orleans. Unfortunately, Brad and I ‘went for the ride;’ Mike (MPC squared) Cams and Norm Alexander were ‘on orders.’ Bradstarted across the quad first. On the return trip he asked, as we passed, if I played chess. Next pass through I answered “yes.” Third pass he gives me a move on the board, indicating he wants to play “while walking.” I immediately got the word that he was well out of my league. Game ended right there.

Years later while I was working at TAC Headquarters, Brad called me at Langley AFB, [Virginia!. He was the exec for General Jones (CSAF) (and MPC was the aide what a combo).

General Dixon, TAC commander and affectionately called the “Tidewater Alligator”, was retiring, andGeneral Jones wanted to present him with a live alligator. A little tough explaining to the chiefofstaff’s office that the alligator was on the endangered species list, and they’d have to settle for a stuffed one.

I also remember when the first African-American cadets arrived. Being from New York City, segregation did not have the meaning it held for some of my southern classmates. I hadthe opportunity to work personally with both Roger Sims and Isaac Payne. Roger marched right behind me his doolie summer. This short upperclassman made sure he didn’t slow down in formation, cause I’m sure Roger would have liked nothing better than to run over a firstclassman. I was never happier when I learned he won an award when he graduated. As for Isaac, I made the mistake of trying to match push-ups with that guy. Yet another mistake made by GJC while at the Academy.

The magazine keeps me really up to date, and brings back lots of memories. Keep up the good, no - GREAT - work.

Cadet Wing thanks AOG for continued support

On behalfof the Falcon Heritage Forum and the Cadet Wing, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank the AOG for your support ofthe program. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to make it happen every semester. I am truly appreciative mostly because I see what others get out of it. Bringing in the people we do and having them interact with cadets is one ofthe greatest learning experiences we can have. Thank you again for all ofyour support to cadets it is invaluable for so much of our success here.

Falcon Heritage Forum Cadet-in-Charge

On behalfof the leadership of the Cadet Wing, we would like to offer our sincere thanks for the incredible Cadet Leadership Enrichment Seminar. The wealth ofexperience, wisdom and knowledge you shared with us deeply impacted every cadet there, andthe opportunity to work together and build teams will prove invaluable over the course of the semester. Thank you for sponsoring this amazing program - we hope it will continue to aid cadet leaders in years to come.

&

Changes at USAFA

It has been about 32 years since I did my tour at the Academy (Class 1972). I have never really paid any attention to what has been going on there since I graduated. However, the scandal presented the impetus to research the current training environment. I am amazed at what has occurred in 32 years. The Academy seems to have morphed into a national scholarship program while retaining the loose trappings of a military facade. The destruction of the fourth-class system, cadet disciplinary system, and erosion of the military ethic is all but comprehensive.

It is clear that the training processes and environment ofthe Academy have been subtly changed to more closely resemble those of an ROTC program. However, if the caliber of a current Academy graduate meets the needs of the Air Force, then there really is no issue, except an economic one.

The question is whether the current culture and training environment at the academies are adequately serving those unique requirements of a professional corps of military leaders. The mission statement of the Academy has not really changed over time, but the changes in the training focus and culture have been profound. The fourth-class system, as well as the cadet disciplinary system and most of the honor system, has been eliminated. I would submit that the training objectives of the Academy have and will always require a unique environment; one that is not compatible with those of the “real Air Force.” My premise is that the aggregate changes in the cadet training environment that have occurred over the last several decades were made without a full understanding of the traditional Academy training methodologies

and their contribution to the creation and sustainment of a professional officer corps.

My assessment is that these cadets are screaming to be meaningfully challenged. They want something they can look back on and be proud of. They also have the uncanny ability to discern between meaningful and contrived standards and challenges.

The graduate community needs to provide the commander some professional input on these issues. It’s time to step into the arena and get bloody. My assessment may not be correct, but I bet someone out there will eventually be able to accurately codify it.

According to the Gazette’s (Pam Zubeck) article about the [Feb. 7] board meeting, it seems like a dozen e-mails criticizing the changes represent the majority of 35,000 grads. I would like to be one of a dozen e-mails supporting the changes that represent 35,000 grads. This grad had my doubts, but seeing is believing. I have seen a positive change in cadets’ attitudes. I see more ownership and responsibility with most cadets fortheir actions and those of their subordinates. I have seen positive communication with local grads through the associate grad program. I have seen a positive move towards continuity and stability with the extended tours for the commandant and superintendent.

Not everything the Academy has done in the past is, nor should be, a tradition. And not all traditions should remain if they hamper the process of developing motivated, professional warrior officers for the United States Air Force. I graduated from USAFA and learned a lot, endured and celebrated many traditions, and treasure a lot of great memories, but the system was not perfect then, nor is it perfect now. But in my opinion we are moving in the right direction. The mission of USAFA must focus on producing the best possible officers for today’s Air Force through training, education and athletics not preserving tradition for tradition’s sake. The goal is to keep those things that add value toward this mission, but improve where improvement is required and possible. I firmly believe USAFA should be and is very distinct from ROTC or OTS. This positive change will endure and produce fruit tenfold and needs the AOG’s and grad’s support. I encourage grads to come and see the change and talk to cadets and AOCs and become part of a great change for USAFA and the USAF. I am proud to be part of the change for the better.

The bond. Many things may change, but one thing remains constant. There is a bond, and it will always be there and it will always represent a positive aura. For those that stake everything on this established relationship, there is no other way. There is no more permanent brand that can be forged among humans, andthere is nothing but good that can transpire from it.

Hugh Coleman, Class of1963

‘Expect Great Things’

I received my copy of Expect Great Things in yesterday’s mail. It was excellent. It brought back a lot of memories. When I was there, the Class of’59 was ancient warriors. As events were placed in chronological context, I was surprised to see that much of what I viewed as “old hat” (i.e. T-41 training) was actually new when I arrived.

I liked the special features section. I got to see Col. Tom Wilkinson, my old group AOC. It was also interesting to see a side-by-side of [Dean of Faculty] Dave Wagie, ’72, now and then.

The fact that past and present “scandals” were addressed head on is commendable. No institution or organization is perfect. It is clear from the documentary that the bar is already pretty high. But, we can all strive to be better. I think that this was the intended and appropriate context in which they were placed. Well done to all involved.

Jim Herrmann, Class of1972

Ed: For more information about this 50-year documentary DVD/ VHS, includingordering instructions, see ad on page 124.

ABOVE BEYOND

USAF Reserve - key defenders of our nation’s freedom

Thanks for the great run-down of the issues. I’d like to offer my support for your judgment that a quiet approach to thechallenges will be more beneficial to the future of the Academy than the often-proposed “in-your-face” option. Keep up the leadership in this area; it’s appreciated by many of us.

I have but one suggestion for the AOG to consider. We are citizens of a nation founded by citizen soldiers. One of the glaring gaps and severe weaknesses in an Academy education is the lack of instruction regarding our reserve components. We have succeeded in building an officer corps that often doesn’t learn or appreciate the reserve component of our military until they gain senior rank. That is unfortunate and handicaps the effectiveness of an Academy graduate. We must teach cadets about the reserve component in a more robust and healthier fashion than I experienced and what has continued in the intervening years. I suggest that understanding the reality of our citizen-soldier past, present, and future will more effectively prepare young officers for the “integrated” Air Force that they will serve in. Let’s help them be more effective officers. How can I help this effort?

Col. John Mooney, Class of1981 Commander, ANG/AFRC Test Center

“And the airjust... moved,”

I’d like to add a couple of footnotes to Darrel Whitcomb’s article in the winter issue of Checkpoints entitled “And the air just moved,” where he described the May 1968 F-105 flyby and display aircraftdedication ceremony on the terrazzo. I

attended the ceremony as a faculty member and because of a slight drizzle was standing under the wing of the display aircraft when the flyby occurred. As I recall, Lt. Gen. George Simler, who earlier served as the Academy’s director of athletics, was speaking at the microphone when the shock wave hit. I was facing Vandenberg Hall and my first impression was that someone had dumped a load of gravel offVandenberg’s roof. The safety glass in many of the dormitory windows had shattered and was falling to the ground in small chunks. The superintendent’s car was parked under the edge of the building and was damaged pretty severely. Miss Dottie Clare, the dean of faculty’s secretary, told me she was watching the ceremony from a window on the sixth floor of Fairchild Hall and that the lead F-105 had come in below her eye level.

Darrel reported on the other damage and the injuries, but left something that happened in the aftermath. The June Week Athletic Awards Banquet was scheduled to be held in the now glassless Mitchell Hall that very evening, featuring Jesse Owens as the guest speaker. Miraculously, the local lumber yards were able to bring enough plywood to the Academy in the afternoon hours to completely cover the south end of the hall allowing the banquet to go on as planned.

On April 1, 2004, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the signing ofthe legislation that created the Academy. This was marked at a ceremony on the Honor Court on a bright, sunny Colorado day when the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a stamp commemorating the 50th anniversary, and the Department ofInterior dedicated a memorial designating the Academy as a National Historic Landmark, only the second such site in Colorado and only the eleventh Air Force installation. You can read more about these events in the article on page 48. In conjunction with this memorable event, the AOG presented its 2003 Distinguished Graduate Award to Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Brad Hosmer, ’59, and Dick Schlosberg, ’65, in recognition oftheir accomplishments as leaders ofcharacter for this nation. We are proud to be in their company. Later in the month, on April 30, Maj. Jason L. Hanover, ’92, was presented the 2004 Colonel James Jabara Award for Airmanship for his contributions to airpower during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. His heroic acts inspire us all.

I would like to congratulate the Class of2004 on their graduation andwelcome them to the Long Blue Line. Likewise, I'd like to congratulate the Class of2007 on earning their Prop and Wings and the men's basketball team for giving us a very exciting season. And I'd like to welcome the Class of2008, the 50th class, as they enter Basic Cadet Training this summer. As I write this, I know the Academy leadership team is now reviewing the many changes that were made this past year, assessing the effectiveness ofthose changes, and refining the program for BCT for 2008. All graduates hope that key lessons learned will be incorporated into the

program. The AOG will participate in this review to help ensure the essential elements ofthe Academy experience are preserved. More about that below. As has been the custom in recent years, inprocessing for 2008 will take place at Doolittle Hall, andthe AOG will again sponsor the Bed & Breakfast program for the arriving doolies. Later this summer, the Class of 1959 will dedicate a Challenge Bridge that leads to the heritage trail. Crossing that bridge will be incorporated into the in-processing activities in the future, thereby establishing another heritage link betweenthe incoming class and those who have gone before.

And we'd like to thank our outgoing Dean, Brig. Gen. Dave Wagie, ’72, and his wife Sue for their many years of service to the Air Force andthe Academy as they move to the next phase of their life. Under Dave’s leadership, the academic program at the academy has achieved national prominence.

Over the course of the past year, we have seen many changes at the Academy. In a recent discussion with the superintendent, Harry Pearce, ’64, agreed on behalfof the AOG boardand the graduate community in general to prepare a succinct statement of the essential elements of the U.S. Air Force Academy that must be preserved as we move forward. That document has been coordinated within the AOG board and with several non-board graduates, and it has been presented to the superintendent and the Board ofVisitors. And it will be posted to the AOG Web site to share with graduates as broadly as possible. We consider this to be a living document that will be a centerpiece in preserving the heritage of the Academy. We welcome your comments.

Along similar lines, the superintendent has asked the AOG to work with him to arrange a gathering of 200 or so graduates at the Academy this summer so he can bring them up to speed on how things are going at the Academy and answer questions that they and other graduates have. The intent is that this gathering will be interactive and will help to communicate first-hand so that the attendees can go back to their communities and share this information with interested graduates. The gathering is scheduled for late July. Also, similar interactive sessions are being planned in conjunction with the major reunions this year.

At the February board meeting, we began a review of the process by which AOG directors are elected. I'd like to summarize the current process, highlight issues raised in regard to that process, and give you a status ofwhere the board stands in considering proposals for change.

Today, elections are held every other year for one-halfof the elected directors. The next election is in 2005. Directors are elected by the members to four-year terms and may not serve more than two consecutive terms. The board chair is elected by the directors to a two-year term and may not serve as chair for more than two terms. There can be up to 15 elected directors and up to six designated directors. The board currently has 14 elected directors, one director who was appointed to fill an unexpired elected seat and three designated directors. Seven seats are up for election in 2005; three ofwhich will be vacated by

directors who face term limits. And seven seats are up for election in 2007; four ofwhich will be vacated by directors facing term limits. The board has a standing nominating committee, composed ofboard members, which accepts requests from members who wish to be considered as board candidates. The committee also recruits candidates who possess skills and experience needed by theboard. Several months before an election, the Nominating Committee evaluates all candidates and recommends a slate of candidates for the ballot. The board reviews this recommendation and, once approved, presents the slate to the membership via a ballot in Checkpoints for a vote. If members wish to vote for someone not listed on the slate, they may "write in" the name on the ballot. This election process has been in place since 1997, when the board then in place voted to institute it and made the necessary by-laws changes.

The general concerns expressed about this process are: the process fails to accord our members real choices because the election ballot has only one candidate for each open seat; the board can perpetuate itselfwithout input from the membership because the Nominating Committee is composed of board members only; and finally, the current process does not encourage a free flow of information between members andthe AOG board and staff, and in fact discourages member participation. In the course ofdiscussing these issues, two related points have arisen: (1) reimbursement for travel to board meetings (currently board

members bear all of their own expenses; and (2) the need to implement an online election process. Based on these issues, two AOG members have submitted proposals to the board to alter the current process, and essentially return it to the process that was in place prior to 1997.

I, as board chair, and all other board members take the governance of this association very seriously. Our goal is to have the soundest governance model possible, including how we elect directors. We keenly understand our fiduciary responsibilities, and we are committed to carry out all three elements of the AOG mission. Accordingly, we immediately agreed to listen to a presentation of a proposal for change at the February board meeting. As a result of that presentation, we asked Larry Fortner, ’59, to chair an ad hoc committee, composed of both board and non-board members, to examine the issues and present a report at the May board meeting. The Fortner Committee report was presented at our meeting on May 1, along with a dissenting report by Tom Eller, ’61, a non-board member of the Fortner Committee. The board discussed the reports and the key issues in detail and agreed to initiate the following actions.

First, we will establish an advisory council of non-board AOG members with broad representation (classes, chapters, geographies, active duty/non-active duty) to help improve communication between the AOG board/staff and the membership. While the board unanimously agreed that the election process per se had nothing to do with impeding communication, it also agreed that communication must be enhanced in a variety ofways. This advisory council will be one way. We anticipate that this council can certainly serve as a high fidelity channel for identifying board candidates to the Nominating Committee, but we also hope that it can improve communication in more general ways. And second, we will open the Nominating Committee to non-board members. We asked the Fortner Committee to examine further how the best membership non-profits use non-board members as part of the election process and to identify best practices for the appropriate balance between board and non-board members on the Nominating Committee. We did not explicitly address the questions of reimbursement and on-line elections, but will as we work through these issues. Finally, we determined that we would implement any changes in time for the next election. To do this, we are working on a schedule to concludethis review prior to the next board meeting.

Throughout this process, I have tried to keep the best longterm interests of the association in mind. The AOG election process goes to the core of the governance model for the association, and I, along with the other members ofyour board, have a serious responsibility to ensure any changes are correct. So we will appreciate your support as we work towards that end.

On the subject ofenhancing communications, I have made this a priority item since I became chairman last July. I think the advisory council ofgraduates will help, and I think the gathering of 200 will help. In addition, the AOG staff is working to completely re-vamp the Web site to bring about a host of new capabilities including interactive communication, bulletin boards, polling, and even the ability to support on-line elections. This work is targeted for completion at the end of September.

You have likely seen reports of an honor investigation involving a test taken by the Class of 2007. A number of cadetshave admitted to cheating on the test, and others are still under investigation. The AOG has urged Academy leadership to be most diligent in this investigation and, by their actions, to deliver the strongest possible message that the honor code is among those essential elements of the Air Force Academy experience that cannot be compromised. Though there are usually a variety of viewpoints among graduates on almost any topic, I think it's safe to say we all agree on this.

Have a safe summer.

GILMORE

Appointed as Chairman, Board of Visitors

The Honorable James S. Gilmore, III

Year Appointed: 2003

Presidential Appointee Partner, Kelley Drye andWarren at Law

Republican

Spouse’s Name: Roxane (two children)

Born: October 6, 1949

Hometown: Richmond, VA

Education: J.D., University of Virginia Law School -1977 B.A., Foreign Affairs, University of Virginia -1971

Military: US Army Counterintelligence

Background:

2002-Present

1998-2002

1993-1998

1987-1993

1977-1987

1971-1974

Affiliations:

Partner, Kelley Drye and Warren at Law Governor of Virginia

Attorney General of Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney, Henrico County, Va.

Private Law Practice U.S. Army

1999-Present Chairman, Congressional Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Response Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction Heritage Foundation - Distinguished Fellow

YOUR ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mr. Edward E. Legasey, ’67, Board Chair

Mr. William W. Maywhort, ’68, Board Vice Chair

Mr. John T. Moore, ’78, Treasurer

Col. (Ret.) Martin T. Daack, ’66, Secretary

Col. (Ret.) James A. Shaw, ’67, President & CEO

Col. (Ret.) Victor C. Andrews, ’66

Mr. Bill Boisture Jr., ’67

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Larry D. Fortner, ’59

Mr. Charles P. Garcia, ’83

Col. Susan J. Helms, ’80

Mr. Gilbert D. Mook, ’67

Capt. Amber D. O’Grady, ’96

Mr. Harry J. Pearce, ’64

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Alan V. Rogers, ’64

Mr. Dick Schlosberg, ’65

Dr. Leon Smith-Harrison, ’75

Brig. Gen. (Ret.) James P. Ulm, ’61

Gen. (Ret.) Ronald W. Yates, ’60

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR AOG BOARD OF DIRECTORS

All graduate members of the Association of Graduates are eligible for nomination for election to the AOG Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee, a standing committee of the board, is responsible for identifying, researching, interviewing, evaluating and recommending to the board candidates for future board membership.

The Nominating Committee maintains a continual list of potential candidates for future elections. Names may be added to the list of nominees at any time by contacting the AOG president at 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475, or by e-mail to aog@aog-usafa.org.

Board members serve a term offour years and may serve no more than two consecutive terms. A two-year break is required before serving again. Approximately half of the director positions are open for election every two years in odd-numbered years. Board members are volunteers and must attend quarterly board meetings in Colorado Springs at their own expense.

T_JL. he 18 men and women who make up the Association of Graduates Board of Directors could not better reflect the diversity and success of the Air Force Academy’s Long Blue Line. Comprising doctors, lawyers, astronauts and general officers, this group in many ways reflects the realization of the American dream, but their successes did not come without hard work, perseverance and dedication.

As we celebrate the Academy’s 50th anniversary, we would like to share with you a glimpse ofwho these extraordinary people are and how they plan to provide valuable leadership to the Association of Graduates and the Academy.

AMBER O’GRADY, ’96

Amber O’Grady graduated from the Academy in 1996. She served seven years on active duty and is now a stay-at-home mom with her two children. She continues to serve in the Air Force Reserve as an acquisition program manager with the Air Force Satellite Control Network. O’Grady was elected to the Association of Graduates Board of Directors in 2001; her first term will expire in 2005.

How important has theAcademy been in your life?

My Academy experiences helped define who I am and continue to influence my goals and direction. The fundamental lessons we learn at USAFA carry through our lives more than we might have expected. The extent of my Academy education has been more than what I learned in class. My experiences strengthened my

character and raised my expectations for what I can accomplish. I recognize that most of the great things I enjoy in my life are in some way linked to the path I started on as a cadet andthe strong friendships I share with fellow graduates.

Why didyou decide to volunteeryour time to serve on the board?

I wanted to be more involved in alumni activities and to be a part of further cultivating traditions that are important to both cadets and graduates. I have been fortunate enough to be part ofthe heritage and tradition committee, which is undertaking several major projects to recognize our unique history and graduates’ accomplishments.

What are your strengths and attributes that contribute to the board?

I try to bring a fresh perspective to many issues and to contribute new ideas. Due to my age and gender, in some ways I am able to provide a link between cadets, recent graduates, and our early graduates. And since my husband is also a grad, some AOG leaders like to say we can deliver as “two for the price of one.”

What role should the hoardplay in representing its members?

We primarily fit the role of a policy board, establishing strategic vision for the AOG staff. We provide guidance and support so they can fulfill many ofthe needs of our members in the way ofservices. The difficulty is in representing our members regarding controversial issues facingAcademy and Air Force leadership. We are increas

GEN. (RET.)

Ging our communications so we can keep members informed and so we can receive useful feedback. We should attempt to represent the collective opinion ofthe graduate community, but there are sometimes as many opinions as there are grads. In representing our members, we should focus on the best interests ofthe Academy, armed with the insight and advice offered by graduates.

RONALD W. YATES, ’60

eneral Ron Yates graduated from the Academy in 1960. During his 35 years of active duty service, he served as a combat fighter pilot and test pilot and accumulated over 5,000 flying hours in over 50 different types ofaircraft. He served as Air Force Director of Tactical Programs at the Pentagon, and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition and was the commander ofboth Air Force Systems Command and Air Force Materiel Command.

Since his retirement from military service, he has been the president ofRonald W. Yates, Inc. in Monument, Colo, (an Aerospace consulting company). Yates was first elected to the Association of Graduates’ Board ofDirectors in 1997; his term will expire in 2005.

How important has theAcademy been in your life?

I came to the Academy as a completely ordinary young man of 17 with all the foibles and weaknesses of most 17-year-olds. I held no burning future passions for my adult life, no remarkable character flaws or distinctions, and no distinguishing intellectual abilities. The Academy changed all of that! I left with an overwhelming desire to serve my country and be a part of a noble enterprise much larger than myself. I had a love ofthe Air Force and a desire to spend the rest of my life in the company of those who feltthat same passion. The Academy gave me an uncompromising sense ofcharacter and that set all graduates above our peers both in and out of the Air Force. It has been the defining characteristic of my life and has influenced my every day since. Hopefully, it has influenced those around me through the years. The Academy created in me an intellectual thirst that has been a motivation to venture into fields that were not “naturally comfortable” but have enriched my life immeasurably.

Why didyou decide to volunteeryour time to serve on the board?

The Academy changed my life andthe lives ofmy classmates. I believe we served our country with honor and distinction. I believe the Academy is still changing the lives and futures ofyoung men and women today. I want to help that process along and I want to

be associated with an organization that pursues those goals. The Academy is dear to me, and I owe the institution for what it gave me. I welcome this opportunity to repay a small part ofthat debt.

What are your strengths andattributes that contribute to the board?

I spent 35 years in the Air Force, and I understand thedecision making process ofthe Air Force at the highest levels. It is important that the AOG harmonize our actions with those ofthe Air Force if we are to be truly effective in influencing the direction ofthe Academy. Further, I have spent a career dealing with complex multifaceted problems like those facing the Academy today, and I am comfortable dealing with those problems and building consensus with senior leaders. I have dealt extensively with Congress, and I am comfortable in that arena. I am an action-oriented person and focus on the decisions necessary to close on problem solutions.

What role should the boardplay in representing its members?

I believe the board should work harder at determining the majority attitudes and opinions of its AOG members. We have not done a good a job of this in past and are working hard to improve. We do hear from a very small number ofgraduates, but the board currently does not know if their opinions represent the majority ofgraduates. We need better information in this regard. The board is in a unique position to become better informed on the Academy than most graduates. Therefore, we have an obligation to share that information with the broad AOG community. The board also has a leadership responsibility. We need to lead the graduate community with an innovative vision for improving the AOG andthe Academy. The upcoming comprehensive campaign andthe important improvements to the Academy that it will support is an example of the creative leadership the board owes - and is giving to the AOG members. We are not a board of regents anddo not have a governance responsibility for the Academy. We do, however, have influence. The board serves the Academy and its graduates by working to increase that influence with senior Air Force leadership. In short, the board must represent its members by not just attending to the demanding ongoing functions necessary to keep the AOG vibrant and relevant, it must provide leadership for the future and plans for taking the AOG to higher levels in the decades ahead. !f9

WHAT A BUSY YEAR THIS PAST ONE HAS BEEN, BUT WHAT A GREAT YEAR!

Since last year’s graduation, we’ve earned national recognition for our academic excellence, supported Air Force operations through deployments and research, and helped restructure the cadet Officer Development System. Soon, we will admit the Class of 2008, which stands poised to continue this tradition of high standards. Additionally, our international programs, research programs, and curriculum changes have ensured that we continue to be one of the superior universities and officer training programs in the United States.

Many of our world-class programs exist because of the support of the Academy’s graduate community, and I would once again like to thank the Association of Graduates leadership, as well as the corporations and foundations that generously donated through the AOG, for strengthening our already-thriving academic programs. For example, the Olmsted Foundation continued to support cultural immersion programs by contributing $250,000, allowing more cadets than ever to travel overseas and learn about foreign cultures. The Foundation also deepened

cadets’ understanding of war and conflict through its $25,000 grant to the Military Flistory Symposium. In addition, the Lockheed Martin Corporation gave $25,000 to fund a radar system designed and built by cadets, which creates exciting research opportunities for cadets and benefits Air Force operations.

For detailed selection criteria and additional information, check out the Foundation’s web site at www.olmstedfo undation.org which has a link to the Air Force organization that manages the application process.

Donations through the AOG also supported guest speaker programs, student services, the Academy Assembly, summer research, and cadet education special projects, to name a few, all ofwhich played an important role in the consistently high ratings we received from The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World

Report. Your contributions remain generous and important. They have equipped our enthusiastic cadets and our cadre of outstanding and dedicated instructors with topnotch resources. Serving our institution for almost six years as Dean of the Faculty has been an unparalleled privilege, thanks in large measure to your commitment to developing the world’s best officers. Again, thank you! Now, here is an update on our very busy year!

National Recognition

USAFA’s academic programs continue to garner the national spotlight. In The Princeton Review’s annual guide to the nation’s top 351 colleges, USAFA ranked #4 in the “professors make themselves accessible” and #6 in “best overall academic experience for undergraduates” categories. In the U.S. News and World Report

rankings for best undergraduate engineering programs among non-Ph.D.-granting institutions, we were the #6 engineering university in the country. In the individual program rankings, our departments of aeronautics and astronautics earned the #2 spot nationwide. The department of electrical engineering was ranked #6.

Scholarships

Along with these accolades, we also measure the success of our academic programs by the number and types of scholarships cadets earn. Faculty mentor our high-achieving cadets through a rigorous scholarship application process a process that is obviously working. Well more than 2,100 graduates from our 45 graduating classes have won the opportunity to complete advanced academic degrees as their first Air Force assignment, and with their phenomenal achievements, the Class of 2004 is continuing this tradition of excellence.

We are especially proud of C1C Delavane Diaz, one of only 32 Rhodes Scholarship winners in the nation, and the 33rd USAFA graduate to become a Rhodes Scholar. She was also the summer Cadet Wing commander and the captain

of our intercollegiate volleyball team. Delavane will study mathematicalmodeling and scientific computing for two years at Oxford University. In addition, two first classmen, James Valpiani and Miriam Krieger, earned Marshall Scholarships out of only forty recipients in the entire nation. James will attend the University of Surrey, and Miriam will attend the London School of Economics for two years. Once again displaying the “whole person” concept, James was our spring Cadet Wing commander and Miriam was the wing director of operations.

Fall semester Cadet Wing Commander

C1C Katie Dildy is headed to Exeter College, Oxford, England, for two years under the recently-endowed Alberta Bart Holaday Scholarship. Established by Bart Holaday, a 1965 graduate and former Rhodes Scholar, this endowment is awarded to our top non-winning Rhodes candidate and will allow USAFA to send at least one grad to Oxford every year, in addition to any Rhodes Scholarship winner.

Four Class of 2004 graduates will attend the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University to earn masters degrees in public policy. Nine cadets will become Draper Fellows or

Lincoln Lab Fellows at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology. C1C Alexis Fear was awarded the Superintendents Rand Ph.D. Scholarship to pursue her degree at the Pardee RAND Graduate School for a Ph.D. in policy analysis. Valpiani and Diaz won National Science Foundation Fellowships, and ClCs Joshua Schneider, Tom Meagher and Tom Matchett have been awarded fellowships to attend PREST (Program Research and Education in Space Technology), a cooperative graduate program between George Washington University andthe NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

The Class of 2005 also has its superstars. C2C Andrew Sellers won one of only 77 Truman Scholarships and will study computer security at MIT. Andrew is the 12th USAFA recipient in the last nine years, and will receive $27,000 for graduate study.

In addition to our 30 winners of national competitive scholarships, some additional cadets may have the opportunity to attend graduate school in residence at the Air Force Institute ofTechnology (AFIT) or the Naval Postgraduate School, to fill SECAF approved Air Force needs. All 15 cadets who applied to medical

school were accepted. Clearly, many national and international institutions recognize the Academy as one of the premier universities in the country.

Curriculum Changes

This is the first year of our new systems engineering and system engineering management majors both created to serve our Air Force needs. They have quickly become very popular among cadets. In addition, we have added back into the core a second behavioral science course, this one a CSAF-approved leadership course.

International Programs

The International Programs office is another reason for USAFA’s success. We’ve had a thriving semester exchange program with the French Academy since 1969, and in recent years have added programs with Spain, Chile, Germany andCanada for a total of 18 international exchange cadets annually. Our cadets return to USAFA with a broadened global perspective, and are muchbetter equipped to function as officers in a global environment. In the future, we hope to

begin semester exchanges that immerse our cadets in the Arabic, Chinese and Russian languages.

Although the War on Terror has continued to have security implications for overseas travel, we were able to send 90 cadets to 22 countries during spring break our largest contingent ever. For the first time, cadets visited academies in India and Thailand. Sixteen countries sent delegations to USAFA during international week in April. Although the SARS epidemic and Operation Iraqi Freedom limited our overseas summer language immersion travel last year, we have a robust summer language immersion program scheduled for this year. Air Force cadets will travel to various countries and study all seven languages taught at USAFA. We believe that putting cadets on the ground in foreign countries and in foreign cultures empowers them with international savvy, language skills and cultural sensitivity skills our Air Force needs!

Our international cadet program, where students from other nations become Air Force Academy cadets, is also flying high. We now have 44 international cadets at USAFA, and we

expect that number to grow to 51 this coming year. In order to better prepare international cadets to return to their own air forces, we allow them to return to their native countries during the summer so they can train with their own military. In turn, we allow this training to validate some USAFA summer training requirements that must be met for graduation. Recently, one Moroccan cadet, a rising senior, worked basic cadet training in his home country to earn leadership credit back at USAFA. Similarly, three Singaporean cadets attended ground school and flight training in their home country. One of these cadets had already taken part in jungle training in Borneo which validated the Combat Survival Training requirement here at USAFA. Our four-year international cadets enhance our own cadets’ education by providing diverse international perspectives on politicomilitary issues. Additionally, USAFA cadets develop valuable professional friendships with their international counterparts. We remain committed to our international cadets and to developing Air Force officers ready for our Air Expeditionary Forces.

he support of the Academy’s graduate community”

Research

Its commonly known that the hallmark of a superior institution ofhigher learning is cutting-edge research that creates state-ofthe-art technology. Because USAFA helps forge that cutting edge, external funding of our research program has quadrupled in the past three years. In fact, during the past two years, we increased fromfour to 13 million dollars, and expect to receive nearly $20 million by the end ofthis academic year. This explosion in funding, and the fact that its coming from a rapidly growing number ofoutside sources - especially the Department of Defense, is an important validation that we are cost-effective in conducting research. Our contributions are as diverse as the academic disciplines that sponsor the research: the aeronautics department helped the Air Force Special Operations Command solve the CV-22 tilt-rotor vortex ring state problem, and our astronautics and physics departments won approval to carry three DoD payloads on the FalconSat 3 microsatellite.

Since FalconSat s debut in 1997, USAFA has remained in the forefront as the only undergraduate institution to design, build, assist in launch and command its very own satellites. Our biology department’s research into glaucoma-relieving eye shunts has entered clinical trials. The list of our research accomplishments continues to grow. We have also established cooperative research and development agreements with the University ofColorado at Colorado Springs and University ofColorado at Denver. These agreements enhance our research in aerospace engineering, chemistry and physics by allowing participating institutions to share their resources.

To learn more about our research programs, visit http://www.usafa.af.mil/dfe/ research.htm.

Faculty Support of Air Force and Joint Operations

Beginning in June, we will begin supporting joint exercises held around the world. This is an experimental program that should help establish both the requirement andthe roadmap for USAFA to do some terrific things for the Air Force. This amazing opportunity will help our faculty bring operational experiences back to the classrooms, all the while providing a great service to the Air Force that showcases the Academy’s broad diversity of talent. In addition, this past year we have had faculty members deployed to Kosovo and multiple locations in Southwest Asia.

ODS Integration

A young man or woman’s transformation from exemplary high school student or enlisted member to an “officer-warrior of character” is not a haphazard process, but rather a purposeful approach that focuses on a well-defined set of outcomes. The Academy’s Officer Development System provides a holistic framework to familiarize, teach and develop cadets throughout their entire four-year experience, ensuring that they possess the skills, values and knowledge to become leaders of character in the 21st century Air Force. Shifting from the old “fourth-class system” to a “four class system,” the emphasis of the ODS varies in each year of a cadet’s experience, focusing first on the development ofpersonal leadership competencies and later demanding interpersonal and team leadership skills. A key component in the ODS has been the transition away from the Academy’s traditional cadet disciplinary system, with its reliance on specific punishments and sanctions, to a counseling-based system that is more in step with the operational Air Force. Our faculty,

530 strong, has played a significant role in the development, initial education, and on-going mentoring for ODS.

Challenges

We continue to accomplish our mission superbly despite manning shortages; this academic year we havebeen short of rated officers, scientists and engineers, intel officers, etc. overall the faculty is 92 percent manned, with some departments below 80 percent. We continue to lookfor creative ways to work this issue guard and reserve officers, rated recall and civilian contracts. In addition, we have not yet completed our renovation of Fairchild Hall, due to war-resource-related MILCON delays. About a third of our 6thfloor offices, our 1st floor student services, library, and other areas are still awaiting planned renovation. Despite these challenges, we are proud of our superb academic programs.

Looking to the Future

With the Class of2004 poised to become second lieutenants, the Air Force will send 533 out of 968 first classmen to pilot training, while meeting AFSC goals in nearly every career field. While the amazing talent and performance of the Class of2004 projects a future of bright promise for the Air Force, we can make the same statement about the promise of the Class of 2008. The incoming Class of 2008 looks to be one ofthe most competitive in the Academy’s history! The current average GPA of’08 is 3.95, and its average combined SAT scores are 1310, which compares favorably to our nation’s best institutions. More than 71 percent are pilot qualified, a 20 percent increase from last year. Also, we’ve offered more appointments to women this year: 276 versus 254. By all signs, the Class of 2008

has the potential to carry on the mantle ofexcellence that the classes before them have shouldered.

Summary

The past year has been eventful and busy, but certainly not one without its rewards and accomplishments. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to work with our world-class faculty and an inspiration to see our cadets with their integrity, intelligence and dedication continue to achieve ever higher levels of excellence for themselves, their Air Force and their country. Our graduates have consistently excelled in their challenging academicand leadership programs outside the Academy, and we know you are all as proud of their success as we are. We never could have done it without you!

Final Thoughts

As I prepare to retire this summer, after 32 years ofcommissioned service, and six years as Dean, let me take a moment to thank the AOG and all ofyou. The support of the AOG sharing Doolittle Hall, participating in numerous events in Fairchild Hall, coordinating graduate visits, contributing funds, support

ing cadet projects and travel— has been crucial to our success these last six years. In addition, the interest, advice and participation of all graduates have ensured we remain world-class!

Our academic programs continue to garner AF and national collegiate recognition. With maximum accreditations, numerous graduate scholarships, having the “Colorado Professor of the Year” two years in a row, and achieving top national rankings, we have garnered national recognition for academic excellence. By creating eight research centers, completing major facilities renovation, increasing cadet travel for conferences and international education, launching our own satellite, going wireless in Fairchild with notebook computers, adding three new majors and four new international semester exchanges, we have also enhanced cadet education and helped our operational Air Force. We could not have achieved this success without the support ofall ofyou in the Association of Graduates.

I want to publicly thank our great faculty and staff for the tremendous time, talent and energy they have put in to ensure our cadets get the best education and intellectual preparation possible.

Special thanks to Jim Shaw, president of the AOG, for his constant support, and Randy Cubero, president of theFalcon Foundation and my superb predecessor. And great thanks to Brig. Gen. McDermott, the “Godfather” of the deans, for all the interest, support and advice and for whom we have named with great admiration our McDermott Library! Thanks, McD!

Thanks also to all the graduates who have talked to me personally over the last six years to offer advice and support. One of the reasons we all feel a kinship to the Academy is the bond and support each graduate gives to the Academy and each other. We all share the dream that the Academy of tomorrow will be even better than the Academy ofyesterday and today. I know the Air Force is in good hands with highly educated, trained and modvated young graduates new members of our cherished “Long Blue Line”.

I thank all ofyou for 36 years of Academy camaraderie and support. I look forward to continuing my friendship with all ofyou, as we continue to make the AF Academy and our Air Force even better. Best wishes, and thanks for a wonderful career! B

The ACADEMY Response Team

A YEAR OF PROGRESS, BUT A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD

hat a difference a year can make! Not too long ago, senior Air Force leadership, the national media, Academy alumni and the American public were looking at the United States Air Force Academy as an institution in crisis. Some cadets were being assaulted and feared coming forward to report the crimes committed against them because ofreprisals or worse.

Initially characterized as an isolated “Academy problem,” and as more incidents came to Americas attention, the trend quickly disclosed an emerging national crisis. Sexual assaults were reported involving professional athletes and entertainers, other universities, military training bases and even among troops deployed in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom.

Despite the negative attention these incidents brought, the Academy faced the crisis head on and moved quickly to respond to the sexualassault issue. As a result, Air Force leaders and others are now turning to the Academy for lessons learnedand best practices to educate and protect people against these terrible crimes.

“No one here is prepared to declare victory, but allthe data we have indicates that the new reporting process under the Academy Response Team has improved cadet trust and confidence,” said Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida, ’78. “We hope that the success we’ve been able to achieve thus far will be valuable as other commands review their own posture towards sexual assault.” D>

Early on in the crisis, Dr. James Roche, secretary of the Air Force, and General John Jumper, chief of staff, demanded action. The Agenda for Change, their road map for this response, directed Academy senior leadership to make a dramatic midcourse correction and focus cadets, faculty and staff on changing the culture and climate. Some of these changes were controversial and brought criticism from the alumni community and others. On the front lines of dealing with sexual assault, the institutionalized Academy Response Team has been an area of success.

The ART, as it is commonly referred to, has become one of the driving forces behind the campaign to change the Academy’s culture. Building a system that instilled trust among cadets, supported the needs of victims, and still encouraged individuals to report sexual assault crimes was a daunting task.

“Sexual assault is already the most under reported crime in America,” says Special AgentAmy Bumgarner, the team’s full-time Air Force Office of Special Investigations liaison.

With a goal of having the new system implemented by the Class of 2003 graduation, Commander’s Guidance 05-8 (To see this and other Commander’s Guidance, log on to http:// www.usafa.org/Implementation_of_Agenda_for_Change.html.) was published one day before the commencement ceremonies and laid out the blueprint for the ART. The architects of the new

response plan had to account for a multitude of critics’ and advocates’ concerns. First, mandatory reporting could drive victims underground even further. Second, a system designed to encourage reporting that includes an amnesty policy for victims and witnesses can be perceived as favoritism. As many critics have voiced, this policy could lead to false reports by persons trying to avoid getting into trouble for cadet infractions. While long-term study will be the true test, there has been no indication either of these concerns has developed thus far.

Designed as a multidiscipline task force, the ART has three fulltime responders who work directly within the 34th Training Wing a victim advocate, a liaison with an Air Force Office of Special Investigations and a judge advocate. These “tier 1 responders” support sexualassault victims and guide them through the sometimes frightening process of reporting to law enforcement and going to court. Originally devoted solely to theCadet Wing and due to the team’s initial track record ofsuccess, the Superintendent expanded the team’s response authority to the entire Academy in March 2004.

Complementing the tier 1 responders is a full cadre of reachback capability that includes specially trained chaplains, medical providers and therapists. Each is dedicated to serving the needs of sexual assault victims. Tied in with this support group are the law enforcement and command representatives. A command representative from the 34th Training Group or the 10th Air Base Wing, depending on the individuals involved in the particular case, actively participates in the ART’s deliberations and support activities. The office of special investigations and security forces investigators who collect the evidence and the Academy staffjudge advocate who ultimately prosecutes the cases comprise the “Tier 2” agencies and remain fully engaged as members of the ART.

Where these various agencies may have previously worked together in the context of the ART, they all share two primary functions. They are first responders to complaints ofsexual assault, and they provide long-term case management for victims as they recover and move forward, putting their lives back together.

Serving as the ART’s “quarterback” is Col. Debra Gray, ’80, vice commandant of cadets for strategy and plans and SECAFdesignated ombudsman for sexual assault issues at the Academy. During the past year, she has built these various agencies into a unified team focused on taking care of people and providing appropriate command response to sexualassault.

“Coming back from a sexualassault is not like breaking your arm,” she says. “When you break your arm, six weeks later you take the cast offand you’re back on the rugby field. A sexual assault may take years before a victim has fully recovered and we need to recognize as an institution that our job ofhelping these men and women who have been victims ofthis terrible crime is a long-term venture.”

Since her arrival a year ago, Col. Gray and the ART havebeen working in overdrive to improve the trust and confidence within the Cadet Wing. The first challenge was developing the new policy and getting the word out to the rest of the Academy community. Initially, this fell to Col. Gray and her staff of one, Lt. Col. Christopher Luedtke, ’87.

“The first few months were a steep learning curve seeking the knowledge of national experts we assessed our climate and built a long-term plan for improvement,” Luedtke said.

The initial big push was the two-day intensive training given to the Class of 2007 during Basic Cadet Training a step in the right direction, which appears to be a permanent addition to BCT. Cadet leadership and the new basics studied appropriate gender roles, respect for others and sexualassault awareness.

By August 2003 when the full ART was in place, the team began its base-wide education plan in earnest, meeting individually with every cadet squadron and hundreds of staff and faculty members across all mission areas. For cadets, this meant an early morning squadron breakfast with Col. Gray and the ART followed by focused discussions on sexual assault awareness and current climate trends. This more informal setting offered the cadets a better opportunity to ask questions and raise issues of concern.

“We found this venue opened up a great opportunity to crossflow information with the cadets,” said Col Gray. “These young people are very sharp and our discussions with them were very fruitful. They have great ideas and, like everyone, are searching for ways they can help make a difference.”

Recent Academy climate surveys indicate the ART’s message is getting through. In October 2003 more than 3,500 cadets responded to the first assessment since the ART stood up. Of those cadets who answered the survey, nearly 90 percent expressed confidence the ART would properly investigate these crimes and take care of the victim. More than 95 percent said current leadership is making an effort to prevent or stop unwanted sexual attention. While these initial figures are encouraging, only time will bring actual validation of the ART’s success.

“[The ART’s] success has not been due to one person; it has come from a broad team approach.,” Col. Gray said. “We have called upon the support and assistance of many people at the Academy as well as outside agencies, like the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program in Denver andthe Ending Violence Against Women Project, to get us to this point.”

Both ofthese organizations were critical players in the day-long training symposium for senior leadership sponsored by the ART in October. All senior leaders, squadron commanders, military training leaders and cadet leadership came together andlearned about the realities ofsexualassault during the day-long training.

Education has been a key element ofthe campaign to change the culture andclimate. “The change has to come from both ends of the spectrum top down from the Superintendent and bottom up from every cadet and airman at the Academy,” Col. Gray said.

The ART continues to work hard to educate Academy cadets, faculty and staff. This spring they brought several nationally recognized speakers like Dr. David Lisak, an expert on sexual assault, and Veraunda Jackson, an attorney and speaker, to talk to faculty and cadets. The next big outreach event was a community symposium at Clune Arena held on May 1, Moving Mountains to End Sexual Assault. This event was open to the general public and was a thought-provoking opportunity for parents as well as local college and high school students to learn more about this important issue. Along with the ART, the event was sponsored by the Association of Graduates and four local victim support organizations.

Despite all the attention given to this subject, Col. Gray and the ART are cautiously optimistic about where things are heading. No one can become complacent or believe the problem is solved. In the past year, the ART has responded to more than 20 allegations ofserious sexual harassment or sexual assault involving cadets. The team has worked hard to encourage those who have been victims to come forward and report the crimes committed against them. This is a promising start, but it remains only the first step along what most experts say will be a long and continuous journey. S

Editor’s note: The Academy Response Team was awarded the 2004 Malham Wakin Character Development Award at the National Character and Leadership Symposium in February. It was also selected as the 34th Training Wing Team ofthe Year.

If the Cadet Wing were to describe the experiences of the past year, “change” would undoubtedly be the recurring theme. In the short span of 12 months, the Academy has undergone countless transformations that have affected nearly every aspect ofcadet life. Some of these changes have gone unnoticed in the daily grind, while others have altered some of its most sacred traditions. All in all, it has been anything but an uneventful year.

Many of the most significant changes have occurred this semester. As is Academy custom, the spring semester began with a “back to basics” theme a re-emphasis on the standards that tend to slip during the fall. Unlike years past, however, the wing returned from break to find that a new system of developing officers was to be implemented during our watch. Known as the Officer Development System, its primary purpose is the development ofofficers of character throughout a four-year program designed to educate and challenge each class

“Allchanges even the most longedfor, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part ofourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.

<Anatole France

in a manner consistent with the operational Air Force. Having just endured a semester of transition, the wing’s skepticism was palpable. In the weeks leading up to the kick-off, however, it became apparent that officers, enlisted members and civilians from around the Academy supported the plan wholeheartedly. This set the stage for a day-long education program run by instructors, coaches, air officers commanding, military training liaisons, and civilians. The outcome was positive. Despite having endured a year-long whirlwind of disenfranchising change, the wing generally acknowledged andembraced the common-sense principles behind the ODS and has continued to do so throughout the semester.

What makes the ODS unique in the wing’s experience is that it allows cadets to take risk and use individual judgment without fear ofreprisal. Perhaps the best example ofthis was the official end of tours and the Form 10, time-honored traditions that had existed for ages. The old disciplinary system outlined specific punishments for nearly every possible infraction and provided very little flexibility or opportunity for command discretion in assigning them. It also promoted a “vending machine” mentality where individuals would receive punishment for their actions with little regard for circumstances or their personal development. More often than

not, individuals would find that they had weekend tours from an operations clerk (third-class cadet), who would casually ask for a signature and quickly leave the premises; counseling, formal feedback and follow up were rare events.

Under the ODS, the chain of command now uses verbal counseling, letters ofcounseling, letters ofadmonishment, and letters ofreprimand as the official disciplinary tools. Element leaders are often the first to know about disciplinary problems and the first to take action to correct their subordinates. Counseling and face-to-face interaction with the chain of command are a must for every infraction, and leaders at every level must use personal discretion in how they choose to address and rehabilitate the individual. This has required upper-class cadets to become actively involved in subordinates’ lives. In the past, such high levels ofinvolvement were optional and seen in the best and most motivated cadets; as the semester has progressed, it has become more commonplace and expected ofupperclassmen throughout the Cadet Wing.

The changes associated with the disciplinary system represent, in a broader sense, many ofthe changes associated with the ODS. In keeping with operational Air Force procedures, it requires that leaders take more responsibility for their people, it calls for a higher level ofpersonal account

ability, and it demands a more professional atmosphere. These concepts are not new; in fact, officers and cadets alike note that nothing about the ODS is revolutionary. What makes the ODS unique is the associated philosophy that everyone in the wing must be trusted to take risks and make mistakes as they become more familiar with the system. From a commander’s perspective, the results this semester havebeen encouraging. But, as with every new change, not everything has worked out as anticipated

Having been under the old disciplinary system for so long, counseling and administrative letters trouble many in the wing. There is concern that, without tough discipline tools, those who do not respond to administrative documentation will escape the system unscathed. After all, for those who repeatedly break rules and knowingly do the wrong thing, what difference does a letter ofadmonishment make? There is some anecdotal evidence to support this concern, but I believe this will pass in time. Part ofwhat is needed to make the ODS successful in the long term is an understanding that, along with the freedom to lead and act without constant supervision comes a much higher expectation ofpersonal responsibility and integrity. For those of us who have lived under the microscope for so long, it will take some time to transition to the new mentality. Ultimately, this is a good change. For so long, outstand-

ing and motivated leaders have come to the Academy only to determine that their primary role as a cadet is to do everything possible to avoid trouble and survive the 4year experience. Ideally, the ODS will allow each class the freedom to develop and grow as leaders without fear ofpunishment.

By far, the most controversial change for cadets in the wing has been the fourth-class cadet experience. In years past, fourth-class cadets have operated at rigid attention, run the strips, spouted out knowledge in the front-leaning rest, and spent afternoons running the three bears with trusty rifles in hand. Most ofthese endedthe summer before the Class of 2007 arrived, and all ofthem went away at theend ofthe major training event last November. Since then, fourth-class cadets operate at rest, regularly sign out during the week, wear backpacks on their shoulders, and converse casually with upperclassmen. To every other class in the wing, having these privileges prior to Recognition is a completely foreign experience.

Undoubtedly, some ofthe consternation from upperclassmen stems from the invariable “back-when-it-was-hard” feeling each class gets after its four-degree year. However, the concerns go deeper than this. Many in the wing believe the physical and mental challenges ofthe fourth-class-cadet year are an integral part ofdeveloping leaders of character. To them, the self-discipline, teamwork, bonds offriendship, and high levels of stress associated with being a four-degree make the experience rewarding and are crucial to their foundation as military members. These thoughts are echoed by many fourth-class cadets who not only anticipated a hard year but came seeking that kind of challenge that they might become physically and mentally stronger in the process.

From my perspective as the commander ofthe wing, it seems that a balance must be struck between the old way oftraining and the precedent that was set this year.

There is much to be said for an experience that pushes people beyond their selfimposed limits to inspire in them confidence in their abilities. There is even more to be said for the bonds offriendship, sense ofaccomplishment, and internal fortitude and discipline that result from such an experience. However, challenging the fourth-class cadets whilestill maintaining a professional environment is a difficult task. It is even more complicated to prevent upperclassmen from making fourth-classcadet training their sole leadership focus (while other, equally important obligations such as personal involvement with element members go unaccomplished). Still harder is the task ofpreventing an “us-versusthem” mentality that necessarily diminishes the distinction between the upper classes and leads to a breakdown in professionalism and military bearing. For the sake ofdeveloping self-disciplined leaders, the experience must be challenging; for the sake ofproducing officers ofcharacter who are ready for the operational Air Force, the experience must be professional. Striking that balance is a difficult task for future classes and Academy leaders, but one that, in my opinion, must be accomplished.

Of course, the ODS affects more than just the fourthclassmen. By outlining unique roles for each class, it fills the gap between personal and organizational leadership, andthus challenges the two- and three-degrees as well.What’s more, these challenges become harder as each year progresses, so that firsties have the toughest leadership challenges ofall. This is how it should be. As I have discovered in my time here, the added responsibility that comes with each new year brings with it increasingly tough decisions and leadership dilemmas - exacdy the sort ofchallenges and opportunities for growth that so many of us came to the Academy for in the first place.

Reflecting on the class that has observed, implemented and wrestled with so many

ofthese changes over the past few years, I feel a sense of awe and privilege to be part ofthis team. Considering that we haveserved under three training group commanders, three commandants, two superintendents, we have endured the shift from ATP to ODS, from AFCWIs to the Cadet Sight Picture, from Saturday Morning Inspections to FAMIs and back again; and that we were charged with implementing the Agenda for Change, the new Air Force discipline system, and the performance-based pass system, the Class of 2004 has become quite good at weathering storms. This year, as the firstie leadership, we have handled the helm masterfully. This is especially true ofelement leaders and squadron commanders, who have had to undergo the majority ofthe growing pains along the way. Having laid a solid foundation for the ODS andthe future of the Academy, the Class of2004 is blissfully counting down the days and anticipating graduation some Academy traditions will never die.

As any graduate knows, change is rarely pleasant and never perfect the first time around. Yet, looking back at the past 12 months, it is amazing to see how far our Academy and our wing have come. Given the sheer amount ofchange we have seen and implemented, the results are impressive indeed. Based on my experiences here, I am confident that, in spite of the inevitable difficulties with implementation and culture change, the ODS is the right direction for the wing. As the Class of2004 hands offcommand and the other classes step up to their new roles and responsibilities, there is confidence among the battle-weary that the wings newest leaders are ready to continue to lead the wing in that right direction. If the past year is any indication, the Class of2005 will perform admirably, and the Academy will continue to do what it has doneall along: develop the worlds finest military officers. S

USAFA Rickenbacker Class of2004: Joining the Long Blue Line

On the 50th Anniversary of the Air Force Academy, every graduate can proudly say that the Long Blue Line includes 360 general officers, 727 chiefexecutive officers, 36 astronauts, one Medal ofHonor recipient, and the list goes on. What does the Rickenbacker Class have to contribute to such noble company?

2004 is graduating:

1 Rhodes Scholar

2 Marshall Scholars

32 attending graduate school directly after graduation

12 All Americans

51 Soaring instructor pilots

26 Jump Masters

• 66 Club Cadets in Charge

• 119 participants in Cadet Summer Research Program for internship experience

• About 50 participants in Service Academy Exchange Program, both American and foreign

The class with the highest GPA and most cadets over 3.0

Besides the numbers, the Rickenbacker Class brings remarkable character and spirit to the USAF officer corps. In four years, the Rickenbacker Class has seen the Academy through three commandants and two superintendents, over four schedules ofcall, and other technical changes that make quite a laundry list. We have memories ranging from the footprints to Cathedral Rock, from the “Three Bears” to group Round Robins, from knowledge bowls to certification tests, from 24-hour charge of quarters to visual dorm inspections, from Taps vigils for our own classmates to a Sunrise Vigil for our fallen comrades in arms, and from the dawn ofthe new millennium, through September 11 and on to the era ofthe War on Terror. Change has defined our four-year tour at USAFA, but strength and endurance have defined our class. In fact, the Class of2004 has been leading the Cadet Wing through the year ofgreatest change, and we look to the horizon with more hope than ever. Together as a class, the “Ready for Warriors” have proven, time and again, that we have the will to withstand and overcome hardship, and that we want nothing more than the chance to lead and charge ahead with what we know in our hearts to be true: this great nation, the classmates beside us, the inspiration before us and followers behind us, have made it all worth it.

On June 2, the Air Force family will grow by almost 1000 Academy graduates of the Rickenbacker Class of 2004 who are committed to doing the job right and doing it well, no matter how great the challenge and we can’t wait! B

THE LONG BLUE LINE

It seems like every day somewhere in the world an Academy grad is recognized in the news for an outstanding achievement or for making our country betterthan it was just yesterday. Here are a few from the “Long Blue Line” who showed up on our radar screen this past quarter.

Wood, ’81, named deputy assistant administrator for external relations Joseph R. “Joe” Wood, ’81, has been named deputy assistant administrator (exploration) for NASA’s office ofexternal relations. Wood is responsible for development ofNASA’s international exploration activities, particularly those related to exploration beyond low earth orbit. He also will coordinate NASA exploration policy formulation within the U.S. government interagency process.

Wood is responsible for executive leadership and policy direction for the external relations office’s involvement with exploration activities and related international cooperation by the NASA offices of space science, exploration systems and aeronautics. He is responsible for coordination with other executive agencies, such as the department ofhomeland security.

“Joe brings to the office ofexternal relations a unique policy perspective and broad interagency experience that will be fundamental to successful implementation ofthe President’s vision for space exploration,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Fred Gregory, ’64.

As special adviser to the vice president for national security affairs at the White House in 2001-2003, Wood was responsible for space matters, European policy and Air Force issues. Wood comes to NASA

after a career in the U.S. Air Force. He had assignments in the office ofthe secretary of defense, the joint staff, the U.S. mission to the conventional forces in Europe talks, and supreme headquarters Allied Powers Europe.

Wood has a master’s degree in public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. (Courtesy of NASA)

NASA selects Dutton, ’91, for astronaut training

Maj. James P. Dutton, ’91, ofEdwards Air Force Base, Calif., was recently selected by NASA to be an astronaut candidate for the space shuttle program.

Dutton is the only Airman among 11 military and civilians to be accepted by the National Aeronautics Space Administration this year.

“Two hundred and eight Air Force officers’ applications met the initial board that met here in May 2003,” said Lynda Conner of the special flying programs office at the Air Force personnel center. “One hundred and twenty-five were forwarded to NASA after medical screening. Twelve ofthose were interviewed by NASA, and one was selected. The last time the Air Force was asked to hold an astronaut board was in 1999,” she said. “From that board, seven Air Force officers were selected to be astronaut candidates.”

Dutton will report to the Johnson Space Center’s astronaut office in Houston later this year for a one-year candidacy program. He will enter the basic astronaut program, which develops background knowledge and skills for future space flights.

Upon successfully completing training and indoctrination, candidates are certified by NASA as shuttle crew members.

(Courtesy ofAFPC News Service)

Ayoub, ’03, ‘Cadet of the Year’

Second Lieutenant Christopher D. Ayoub, ’03, recently was named the British Air Squadron’s 2003 Cadet of the Year.

Lieutenant Ayoub is the first Air Force Academy graduate to win the award, which recognizes the most outstanding cadet from all Air Force accession programs.

As commander and element leader of Cadet Squadron 21, then-CIC Ayoub led 114 cadets to be ranked No. 1 of 36 squadrons in the cadet wing in the 2002 fall semester. He was consistently recognized as the No. 1 cadet squadron commander and was the 2002-03 Air Force Academy Cadet of the Year.

“It’s not only the awards and trophies sitting on your mande, it’s also gratifying to the secretary ofthe Air Force and me to see the qualities ofcharacter, honor and integrity that come out in the form ofcadets like

BEHIND THE SCENES

Chris,” said Air Force ChiefofStaffGen. John P Jumper. (Courtesy ofArmed Forces Print News)

Kneip, ’93, awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses Andra Kneip, ’93, was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses for separate actions during Operation Anaconda in 2002.

On March 5, 2002, while piloting her A-10, Kneip engaged and destroyed enemy vehicles and an infantry force concentration while working in close proximity to friendly forces. After refueling twice and a four and a half hour deployment sortie to the target area, she skillfully used night-vision devices with an unmanned aerial vehicle’s night marker to identify the enemy’s location in some steep ravines.

The next day she was cited for taking control ofthe Operation Anaconda airspace and directing devastating fire against enemy forces. When the airborne command and control aircraft went offstation to refuel,

Kneip, using a keen situational awareness, established a clear airspace plan providing discreet communication between ground forward air controllers and their fighters while also generating a plan for coalition bombers to attack their assigned targets to avoid ongoing close-air-support operations.

NASA names Precourt, ’77, as exploration project director NASA selected Charles J. Precourt, ’77, as program director of the crew exploration vehicle (CEV).

Precourt is responsible for developing the CEV. It is NASA’s first human exploratory spacecraft since Apollo. The CEV will carry astronauts to the moon as early as 2013.

Before his appointment to headquarters, Precourt was the deputy manager ofthe International Space Station Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston. He was responsible for the day-to-day management of space station operations,

orbit assembly, and interfaces with NASA contractors and international partners.

Precourt became an astronaut in 1991. He is a veteran offour space flights, logging more than 932 hours in space. He was director ofoperations for NASA at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, Russia. As chiefofthe Astronaut Corps, he was responsible for mission preparation for Space Shutde and International Space Station crews and their support personnel.

Precourt received his master’s ofscience degree in engineering management from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, and a master’s of arts degree in national security affairs and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College. (Courtesy ofNASA)

Fitzgerald-Ehasz, ’01, featured in book on aviation

Sharon Fitzgerald-Ehasz, ’01, is featured in the new book Women in Aviation: Leaders andRole Modelsfor the 21st Century. The book features numerous female Airmen who believe challenges are the greatest gift oflife.

You can learn more about the book online at www.women-in-aviation.com.

Echols, ’76, new member of law firm

Bryan Echols, ’76, has been elected to be a member ofthe law firm Stites & Harbison PLLC ofNashville, Tenn. Echols joined the firm in 1999. His practice focuses on real estate development, leasing, sales and acquisitions and commercial finance transactions, including securitized transactions. Echols also provides counsel regarding airport law, including specialized real estate matters related to airport authorities. As a complement to his real estate practice, Echols works on a pro bono basis for The Land Trust for Tennessee, drafting and negotiating conservation easements to preserve open space and agricultural land.

Prior to joining the firm in 1999, Echols served as a judge advocate in the Air Force from 1981-98. As an Air Force lawyer, he

served in Europe and the Middle East and worked with the Department of State and other government agencies.

Hoy, ’03, takes home gold

Second Lieutenant Kevin Hoy, ’03, won the 120-kilogram (264.5-pound) weight class in freestyle wrestling at the 2004 Armed Forces Wrestling Championships.

Hoy defeated Army Sgt. Paul Devlin, 5-4 in his first match. He then went on to beat Navy Lt. Josh Feldman, 7-4, and Marine Corps Capt. Frank Workman, 7-5.

(Courtesy ofAFNEWS)

Jayme, ’02, tapped for Tops in Blue

Second Lieutenant Carlos Jayme, ’02, has beenselected to join the Air Force’s elite entertainment troupe, Tops in Blue. The 690th Computer Systems Squadron project manager was tabbed the winner ofthe musical variety category for his guitar rendition of Don McLean’s “Vincent” and his keyboard version ofHerbie Hancock’s “Chameleon.”

“I was in shock because there’s so much talent here,” Jayme said ofhis initial reaction. “It’s like a dream.”

Jayme and the rest of the 51st TIB cast will begin their global tour in late May at Lackland AFB Bob Hope Performing Arts Theater.

Three more grads get stars

Brig. Gen. Michael Lynch, ’72, who serves as the mobilization assistant to the deputy chief of staff of air and space operations at the Pentagon, was recently selected for promotion to major general.

Two other graduates, Col. Robert Bartlett, ’76, who serves as the mobilization assistant to the director ofoperations and training at the Pentagon, and Col. Michael Wilson, ’76, who serves as the mobilization assistant to the director ofoperations at Air Force Special Operations Command headquarters, were both selected for promotion to brigadier general. H

The Secret Life of

“Dumbsquat, butt left.”

“Dumbsquat, butt in.”

“Butt right.”

“Butt out.”

“I’m talking about your rifle butt, Mr. Dumbsquat!”

C/4C Waldo F. Dumbsquat found drill practice to be very difficult. Heavy and bulky, the M-l swayed dangerously on his shoulder. The shoulder board bit into his boney body. Sweat rolled down from under his wheel cap and burned his eyes. His shoe shine had been wiped out by two botched “left oblique” commands. The doolie had written “left” and “right” on his hands, but the now dry white gloves covered hisclever idea.

“Dumbsquat, you’re bouncing.”

“Elbows in!”

“Six and three on the arm swing!”

“Correct that rifle in front ofyou, Mister.”

Waldo felt an intense pressure to perform. The upperclassmen grumbled about missing a Star Trek rerun in the SAR and it had to be the freshman’s fault.

“We’re going to stay out here until you get it right, Dumbsquat!”

More grumbling from the other cadets an SI was mentioned.Waldo shuddered. Terrazzo falcons circled overhead like vultures. A menacingly dark cloud rolled over the Rampart Range. The situation looked bleak and the doolie knew it was time for action.

Ducking unnoticed into a stairwell near Command Post, Waldo whispered the magic words “Beam me up Scotty.” The mystical transformation took place and he swelled into the massive persona of Colonel Waldo F. Dumbsquat, an officer with the perfect 36 inch stride. The bird colonel entered the CP and grabbed the microphone from a startled two degree.

“Attention in the Area, attention in the area. CQs please post away silently. Drill practice is cancelled until further notice. There will be a key personnel practice at the base of the Bring MeMen Ramp in ten minutes. Colors and guidons will be carried.

All other cadets will report to the Squadron Assembly Room/T.V. room for a leadership lecture from Captain Kirk. I say again. That is all.

Dumbsquat out.”

Waldo mutated back into his puny self and joined his classmates on the marble strips as they marched to the squadron.

“Dumbsquat, drive out here,” ordered the squadron commander.

“Yes, sir!”

“I’ve decided to promote you.”

The doolie had always dreamed of being Right Guide a position coveted by all.

“I’ve decided to make you Guidon Bearer for today.”

Waldo groaned.

The Jabara Award for Airmanship

MAJOR JASON L. HANOVER, ’92, HAS BEEN NAMED THEWINNER OF THE 2004 COLONEL JAMES JABARA AWARD FOR AIRMANSHIP FOR HIS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO AIRPOWER DURING OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM AND IRAQI FREEDOM. THE JABARA AWARD, NAMED IN HONOR OF COLONEL JAMES JABARA, AMERICAS FIRST JET ACE, IS GIVEN ANNUALLY TO AN AIR FORCE

ACADEMY GRADUATEWHOSE ACTIONS

DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH AN AEROSPACE VEHICLE SET HIM/HER APART FROM THEIR CONTEMPORARIES.

Major Hanover demonstrated both heroism and sustained superior performance as instructor pilot, aircraft commander and mission commander employing the $155 Million MC-130H Combat Talon II. From combat success against the Taliban and A1 Qaeda in OEF to multiple crisis responses throughoutAfrica, from an Air Force Special Operations Command Operational Readiness Inspection to the mountainous batdefield defended by 13 divisions of Republican Guard during OIF, Major Hanover demonstrated unequaled leadership, skill and service.

For his performance, he has earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Air Medals, two Humanitarian Service Medals, Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Associations Lieutenant General William H. Tunner Award, the Air Force Association Citation ofHonor, AFSOC FlightSafety Officer ofthe Year Award, and an ORI “Professional Performer” designation from the AFSOC Inspector General. He awaits the presentation of a third DFC, two Aerial Achievement Medals, and the Mackay Trophy for the most meritorious flight ofthe year. One mission

THE JABARA AWARD

The Air Force Academy, in conjunction with the Jabara family and the Association of Graduates, established the Colonel James Jabara Award for Airmanship on January 5, 1967. With 15 kills, Colonel Jabara was the second leading Air Force ace of the Korean War. Each year the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Association of Graduates present the Colonel James JabaraAward to an Academy graduate or graduates whose airmanship contributions are of great significance and set them apart from their contemporaries. Each major air command, field operating agency which includes the National Guard and Reserve and direct reporting unit may submit one nomination for the award. The winner of the award is authorized to wear the Air Force Recognition ribbon.

was lauded by the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Dagger Commander as “the most significant mission ofthe war accelerating the war (OEF) by 3 months.” The Chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs ofStaff cited Major Hanover for “exceptional skill and courage [in OIF].”

Throughout the course ofOEF, he logged over 229 hours, airdropping 265,000 pounds of war-fighting materiel to 18 different drop zones located in every geographic quadrant of Afghanistan, direcdy leading to thefall of key Taliban strongholds in Mazar-e-Sharif, Konduz, Jalalabad, Kabul, and Kandahar. He won the Turner Award after he led his two-ship formation through an 18-hour, 3,860-mile mission, overcoming multiple enemy anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) engagements and culminating in the first precision combat re-supply of OEF. The mission saved the lives of a 12-man special forces team engaged byadvancingTaliban and energized the ground war by securing Northern Alliance loyalty. It also validated the low-level, precision airdrop strategy crucial to the unconventional war effort.

Major Hanover was awarded the DFC for his gallantry in executing a second mission one month later. Facing poor weather, high terrain, and A1 Qaeda AAA batteries on the ridgelines surrounding the valley, Major Hanover was called upon to support an urgent re-supply request. Maintaining 250 feet above the valley floor through rugged terrain, he led his crew across the forward edge ofthe batde area while avoiding a barrage ofartillery fire to airdrop over 5,000 pounds ofcritical supplies to the hastilyprepared drop zone.

After OEF, he commanded numerous joint-combined exchange training events in Romania, Morocco, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia, Germany, and Greece. He responded to civil unrest in Ivory Coast. His unit then scored the first fixed-wing “Outstanding” rating from the AFSOC IG in 5 years he earned “Professional Performer” recognition. He also was named AFSOC Flight Safety Officer ofthe Year for 2002.

During OIF, Major Hanover again accumulated incredible statistics: 34 sorties, 141 hours, 220,000 pounds and 222 combat personnel infiltrated with a 100% mission accomplishment rate. On March 22, 2003, he flew perhaps the most meritorious flight of the year, one of the most critical flights ofOIF, and potentially the most decisive mission in the Global

The mission of theMC-130H

CombatTalon II is to provide global, day, night and adverse weather capability to airdrop and airland personnel and equipment in support of U.S. and allied special operations forces. The aircraft is able to penetrate hostile airspace at low altitudes and crews are spedally trained in night and adverse weather operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by SMSgt. Rose Reynolds) War on Terror. The initial task was to assault and secure two austere airstrips (Bashur and As Sulaymaniyah West) and fix in place 65% (13 divisions) ofIraq’s total force to ease the Coalitions southern advance. The six-ship went in low, alone, and unsupported on the longest low-level combat infiltration ever in a C-130; the longest in any aircraft since World War II. Major Hanover accomplished the critical task ofestablishing a forward staging base for future special operations forces strikes in Northern Iraq. Under fire from more than 35 AAA sites, Major Hanover aggressively maneuvered his aircraft to disrupt enemy targeting solutions andavoid the intensifying onslaught of deadly metal. When rounds penetrated the aircraft and destroyed critical hydraulics systems, he directed emergency procedures, then flew into violent thunderstorms to hide from the gunners. Having lost terrain-following radar, he flew below the ridgelines to avoid enemy detection. Finally, he had to defeat a missile launch while slowing and configuring for landing at the objective.

For these and other significant contributions to airpower, Major Hanover has earned the 2004 Jabara Award for Airmanship. Ki

# Ar Rutbah

BAGHDAD JOAN

Karbala* \ ai An Najaf^i Kut

Ireturned to Iraq in June of 2003. I was anxious to see how Iraq had changed in the three months that had passed since I was an embedded journalist with the 1st Tank Battalion of the U.S. Marine Corps. Ibrahim, our Iraqi driver, picked us up in Amman, Jordan, at 0300 hours. The pre-dawn departure was supposed to insure that no matter how many hours we were held at the border between Jordan and Iraq, we would arrive in Baghdad well before dark. None of us, including our driver, were interested in driving at night in Iraq. I piled into Ibrahims 1980ish Chevy Impala with Fox News analysts Ellen Ratner ofTalk Radio News Service and James Pinkerton of Newsday. The three of us looked at the car and then looked at each other and started to nervouslylaugh in disbelief. I rationalized out loud, “At least we won’t be an obvious target.” Most ofthe major news organizations were transported in shinny Suburbans and SUVs loaded with U.S. dollars. They were easy prey for cash-hungry Iraqis. This desert trek reminded me of time spent in the region while flying U-2s. One day we loaded up two Jeeps and drove off-road for three hours to find a crater in the middle of Saudi Arabia that we had seen from the air. It was stupid to drive into the middle of a desert in a foreign country then, and it occurred to me that it was even more stupid now. But there were no commercial flights to Iraq. Ibrahim’s Impala was our only option.

The Jordanian border proved to be the first of many encounters with Arab-style bureaucracy. The waiting room was filled with an eclectic mix ofpeople including Iraqis who had sat out the war in Jordan, truck drivers, some aid workers and a few journalists. It was about 100 degrees in the room, relatively cool compared to what we were about to find in Baghdad. We met a very distinguished looking woman from Mosul. She was on her way home. She, like many Iraqis we met over the age of 50, had been educated in the United States. She had a weary look in her eyes as she said of Iraq’s future, “We hope, we hope. We do not know.”

After two hours ofIbrahim’s gratuitous kissing up to the Jordanians, we pressed on through a checkpoint manned by U.S. soldiers wearing sunglasses and cynical smiles. We showed them our press credentials and passports and were instantly waived across the border with too much ease. There were no Iraqis at their own border. This was the first ofmany times I felt uneasy about our occupation ofIraq.

Ellen forced us to stop at a rest stop in Fallujah so she could broadcast. The timing could not have been worse. Why? First, Fallujah was already known for being the birthplace of Iraqi resistance. Second, the Impala’s engine was surging and making sounds ofprotest. We had been traveling for about four hours without any air conditioning and there was no guarantee we could keep the car running while Ellen reported for the Doug Stephan Good Day Show.

Sure enough, the Impala died, and we were stuck for about thirty minutes at a cheesy Iraqi road side “picnic area.” After listening to Ibrahim mutter what sounded

Pictured starting on previous page (from Lto R): Shiite poster superimposed over old Saddam picture; Iraq’s bombed Olympic offices; Iraqi neighborhood fence torn down in order to conduct house to house raids; Lieutenant Hoffman inspecting Saddam greeting cards found at former guard’s house.

like several prayers, the Impala coughed, started and we went on through Fallujah.

A small white pick up truck began to follow us as we passed the outskirts of town. This type oftruck was very familiar to me from the war. They were used to carry out hit-and-run missions against the Marines. The pick-ups occupants had the same cocky, arrogant smiles I remembered from the war. They passed and then slowed down and played a cat-and-mouse game for about 10 miles until they finally left us alone after Ibrahim recognized a vehicle in front of us as one of his driving pals. We had a wingman all the way to Baghdad.

Given the level of my own suspicion and skepticism with regard to these men in the'white truck, I tried to imagine if I would have it in me to play social worker by day and commando by night, as our soldiers were doing, working non-stop in ternperatures that daily reached 127 degrees.

Some soldiers did well with this dual mission, like Lieutenant Hoffman ofthe First Armored Division. Ellen and I accompanied him and his platoon on a predawn raid of an Iraqi neighborhood suspected ofhiding weapons. As we went house to house, the lieutenant took every precaution to ensure his soldiers conducted a professional search. Unfortunately, his sincere, respectful manner was not appreciated by the Iraqis. The head ofeach home pulled us aside to complain about these intrusions. “This is not the way,” they said. One man, a dentist, who had been educated in the United States said, “Fine, Saddam is gone, good. But why do you have to come in my house with guns? Why do you have to wake me up in the middle ofthe night? This is not how you treat people with dignity.”

After spending the morning searching for unauthorized weapons, (each home is allowed to have one AK-47), the soldiers found a box ofabout 30 grenades that had been dumped in a field. It’s hard to measure the risk versus reward of finding that box of grenades. If the search meant that one of those grenades

did not find its way to a rocketlauncher then it was worth it. On the other hand, if this search and hundreds of its kind served to alienate and humiliate Iraqis, making cooperation impossible, the find was bittersweet at best.

There has been much talk about the morale of the soldiers and Marines in Iraq. Both in the Air Force and as a journalist in Iraq, I learned that morale is dynamic; from individual to individual, from unit to unit, from day to day. Some refuse to think about how long they had been there or how much further they had to go, some had figured it to the minute. Some were driven by public opinion “backhome” and some could care less, as they “had a job to do.” There was universal agreement on one point. They wanted a clear “going-home” date. This desire to know the “length of pain” reminded me of “training runs” at the Academy. The unknown factor made every step exhausting. Of course these men and women in Iraq are not going on a run in the Colorado Rockies. They are risking their lives. Families suffer. The separation threatens the survival of their marriages and relationships as everyone waits for the elusive date of return.

The Iraqis were also concerned about the date these soldiers would go home. Most ofthe Iraqis I met were resentful ofthe “occupation” and terrifiedthat the United States will prematurely lose interest and abandon Iraq to civil waror a theocratic rule. One of our drivers said, “I hope the Americans stay here 10 years. I don’t want my daughter to have to cover her head. I want her to be educated.”

The Iraqis we interviewed also recognized the enormous challenge of forming a representative democracy in Iraq. They tried to help us understand the complicated, difficult'nature of the diverse people of Iraq. I discovered that Iraqis are skeptical of any outsiders, especially the ex-patriots, -((_ to R) Grenades found on Iraqi many whom are the appointed raid; Baghdad Mary and me at heads ofpost-war Iraqi insti- Uday’s house on the Tigris river.

tutions. Iraqis who have suffered through the last decade of Saddam’s sinking ship consider these ex-patriots to be puppets of the United States or traitors of Iraq.

In all of our interviews with sources ranging from the Iraqi Media Network to the Midlands Oil Refinery in Baghdad to the Shiite controlled children’s hospital where Saddam’s motorcade was last seen as the bombs were dropping, the prevailing Iraqi sentiment is, OK fine, yes, Saddam was bad. We are glad he is gone, but now we are not safe, we do not have jobs, we cannot let our daughters out to go to school. You broke it; you fix it.

It’s hard for Americans to understand the lack of gratitude, but we should remember that the Iraqi people are accustomed to a “Soviet-like” model of centralization, intimidation and bribery. They are used to being “taken care of,” or at least guaranteed a certain level ofsubsistence and security. In fact, those Iraqis who are most like us, the educated, secular Iraqis, often look back on Saddam’s rule with some degree of nostalgia.

Ifyou don’t believe me, ask my translator, who I affectionately nicknamed, “Baghdad Mary.” During our first day oftouring Baghdad, she turned to Ellen and asked, “What do you think ofSaddam?”

Ellen said, “Saddam was a bad man, a very bad man.” Baghdad Mary launched into a passionate defense of “Baba Saddam,” (father

Saddam). “He loved the children. My children love Saddam, I love Saddam. My children every morning say, ‘Baba Saddam, Baba Saddam.’ They ask, ‘What we say now, Baba Iraq?”’

After I had heard enough about “Baba Saddam,” I asked Baghdad Mary, “What about the mass graves?” She hesitated for a second and then said with a hint ofresignation, “Nobody perfect.” H

Cholene Espinoza graduatedfrom theAir Force Academy in 1987. She was a T-37 Instructor Pilot at Columbus AFB, Miss., and thenflew the U2 until 1995 when she was hired by UnitedAirlines. She currentlyflies the 767 for UnitedAirlines and lives in Manhattan, N. Y.

FOR CADET EYES EYESIGHT INTO SPACE

Cadets and professors at theU.S. Air Force Academy can look forward to becoming extremely far-sighted, but the change in eyesight has nothing to do with age. A $50 million surplus mirror could arrive here soon after graduation and, iffunding is approved, the four-meter diameter optics would become the heart ofthe 12th largest observatory in the world.

“We have USAFA approval to proceed with the project planning, but we don’t yet have all the funding that we need to make this a reality,” said Dr. Derek Buzasi of the physics department. “We will be moving the optics to Colorado by early summer. Were working logistics at this point.”

Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology and EngineeringJames Engleexpressed enthusiasm for the telescope concept during a recent visit here as a way to increase cadet awareness ofspace.

“The new equipment comes from the Air Forces former spacebased laser program and will greatly extend the Academy’s vision,” said Buzasi. “The system provides a 50-fold increase in light-gathering power over the largest current telescope here,” he said.

“The satellite surveillance capabilities of this telescope will greatly enhance cadet education towards the goal of achieving

COULD EXTEND FALCONS’

a technical air and space force,” said Dr. Geoff Andersen of the physics department. “The new observatory could also provide a facility for Department of Defense courses in subjects as diverse as adaptive optics, lasers, optical communications, space physics and space operations.”

Adaptive optics is a technique that allows a telescope to compensate for image distortions introduced by the atmosphere and can produce images which rival in quality those available from spacebased observatories.

Planned observatory modifications include an expansion ofthe existing structure to accommodate improved support facilities and construction of a new building and dome for the telescope.

“The telescope would also require the construction and installation of a rapid-slew mount, which would enable tracking and imaging ofsatellites in low Earth orbit,” Buzasi said.

Several potential DoD users have already expressed support and interest in using the telescope in collaboration with cadets. The new observatory could be operational as early as July 2006. Currently, the project is being reviewed, and sources offunding for the $7.5-10 million necessary for completion are being explored. m—M

2006 get first shot at two new majors

Members of the Class of 2006 are the first to have an opportunity to graduate with degrees in one of two new academic majors.

Systems engineering and systems engineering management degrees were developed to fill a need identified by senior Air Force leaders.

“The U.S. Air Force desperately needs airmen and a vibrant civilian work force with science, technology and systems engineering skills,” said Secretary of the Air Force James G. Roche.

The Academy’s primary objective was to develop a curriculum that educates cadets about how to balance cost, schedule, performance and risk objectives in the design ofcomplex systems that meet all stakeholders’ needs, according to Col. Kevin Davis, ’78, head of the department of management and a member of the Systems Engineering Steering Group.

The interdepartmental group developed the new study plans. Both are recognized as technical degrees and they share nine common systerns engineering courses and the 31 Academy core courses.

In addition, cadets who major in systems engineering will take up to eight upper-division courses focused on one of eight concentrations: mechanical, space, aero, communications, information systems, controls, computers or human systems. Systems engineering management majors will take up to eight upper division management courses.

“Our Air Force leadership is committed to the development of officers who are capable of taking a systems view - officers who will be able to address cost, schedule, performance and risk simultaneously,” Col. Davis said. The Class of 2006 has 63 cadets majoring in systems engineering management and 27 in systems engineering. S

POLARIS

The North Star, the guiding light, a light that lives on long after the star is gone!

Your light can live on long after you are gone by making a gift to the Air Force Academy and AOG through your estate. A bequest in your will, a life insurance policy that you no longer need, a charitable remainder trust or other types of trusts can make a substantial difference to the future of the Academy and the officers it produces. Estate gifts can substantially reduce taxes and will be used according to your wishes. People who establish estate gifts will be recognized Polaris Donors.

Polaris will recognize everyone who has included a gift to the Academy in their estate plans. All you need to do to be recognized is to notify the AOG’s development office that you have established the gift. No documentation is required, and no specific gift amount need be specified. Donors who do provide documentation of an irrevocable estate gift will be recognized accordingly.

The needs of the Academy increase every year, andthe Academy’s future success will depend on private support. Help provide that support by leaving a legacy. Light the way for the future. Be a Polarisdonor!

For more information, contact Gary Howe at (719) 472-0300 or gary.howe@usafa.af.mil

E VIETNAM WAR, intrepid Air Force pilots flew an air-to-grlund| attack plane that looked very much like the service’s familiar primary training plane.

le surest way to get a reaction from an A-37 Dragonfly pilot ^onfusl? his aircraft with the T-37 “Tweet” trainer. The T-37 ■■■PIRistant relative of the attack plane, even though it taught thousands ofpilots how to fly [“Tweet’s time has come and gone,” History in Blue, Air Force Times, Jan. 15, 2001].

“The A-37 was bigger, bulkier and heavier than the trainer it was derived from,” said Cort Durocher, who flew the A-37 with the 602nd Fighter Squadron at Bien Hoa, Vietnam, in 1969.

“Yes,” Durocher said, “it certainly was developed from the familiar trainer. But our attack plane was something very different.

“It had a bigger engine. What they always forget is, this was a sturdy combat aircraft, not a lightweight aircraft designed to teach students.”

BLUE

Vietnam era’s Dragonfly a ground-support warrior

A-37s approach KC-97s for refueling. (USAF Photo by Ken “The Godfather” Hackman)

When Durocher’s A-37 arrived in Vietnam, it was the latest effort to transform the-trainer into a warplane.

The Army, getting into an area that many viewed as the sole province of the Air Force, evaluated the T-37 for a potential combat role in 1958.

For a briefperiod, three T-37s borrowed from the Air Force were tested in mock air-to-ground combat missions at Fort Ord, Calif. The project went nowhere, partly because the Air Force objected to the Army flying fast jets.

The borrowed T-37s apparently lacked wing pylons for ordnance and conducted the tests without dropping bombs or firing rockets.

In 1962, the Air Force altered two T-37B trainers to become YAT-37D service-test ships. They were modified with 2,400pound thrust J85-GE-5 turbojet engines, considerably heftier than the Continental engines used by the training fleet.

The first YAT-37D took to the air on Oct. 22, 1963. During tests, it repeatedly was shown to the public with wing pylons and various loads of bombs, rocketsand gun pods.

Late in its service life, the YAT-37D was renamed as the YA-37A, the “Y” prefix continuing to connote a service- test function.

A few A-37A models were deployed to Vietnam in 1967, in part to assess their suitability for operation by both U.S. and South Vietnamese squadrons.

Meanwhile, the manufacturer, CessnaAircraft Co., ofWichita, Kan., began testing the definitive A-37B, which had provision for in-flight refueling, a strengthened airframe and improvedJ85-GE-17A engines.

Cessna built 557 A-37Bs between 1967 and 1970.

The A-37 series was given the popular name Dragonfly, though pilots and maintainers rarely used it.

Air Force pilots flew air-to-ground missions, and some helped train the South Vietnamese to fly the aircraft. The A-37B received few headlines, but it was frequently on the scene for close-air support when friendly troops were under attack.

Fredric Neumann, a maintainer who served with the 602nd Fighter Squadron in Vietnam, said, “The A-37 followed the KISS [Keep it simple, stupid] principle. It was well-equipped for operations from

primitive airfields and required little of the fancy, high-tech maintenance needed by more sophisticated warplanes like the F-4 Phantom.”

With a wing span of 33 feet, 9 inches and a maximum speed of around 420 mph, the Dragonfly was a modestly sized warplane but it could carry up to 8,000 pounds ofbombs, rockets and guns.

In 1970, during a process called “Vietnamization,” wherethe South Vietnamese were being primed to provide the bulk of their own defense, many former Air Force A-37Bs went to the South Vietnamese air arm.

In later years, A-37Bs also became a familiar sight in Latin America, where they equipped about a dozen air forces.

Though it left active duty beginning in 1970, the A-37B became a familiar sight in'Air National Guard units, beginning with Maryland’s 175th Wing at Glenn L. Martin Airport in Baltimore.

Late in its career, the Dragonfly acquired a forward air control mission and was renamed the OA-37B, the “O” for observation. The last of these aircraft served with the 24th Composite Group in Panama until 1990.

Today, numerous A-37s are on display in museums and one or two are flying in private hands and make regular appearances at air shows.

Robert F. Dorr, an Air Force veteran, lives in Oakton, Va. 9

FLASHBACK

In the summer of 1972, short haircuts and serving in the armed forces was far from being “cool.” But following the pack was never your style. You had a calling a calling to serve.

During the next four years you pushed yourself to new limits, both physically and mentally. Never backing down from a challenge and always standing ready to prove yourselfworthy of being a member of the Cadet Wing.

By the time you marched into Falcon Stadium four years later, the “Spirit of’76” was all around us. As a nation on the cusp of celebrating its 200th birthday and looking to the future with hope of prosperity and peace, you raised your right hand swore to defend her no matter what lay ahead.

As one journey ended and another began, you again rose to the occasion by defending America in every conceivable corner of the world.Whether you were deep underground deterring an “evil empire,” providing critical base support, or flying combat and humanitarian missions over Iraq, Somaliaand the former Yugoslavia, you served with honor and distinction.

Class of 1976, we salute you. 9

Name: CIC Joey Tyrone Hill

Hometown: Greenville, S.C.

Class/Squadron: 2DD4 / CS-23 "Barnstormers"

Major: Humanities

Extracurricular Activities: Cadet Group Three Commander, Commandant's Way of Life Committee

Air Force Career Goal: Pilot

Role Model: General Benjamin D. Davis, USAF (Ret.)

Favorite Aircraft: Sikorsky MH/HH-6DG Pavehawk

Favorite memory of USAFA: Although they occur only in the wake of tragedy, the taps vigil is my fondest memory of the Air Force Academy. The sight of the Cadet Wing standing at attention along the edge of the terrazzo green while the wing commander calls the name of a lost friend is our single greatest demonstration of fraternity. The lamps on the terrazzo are extinguished during the vigil, leaving only moonlight to lead our walk down memory lane with a fallen comrade - and what great memories we make in the short time that we spend here.

STARTING -AS SEEN BY AN ATO-PART

s 307 young men arrived at the new U. S. Air Force Academy, temporarily located at Lowry Air Force Base, early on the morning ofJuly 11, 1953, they were met by 65 lieutenants. The groups would come to know each other well.

The young men were the new cadets. The lieutenants (I was one ofthem) were Air

Training Officers, who would make up for the absence of upperclassmen.

Opening day was hectic. In addition to the normal paperwork, physical exams, hair cuts, etc., the cadets had to be prepared to march before the secretary ofthe Air Force and the chiefofstaffand other collected dignitaries at 3 p.m. that afternoon and be sworn in to their military careers. Although everyone realized they were brand new cadets, no one wanted

them to wander in like an uncoordinate group who had been civilians only a fev hours before. Therefore, no cadet was p mitted to stand in line anywhere withoi having an ATO at his elbow teaching h some skill he would need that afternoo

The ceremonies were held in front o large speakers stand and bleachers ereci on the tarmac at Lowry. They went off without a hitch, complete with speech and low-level fly-bys. Then, the cadets

FLASHBACK

were put back on the buses that had brought them from the other side of the base and returned to the cadet area for the real beginning of their intensive training.

The routine was quickly established. Reveille at 6 a.m. was followed by a reveille formation on the quadrangle. Then there was a period for showering and shaving, followed by breakfast formation. After breakfast and a short time for cleaning up the rooms in the barracks, classes started.

Physical education came around 11 a.m., consisting of calisthenics followed by jogging in ranks interrupted by stops for push-ups. The jogging was closed out by a footrace across some imagined finish line.

The ATO’s, fit and altitude acclimated, usually had an easy time winning the footrace the first week or so; after that, it got tougher. Showers were followed by lunch formation and inspection. (Actually, the ATOs conducted inspections of their charges at every formation).

The afternoon started with more classes, followed by competitive sports and then dinner formation. If there were no evening activities scheduled, the cadets had a couple ofhours to themselves with ATOs always nearby and frequently in their room

to shine shoes, clean rifles and bone up on Contrails, daps was at 10 p.in.

ATOs frequently attended meetings after taps to plan the next day’s activities.

Flying was scheduled and teaching schedules were coordinated with the squadron’s schedule. Also, of course, any cadets who were having problems were discussed. Then, we bedded down in our rooms in the barracks. We were to be up, shaved, showered and in uniform at reveille the next morning. Some ATOs tried to maintain some kind ofsocial life in this period, but it was a struggle. I was in luck because my soon-to-be fiance worked in the cadet area during the day, which allowed the opportunity for “chance’’ encounters. Dates, however, were another matter.

The hours were long, and almost everything was being done for the first time. There were no precedents to fall back on. This fact added to the pressure.

The human psyche has a perverse tendency to take things to excess. One area where this showed up involved combat boots the footwear used for weapons training, running the obstacle course, and other “down and dirty activities. While dress shoes had to be spit-shined, combat

boots, because of the rough treatment they received, were required to be kept clean and neat but not spit shined. Invariably, some ATO would start requiring his cadets to spit shine combat boots, and the disease would spread like the plague. The ATOs would think it was a neat idea, and so a lot of time would be wasted on spit shines that would be destroyed in action in a matter ofdays, and then have to be restored so that they could be destroyed again. At the start of every summer, I argued against this insanity and got all the ATOs to agree that we would not spit shine combat boots; every summer we ended up doing it. Of course, if the cadets had to do it, the ATOs had to do it also.

Another peeve of mine was thereveille formation. This was another carryover from West Point. If the cadets’ time was valuable (which it certainly was), I argued, why require them to don a uniform, go outside andstand in formation, then return to the barracks and remove the uniform? We could just as easily verify that they were present in the barracks in one-tenth the time. 1 put this case to Deputy Commandant ofCadets, Col. B. B. Cassiday, who agreed that he would have reveille formation discontinued when the academic year started. However, when academics started, everyone was still forming up outside right after reveille. Finally, I had an opportunity to mention it again to Cassiday. He remembered our earlier conversation, and the outdoor reveille formations stopped. A small victory at the time, but in the middle ofwinter it was a major benefit.

The climax of the summer was Bivouac. The cadets were issued shelter halves (two ofwhich could be made into a pup tent); steel helmets, packs and other accouterments of a good infantryman. Then, the cadets and ATOs were bussed out to the bombing range east of NAS Buckley and dropped in the middle of nowhere. After a march of several miles, we came to the site

that had beenselected for the camp and proceeded to erect our tents.

My roommate in the barracks, and therefore my tent mate, was Al Atwell. He an especially taxing evening the night before. As we arrived at the camp site, a thunder storm was about to break. Al collapsed on the ground, and said, “I hope you know how to put this thing up.” I erected the tent over him and dove in just in time to avoid getting soaked.

Ail night, cadets were posted as sentries around the camp, to keep out intruders. (The only varmints in the area had four legs.) One night, shortly before midnight, I got a group ofcadets together, and we went around and relieved allthe sentries. We were about 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled relief time, but who is going to object at that hour? Then, when the

regular relief came around, we “captured” them. Eventually, we released them so that they could stand their regular tour, rather than do it ourselves. The next day, we gloated that we had surrounded the camp; Col. Cassiday did not seem amused. However, it proved that even a Navy grad could play the West Point game.

I was the officer of the day one day at Bivouac. This was a 24-hour tour, starting around 8 a.m. I was required to be awake all night. Fortunately, there was lots of coffee available. By the time dawn came, I had on all the clothes I had (this was in August), and I was still cold. By the time I was relieved and had breakfast, it was too hot to sleep in the tent. I dragged my sleeping bag out under a scrub tree to get some shade and flaked out on top of it.

One evening, an ATO drove up to the camp site in his car. He was duly stopped by the cadet sentry, who asked for the password. The ATO did not know it. The sentry (who, of course, knew exactly who the ATO was), refused to let him enter. The ATO inched his car forward. The sentry smashed a headlight with his rifle butt. Needless to say, the ATO stopped. Eventually, with the help ofthe officer ofthe day, he was admitted. The cadet was not punished; he was simply following orders.

Every Sunday afternoon, during the summer, the cadets saw an hour of a film series called “The Air Force Story.” This was a filmed history of aviation andthe United States Air Force. One of my jobs was to give a very brief introductory talk about the film to be seen and tie it into the ones that preceded it.

“The grinding schedule took its toll on the ATOs. Of the 42 pilots in the group, four were killed in flying accidents the first year ...”

Late in the summer, the fall sports teams were formed. Theword went out that a soccer coach was needed. Tony Biernacki and I both volunteered; we had both played in college. Since I was still working on the Contrails and uniform projects, we agreed that he would be the headcoach and handle all the paper work, and I would be the assistant coach. We turned out to be an effective pair also because he had been a backand I had been a forward. The squad consisted of 20 cadets; less than halfhad ever played the game before. Since a full scrimmage required 22 players, Tony and I frequently participated in the scrimmages as players at the same time that wewere coaching. Despite the inexperience of our team and the fact that we were playingvarsity teams with a freshmen team, we managed to come in second in the league our first year. What we lacked in ball handling skills, we made up in conditioning.

When the academic year started, the pressure somewhat eased off the ATOs because the faculty took over most of the classes. We still had to dothe formations and meals and room inspections, competitive athletics and a few classes, but there was at least some slack in the schedule. Our meetings were no longer held after taps. And our social lives improved. Some ATOs were sent on temporary duty to Squadron Officer School at Montgomery, Ala.

The grinding schedule took its toll on the ATOs. Ofthe 42 pilots in the group, four were killed in flying accidents the first year; there were also a number ofserious, non-fatal accidents. The Air Force conducted a study of our work days and concluded that they amounted to about 13 hours daily. Because ofthis, the number ofATOs was substandaily increased for the second and third summers and during the second academic year.

For me, the high point of the first year came in May 1956 when I married Carole Jean Gilchrist in the Cadet Chapel. She was the secretary to the director of personnel and administration and the back-up commandant’s secretary, so the cadets knew her almost as well as they knew me. We spoke to the Cadet Mess Officer, Lt. Col. Echelberger, and with his permission supplied a wedding cake for the cadet mess the night of our wedding.

As the first academic year wound to a close, new ATOs started arriving. As soon as the Class of 1959 left on their summer activities, we started the process of breaking in the new ATOs the same way we had done it to ourselves the previous year by teaching one another. Soon there would be another class of new cadets, twice as large as the last one. B

acadMV announces recipients of four graduate scholarships

The 2004 Generai Richard L. Lawson Graduate Schoiarship is awarded to ClC Joe Brown. The Lawson scholarship was established to encourage and reward excellence in communicarions among cadets at the Air Force Academy. The AOG administers the hind, which is awarded to the outstanding graduate cadet in communications.

ClC Joe Brown is a political science and foreign area studies double major. He also obtained a language minor in Russian. As a cadet, Brown worked as 4th Group athletic noncommissioned officer and as the second Basic Cadet Training flight commander for Interceptors. He is a threeyear Academy Assembly staff member, attended the 2004 Tri-Service Conference on Military Transformation, and the 2004 Model NATO conferences. Brown also served as an assistant liaison officer to the 2003 NATO Ministerial held in Colorado Springs. He played two years for the Zoomie rugby football team and is a member ofthe USAFA marathon club, for which he ran the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marine Corps marathons. This summer, Brown worked as an intern for Congresswoman Heather Wilson (R-NM), as well as the House Veterans Affairs Committee and the Air Force HouseLiaison Office. After graduation,

he will go on language immersion under the LASI program, before going to pursue a master’s degree in national security policy at the Naval Post-Graduate School. After graduate school, he will go to Goodfellow AFB, Texas, to begin intelligence officer training.

The 2004 Nutter Scholarship is awarded to ClC Roberto Flammla. The Nutter Scholarship is awarded to a graduating cadet who entered the Academy after serving a minimum of nine months active duty as an enlistedmember The field ofstudy for the Nutter Scholarship is varied and the duration ofstudy is 12 to 18 months.

ClC Roberto Flammia was an aircraft mechanic/crew chief with the 660th maintenance squadron at Travis AFB, Calif., before coming to the Air Force Academy. After receiving a direct appointment to the Academy, he majored in both politi cal science and foreign area studies and minored in Spanish. He served as the 3rd Group superintendent and summer superintendent ofthe honor squadron “FlyingTigers” and participated in the Spanish semester exchange at theAcademia General Del Aire and the Spanish summer immersion in Salamanca, Spain. During summer research, Flammia attended

BEHIND THE SCENES

Georgetown University’s Bryce Harlow Institute ofBusiness and Government, finishing second out of more than 50 students in two Georgetown courses while simultaneously interning at Battelle Corporation. Flammia plans to study security building in post-conflict environments in pursuit of a master of arts degree at the Naval Post-Graduate School in Monterey, Calif. After graduate school, he will attend pilot training at Laughlin AFB, Texas.

The 2004 Franklin C. Wolfe Fellowship is awarded to C1C Nick Miles. The Wolfe fellowship was established in 1966 to support a USAFA cadet in postgraduate education in the field of humanities. The scholarship is supported by interest derived from $25,000 willed to USAFA by the late Col. Franklin C. Wolfe.

C1C Nicholas Miles majored in military history while attending the Air Force Academy As a cadet, Miles served in several leadership positions including Squadron 10 superintendent, survival squadron commander, and flight commander. In 2003, he represented the Academy at the Morgan State History Conference on the Korean War. For spring break 2004, he went on the Olmsted Foundation Trip to Vietnam.

Miles plans to earn a master of arts degree in U.S. history from the University of Kentucky. After graduate school, he will go to Columbus AFB, Miss., for undergraduate pilot training.

The 2004 General John K. Gerhart Fellowship is awarded to C1C Nolan Peterson. The Gerhart Fellowship is a two-year study program in the French language. All educational costs are paid from a trust fund established in the name of Gen. John K. Gerhart. The AOG administers the funds.

Cl C Nolan Peterson is a political science major with a minor in French. While at the Academy, Nolan was involved with the creation of an Academy crew club and was a member ofthe SCUBA club. Nolan represented the Academy twice at the AcademyAssembly, at the SCUSA Conference at West Point, and at the Tri-Service Conference on MilitaryTransformation at the Cantigny Estate in Chicago. Nolan also participated in a summer research program at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, spent three weeks in language immersion in Nice, France, and was a member ofthe 2003 exchange to the French Air Force Academy. After graduation, the Gerhart Fellowship will allow Nolan to spend two years in Paris for the completion of a masters degree in French politics, culture and history, with a particular focus on the effects ofthe French Islamic population on French foreign policy. After the completion ofhis graduate studies Nolan will report to Laughlin AFB, Texas, for pilot training. 9

Friends of the Air Force Academy Library eie

Anniversary

Members of the Friends of the Air Force Academy Libraryformally present the Association of Graduates with oral histories in print and CD formats. These written accounts are taken from hours of oral interviews with prominent individuals who have first-hand knowledge of the development and history of the Air Force Academy. (Photo by David Armer)

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force Academy, the Friends of the Air Force Academy Library and the Association of Graduates formally presented the historical documentary Expect Great Things.

Graduates and friends of the Academy gathered at Doolittle Hall on April 1, 2004, to unveil this comprehensive 50-year history of the Academy. This one-hour anniversary video highlights the impressive and storied accomplishments of the Long Blue Line.

To reserve your copy of this anniversary-issue DVD or VHS, call the AOG at (719) 472-0300.

During 50th anniversary ceremonies held on the

Honor Court April 1, Secretary Craig Manson, 76, delivered the following address, officially designating the U.S. Air Force Academy cadet area as an official U.S. National Historic Landmark.

Craig Manson, 76, is the assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks in the U.S. Department of the Interior. He is responsible for 384 National Parks and 538 National Wildlife Refuges covering a total of 178 million acres in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa. He is responsible for about 30,000 employees, 140,000 volunteers and a budget of almost $3 billion. He has the responsibility for administration and enforcement of the Endangered Species Act. He represents the secretary of the interior on various boards, commissions and task forces.

Manson credits his success in life to his experience at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

“Where I am today is really at the pinnacle of a great career, someplace that I never thought I would be. And it all started at the Air Force Academy.” Manson said. “Every step along the way, as I look back, things that learned at the Academy have continued to serve me well.”

It is an extreme honor and great privilege for me to be here today and to bring you greetings from the Secretary of the Interior, the Honorable Gale Norton. It’s also a personal pleasure, one that I accept with great humility, to be here on an occasion both joyous and solemn as we recognize the national significance ofthis place, these buildings and the meanings that they holdfor all Americans.

As Assistant Secretary of the Interior, I oversee the National Park Service, which is responsible for the National Historic Landmarks Program. In that capacity, I am especially pleased to participate today. As an Academy graduate and former faculty member who served in the regular Air Force, the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard, I am particularly thrilled about the honor being bestowed this afternoon on this institution on its 50th anniversary. National historic landmarks are nationally significant historic places designated by the secretary ofthe interior because they possess exceptional value or quality illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. They are extraordinary places that have meaning to all Americans. Today the Air Force Academy joins fewer than 2,500 other historic places bearing this special designation.

The notion that there should be a school to train the professional warriors ofair power took hold almost immediately afterthe military significance ofthe airplane was understood. Other nations moved quickly to establish such institutions. France, Greece - even Turkey were all training Air Force officers in their own academies before there even was a United States Air Force, and it would be more than half a century after that day at Kitty Hawk before Congress authorized the creation ofthe United States Air Force Academy. Then Secretary ofthe Air Force Harold Talbot appointed a commission to select a site. The commission considered 580 locations in 45 different states before finally recommending to the secretary three, including this site along the Rampart Range. Many state and community leaders, including future governor John Love and Broadmoor owner Thayer Tutt, played significant roles in convincing Secretary Talbot that this should be the place.

And it is fitting that an institution that represents America’s highest values and America’s greatest strengths should be situated in one ofAmerica’s greatest naturally beautiful places. And perhaps that’s something that Katharine Lee Bates presaged when she wrote her most famous poem

[America the Beautiful]. Today as we recognize these structures, it’s worth recalling that the design by architects Lewis Skidmore, Nathanial Owings and John Merrill provoked controversy and outrage at the time. Walter Netsch’s 17-spire chapel design was denounced in Congress as sacrilegious and offensive. And “Why 17 spires?” it was asked. Well, every cadet learnedthe answer to that, 12 for the apostles and five for the chiefs ofstaff. And yet, construction proceeded and was completed in about three years at a cost of less than $150,000,000. Imagine that for a major military construction project.

Of course, what makes this site exceptional is not just the buildings but what they represent: heritage, tradition, given meaning through ever-upward progress in defense ofAmerican values, American military air and space power exercised in defense of freedom around the world, the American commitment to win the war on terrorism and defeat terrorism throughout the world. That’s what these buildings represent, that’s what the people who pass through these buildings represent. They are the history ofAmerica in the latter halfof the 20th century and in the 21st century and beyond.

And since history is so important, may I share a few ideas about history. First, history is too important to be left to historians. History is about all of us and therefore belongs to all of us. And, second, as a corollary to the first point, history is personal, as you heard from Bill Johnstone [representing the U.S. Postal Service]. For me, the year 1954 holds personal significance. The year the Air Force Academy was born was the year I was born. It was also the year that on May 17th the United States Supreme Court declared, “We find the doctrine ofseparate but equal has no place in public education.” The case of Brown vs. Board of Education defined the world in which I and my generation and the Air Force Academy itselfwould grow up. History is personal.

Finally, history is made by ordinary people in everything, in everyday things they do and, indeed, in the things they fail to do. We know and honor certain names in the history of the Air Force Academy, but we must not fail to recognize that the history of this institution is also shaped by the names ofpeople that will never go on buildings or be mentioned in heritage programs. Visiting this region late in the 19th century, Katharine Lee Bates wrote in one stanza ofher famous poem, “Oh beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more thanself their country loved and mercy more than life. America, America, may God thy gold refine, till all success be nobleness and every gain divine.” This was a homage to the men and women whose commitments to America lead them as cadets, faculty and staffhere to the beginning of the Long Blue Line here to America’s Air Force Academy, which we honor today. Rl

The spires of the Cadet Chapel and the sight of cadets “slipping the surly bonds” will always remain part of the Air Force Academy. But some things do change. Your Association of Graduates continues to provide you with more and improved services, especially our Web site, www.usafa.org. This online resource is available 24 hours a day and includesinformation about your Association of Graduates and the Academy. Please visit us online and discover:

-fUp-to-the-minute Academy news -4 Free photo galleries

4- Reunion registration -4Graduate job programs

4A0G member benefits/services -4 Cadet calendar

-4 Update your mailing address, phone number, e-mail, etc.

CADETS GET FIRST-HAND LOOK at

WWII

during spring break trip to Europe

hirty-eight cadets and five USAFA instructors toured Europe and studied World War II during the March 20-28 Academy spring break.

Cadets representing all four classes at the Academy visited France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. The trip provided them with a better understanding ofEuropean culture.

The opportunity to learn was so enjoyable that cadets didn’t even mind paying their own way. “The price on learning is mute in comparison to our predecessors’ sacrifices, and I owe it to them to keep their heritage alive,” said C2C Ryan Reed.

This whirlwind tour began in Paris wherethe group explored famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triumphe, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s tomb and Notre Dame Cathedral.

From Paris, the group traveled northwest to Rouen. During their stay there, the group stood in the town square where the English burned alive Joan of Arc for heresy in 1431. Rouen

also played a key role in the Allies’ preparations for Operation Overlord. Prior to the start of the invasion June 6, 1944, Allied bombers pummeled the city to destroy its transportation infrastructure and prevent the German army from reinforcing the Normandy beaches once the amphibious assault began.

The D-Day tour started with a visit to the British and Canadian sectors. The group stopped at the Pegasus Bridge, Sword Beach, Juno Beach and Gold Beach. Upon reaching the American sector at Omaha Beach, all military members changed into their service dress uniforms and laid the flags ofFrance, Canada, Great Britain and the United States at the War Memorial in the American Cemetery.

Following the ceremony, the cadets and staffpaid their respects by visiting the graves ofthose who had fallen. The cemetery con-

tained numerous American servicemen who died throughout the war - not only those who died during the D-Day invasion.

“The most striking feature ofthe cemetery was the many graves of the unknown soldiers,” said Maj. Stephen Bacon, who works in the history department. “The French government and people clearlydisplayed their gratitude for American sacrifices during the invasion by leasing the cemetery to the United States for free in perpetuity and immaculately maintaining the grounds.”

A visit to Pointe du Hoc, Ste. Mere Eglise and Utah Beach concluded the day.

“Seeing the elaborate defensive positions of the Atlantic Wall and the extensive scars left on the landscape by bombs and artillery shells gave me an appreciation for the magnitude of the D-Day operations as well as the immense human cost on both sides,” C2C Eric Kappe said.

Following their timein Normandy, the group headed east. The itinerary took them to many other historically significant sites from World War II. In Belgium they went to Bastogne and learned about the Battle of the Bulge.

While in Luxembourg, they visited General George S. Patton’s grave. During that time, members of the Class of 2005 conducted a ceremony to honor their class exemplar.

Continuing into Germany, the group moved south along the Rhine River, taking them past the remains of the Ludendorff Bridge in Remagen. In March 1945, the Germans retreated across the Rhine River and intended to blow up all of the bridges to impede the Allies’ advance. However, the demolition charges failed to destroy the Ludendorff Bridge, and the U.S. Army 27th Armored Infantry Division raced across the bridge while it was still intact, becoming the first Allied military unit to enter Germany.

The tour finally culminated in the city ofFrankfurt. Here the group slowed its pace a bit and enjoyed four-star accommodations in the heart ofthe city. One ofFrankfurt’s main attractions

A student takes a break while touring ruins of a Roman bath house in Saalburg, Germany. The site is located in the Taurus Hills northwest of Frankfurt, Germany. (Courtesy photo)

is the Romerplatz. This central square, meaning Roman place, was the site of a Roman bridge across the Mein River. The bridge spurred economic activity in the local region and the site quickly developed into a bustling center for trade. To protect the city, the Romans built a series of fortifications within Germany. The group visited a reconstruction of one such fort, Saalburg, a 20-minute drive from Frankfurt.

“The skyscrapers of Frankfurt’s financial center make it difficult to imagine that more than half the city was left in ruins after World War II,” said Maj. Daniel Moy, also from the history department. “The Romerplatz, the old town square, was especially miraculous in its restoration. Architecturally true to its medieval origins, wewere amazed to discoverthe magnificent edifice ofthe town hall was the product ofpost-war construction.”

In 2005, the history department will tour England and Scotland. The trip is entitled “Brave-Heart Goes to London.” Cadets and instructors interested in going should contact Maj. Stephen Bacon via e-mail or at (719) 333-3622. 93

THE DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD

DG

Nomination Instructions

DG

The Distinguished Graduate Award is intended to recognize those exceptional graduates who have set themselves apart by making extraordinarily significant contributions to our nation and/or their communities. It is a unique honor bestowed by the Academy and the AOG recognizing graduates whose accomplishments have inspired us all and elevated the reputation and the standing ofthe U.S. Air Force Academy. Distinguished Graduates should provide an example to all graduates and cadets of the standards that we value and of the abilities that have made our country and society great. This is our opportunity to recognize graduates who can serve as an inspiration to future generations ofAmerica’s leaders.

Anyone may submit a nomination package. The package should not exceed three pages. The first page is a concise information sheet on the candidate and should contain a short narrative or bullets addressing the following headings, ifapplicable:

- Professional accomplishments

- Education history

- Professional organizations

- Professional career summary, include job titles and location

- Eionors, awards and public recognition

- Community service

- Three additional references (include addresses and phone numbers)

The remaining page(s) should be a strong written justification.

Submit nomination package by April 30, 2003.

Mail to:

Association of Graduates

3116 Academy Drive USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475 OR

Email as a MS Word attachment to: dick.rauschkolb@usafa.af.mil

Questions:

Contact Col. (Ret.) Dick Rauschkolb, ’70 AOG Vice President for Communications

Phone: (719) 472-0300

Email: dick.rauschkolb@usafa.af.mil

Distinguished GraduateAward Calendar ofEvents

May 2004 - April 2005

Publicize award

Request nominations Deadline for nominations April 30

May - July 2005

Selection committee reviews nominations

August 2005

Selection committee recommends award recipient to Chairman of the Board and U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent

Recipient notified and agrees to accept award at the U.S. Air Force Academy

April 2006

Award presentation ceremony at U.S. Air Force Academy in conjunction with Founders Day

Additional information may be found on the AOG Web site at www.usafa.org

Service Academy Leaders discuss similar issues

The 45th annual Conference of Service Academy Superintendents took place early this semester at the Air Force Academy.

COSAS is an annual meeting ofsuperintendents, deans, commandants, directors of athletics and directors of admissions from the five service academies. The leaders met to share ideas and discuss common issues Feb. 24-26.

“We covered a myriad of subjects in break-out sessions, and the number one topic that generated the most discussion over the two-day period was sexual assault,” said Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Rosa. “We discussed sexual assault reporting procedures and processes.”

Vice Commandant of Strategy & Plans for the 34th Training Wing Col. Debra Gray, ’80, also contributed to the conference by discussing Academy Response Team techniques and procedures.

The sexual assault discussion led to a recommendation to hold a two-day workshop at West Point to cover best practices and challenges dealing with sexual assault reporting and response procedures.

“We will take our Academy Response Team and meet with the other five academies to determine the best practices on what appears to be working and what our challenges are,” Rosa said. “All of these service academies are facing the same types of issues across the board.”

Rosa said the commandants focused on discipline and how the academies were handling procedures dealing with alcohol awareness, alcohol education and policy, and the importance of having well-stated school policies.

Issues discussed among the deans included improving diversity among faculty and in the student body. The deans focused on the increasing use of the Internet for research and how to deal with potential plagiarism and honor issues. These topics will be further discussed in the annual deans’ conference in June.

Athletic directors discussed the service academies competing more against each other in inter-service rivalries on all levels, possibly including competition among intramural sports.

The director of admissions discussed better ways to measure integrity and character, in the one-on-one interviews, and to help members of Congress develop more streamlined screening and nomination processes.

Rosa said that during the final interview process, there might be a better way to measure a cadet’s character without overstepping his or her rights. “Overall it was a great experience for me, and it has been a very productive two days,” he said. “It was a great way for us to get to know each other and share ideas that could benefit other service academies.” S

^ As cadets and graduates ofthe Academy, you hold integrity in the highest regard. Your official ring is created with that same integrity byJostens, your partner in expressing pride

in the United States Air Force Academy.

COURTESY

OF THE ACADEMYSPIRIT

PHOTOS BY

Three days of activities marked the official transition into Phase III for fourth-class cadets April 15-17.

“It was the culmination of our four-degree year and the hardships we endured,” said C4C David Drennan.

During the first two days ofthe event, fourth-class cadets met with a review board, led by their cadet chain ofcommand.

After a room inspection on April 17, the cadets took part in a long-standing tradition of running to Cathedral Rock. There they found rocks decorated by their squadrons’ firstclass cadets and returnedthem to the squadron.

The highlight ofthe activities was the Prop and Wings presentation ceremonies hosted by each squadron.

“I think everyone would agree that today was an important event in the careers of the four degrees. The Prop and Wings is the one thing that bonds all classes,” said 2005 Class President, John Tamasitis. H

Cadet Squadron 30 AOC Maj. Glenn Takabayashi sent Checkpoints the message below, written by one of his first-class cadets. C1C Brandon Cole, the author of the letter, is described by Takabayashi as "an exceptional cadet with a promising career as a leader in the USAF CadetCole does a firstrate job responding to the concerns expressed by some with regards to changes in the development of the Class of 2007 culminating with their recent Prop & Wings ceremonies."

FOUR DEGREES,

I was going to send thise-mail next week closer to your event; however, after attending the firstie meeting concerning your Prop & Wings ceremony, I wanted to send it tonight. With that said, please read what I have to say as all ofyou are important to me. I was angry after the meeting because we were told that the traditions that are important to us, as the Class of2004, we cannot give to you. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe passing on our traditions is not so important. Over the next week, halfofyou might heardissent coming from the upper class concerning your ceremony. I want you to ignore it for the following reasons.

My class (’04) and in some regards the Class of’05, were the last two classes under the old system at USAFA. The system that I was in as a four degree is no worse or better than the one you have experienced. However, there are certain traditions that are important to my class that came from the old system, and to a certain extent, we are angry that we cannot pass those traditions on to you.

While we will not be passing our traditions on to you, we will try our best to start a new tradition with your class that reflects the spirit of the new system. I want that tradition to be special to each and every one ofyou. Your tradition will be something that you can pass on to the classes of’08, ’09 and TO.

When we got our Prop & Wings, we received them at a special ceremony after our three-day Recognition. This was the system we were ingrained in. You all need to be very proud that you came here as a four-degree during a time of transition at the Academy. This very important transition reflects the change in times both at the Academy and in our country. Again, you all need to be very proud whereas you may not have endured all the physical training events my class endured, you have had to endure many mental events that have challenged your intellect and your character. Getting “beat” does not make you a better officer. What does make you a better officer is learning the tools you will need the minute you sign into your first active duty squadron. We have tried to give you those tools this year, and you must find better ways to give those tools to the classes that will come after you. For having gone through the four-degree year that all ofyou have gone through this year, you will be better prepared when you do in fact sign into your first active duty squadron.

All ofyou have been challenged in ways this year that may seem a bit arbitrary to you. You need to realize that by in-processing at the time you did, you have overcome much upper-class dissent and been forced to take on a new system that was unknown to you at the time you entered USAFA. That, in and ofitself, is in many aspects harder than anything my class had to do. Physically challengingpeople only accomplishes so much when your muscles give, theygive. Challengingpeople mentally is much more difficult, and you faced many mental challenges this year. As a class, you have had to continually think about the new culture and ways to make this process better. You have done that!

In closing, you all will be given a new tradition next weekend a tradition that is yours and only yours. No other class to precede you has been given this tradition. You should be proud that you are getting a new tradition because it will make the Academy, the Air Force andthis country a better place. You will be able to initiate this new tradition and make it yours and pass it on to the classes to follow you.

As you begin your journey as upper-classmen, take the leadership styles from your upper-classmen that you admired and use them.

Make USAFA a worthwhile experience for you. TheUnited States Air Force Academy is not a mechanism to playing athletics, being a pilot or getting a free education. It is a calling and the greatest calling ofall. Our world is in a vulnerable time; we need good officers to lead excellent people. Good officers will make the United States military, this country and the world a better place. Strive to be excellent in some facet ofthe Academy, work hard and remember why you are here. Gen. Douglas MacArthur in his duty-honor-countryspeech, referred to those three words as something they can do for each and every one of us who choose to don the uniform, “But these are some ofthe things they do. They build your basic character. They mold you for your future roles as the custodians ofthe nation’s defense. They make you strong enough to know when you are weak, and brave enough to face yourselfwhen you are afraid.”

In my mind that is why you are here. I hope each ofyou have embraced this high calling and recognize that is why you are here.

Best Regards,

CddOtS take to the skies without ever leaving the ground

Eight new flight simulators are significantly enhancing cadet education and providing cadets another exciting opportunity to experience the magic offlight at the United States Air Force Academy.

Under the direction of Lt. Col. Brian Anderson, 50th Education Squadron commander, the Air Warfare Laboratory utilizes eight new Frasca-24l flight simulators, modeled after the USAF T-6 Texan II Trainer. They replaced four older SingerLink T-4 cockpit instrument trainers, which were first introduced at the Academy in 1975.

The new Lrascas are cutting-edge digital computer technology machines that truly put cadets in the cockpit of one of the most advanced simulators in academia today.

“The new simulators are phenomenal,” C1C Weston Kissel said.

Complete with high resolution visual displays, the simulators are designed to support all Academy courses.

“The aviation education that we can provide USALA cadets due to Lrascas’ dedication to reasonably priced, cutting edge simulator technology is amazing,” said Lt. Col. Jim Baize, who oversees the Air Warfare Laboratory.

The simulators’ advanced visual display currently simulatesthe Academy’s airfield, the Colorado Springs airport, andthe Pikes Peak region. In the future, the display may also be programmed to include areas ofstrategic interest like Baghdad, Kabul, and other real-world locales.

Two sets offour simulators are arranged in each of the laboratories simulator bays.

“In each room, all four simulators are networked,” Baize says. “What this means is that cadets can enter a simulated Virtual world’ and can participate in the same mission profile.”

“This is a quantum leap in simulator technology,” Baize said.

“Modern avionics, networked simulators, realistic weather depictions and programmable system malfunctions give the Military Strategic Studies Department capabilities that we never had before.”

The older Singer-Link T-4 cockpit instrument trainers had no visual display, used round dials and tube technology and were completely mechanical.

“Ifyou crashed the T-4 simulator into the ground, a piece ofmetal hits another piece ofmetal. Ifthe metal is broken, the simulator is actually broken,” said Don Smith, a retired Air force master sergeant who’s been working in the Academy’s simulator lab since 1995.

When the Singer-Links would crash, repairing them would take anywhere from six to 12 hours to repair.

“They’d always fail at the most inopportune times,” Smith said.

As the older simulators became more and more obsolete, maintaining the mechanical trainers became a sizeable job.

“I’ve been fortunate because I learned how to use both the Link sim andthe Frasca sim, but hands down the Frasca is a lot more fun,” Kissel said.

The new Frascas, which cost about $250,000 each, are beginning to change the way many Academy classes are taught. The simulators provide cadets a unique combination ofeducational reinforcement, practical experience and training.

The Frasca simulators have the ability to simulate a cross section of current USAF aircraft. Cadets routinely simulate flying F-16 500 foot low-level missions at 540 knots as well as F-15 missions at 50,000 feet and mach 2.

“The courses that we offer are specifically designed to set cadets up for success in flight school,” Baize says. “This is a huge opportunity for them to gain aviation experience at USAFA.

In addition to the military strategic studies department, which incorporates the simulators as part of the core-course curriculum, the physics and aerospace departments are exploring ways to include the Frascas in their planned coursework.

Lt. Col. Tom Spicer, ’80, brought his physics 315 class to the lab to fly some of the basic fighter maneuvers they had been studying. After listening to a short briefing and reviewing their flight cards, cadets took to the air, experiencing what they had only previously learned in the classroom.

Academy faculty like Spicer are constantly challenging themselves to find new ways to reinforceeducational concepts through aviation simulation.

The simulators are a great motivationaltool reminding cadets that the Air Force Academy trains future Air Force pilots. These simulators dramatically show the cadets what aviation is all about.

“In 30 minutes we can show a cadet how to do a takeoff and return to the airfield for a safe landing a huge cadet confidence builder,” Baize said.

Current plans also call for all basiccadets to fly in the simulators during this summer’s Basic Cadet Training.

Like most Academy programs, the Frasca program provides a leadership laboratory for cadets to learn how to use the simulators - and then teach other cadets.

“We teach cadets how to operate the simulators, teach them the basic principles of instruction, then challenge them to serve as simulator instructor pilots,” Baize said.

Cadets who posses a high interest in using the simulators many times also express an interest in becoming a cadet air and space instructor.

“The Frasca allows me, as an instructor, to manipulate weather, wind, aircraft systems, the airport lighting and simulated threats such as AAA and SAMs,” C1C Joseph Yasunaga said. “The best feature is that I can put a cadet on an ideal final approach in a matter ofseconds, allowing cadets to practice nearly 20 landings in an hour. I don’t have to worry about my students crashing. I simply reset them, and I can graphically show them what they did wrong.”

The Air Warfare Laboratory is open to all cadets. They can walk in and fly the simulators any time that the simulators are not otherwise scheduled. Currently cadets are thrilled with the availability of the new simulators as well as the superb instruction provided by the cadet simulator instructors.

“If I have an extra hour between classes, I can stop and do some touch and goes, practice a couple of Cuban 8s and SplitS’s, do some low level-formation flying, and then be off to my next class,” Yasunaga said.

Air Force Chief ofStaff General John P. Jumper, AETC/CC General Donald G. Cook, Commandant of Cadets Brigadier General Johnny Weida, ’78, and even Sen. Wayne Allard have stopped by the laboratory to see what all the excitement is about.

Cadet aviation instructors also facilitate a program called Operation Fledgling, which exposes the basic elements of flight to doolies who have never been in the cockpit before.

“A lot ofthese cadets never have been exposed to flying, much less learned about the information provided by instruments or how the controls’ surfaces are manipulated by what they do,” Weston said.

The mission of the 50th Education Squadron is “to produce officersschooled in the application of air and space power.” Using a model based on education, experience and training, the simulators provide an important addition to the cadet experience. Students are taught rules, theory, safety awareness and crew resource management as part of their “education.” Mission planning and decision making in the simulators comprise their “experience.” Reviewing and completing checklists, taking off and landing in the simulators provide “training.” S3

focuses on character

ol. Joseph Mazzola returned to familiar territory earlier this year.

Mazzola was an air officer commanding of Cadet Squadron 34 during 1988 and 1989. He also served as the director ofcadet activities until 1991. Now he has returned as the new director for the Academy’s Center for Character Development.

“I am amazed with all the major changes underway at the Academy,” the colonel said. “Lt. Gen. John Rosa and Brig. Gen. John Weida, ’78, are right on target with all of the changes. I’m particularly impressed with three the introduction of the new Officer Development System, the push to bridge everything to the operational Air Force and the movement to a fourclass training system.”

“Excellence is a journey, not a destination,” Weida told Mazzola. The colonel agrees, and thinks that today’s cadets are starting their excellence journey on the right foot with all ofthese changes.

Through various events, like the National Character and Leadership Symposium, the center is involved in the changes at the Academy.

“Character and integrity are woven throughout the entire cadet experience,” Mazzola said. “That not only ties right into our most important Air Force core value of integrity, it is also what makes the Academy special.”

Rosa has said that officers without character cannot be truly effective leaders. Mazzola adds, “All of us must work together to ensure we graduate lieutenants of impeccable character who go on to lead the world’s greatest air and space force, which is why the Academy exists.”

Mazzola and his staff are 100 percent committed to support the Academy’s mission. Toward that end, they take a hands-on approach to working with all four classes ofcadets, along with the entire Academy faculty and staff. And that suits its new director fine.

The staff “is a microcosm of the Air Force, and a real-life group of role models for cadets” he said. “The center is made of up military and civilian, officersand enlisted, graduates and nongraduates, active duty and reserve component, men and women of diversity, varying levels of formal education and more. Yet, they treat one another with dignity and respect, work together as an excellent team, and zero in on accomplishing an important mission. That is exactly what the senior Air Force leadership expects of all Air Force personnel.”

Mazzola joined the Air Force in 1974. The Butte, Mont., native has been married to his high school sweetheart, Laura, for more than 31 years. The Mazzolas have two adult sons and one daughter who will graduate from high school in June. B

Smithsonian bound

COMPILED FROM NEWS SERVICES

“America’s Huey 091” made its way to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in late March - but stopped at the Air Force Academy before landing in Washington, D.C. The helicopter also visited other service academies before touching down at the Smithsonian for a new exhibit titled “The Price of Freedom,” which opens Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Huey 091 ’s history began in 1965 when it was produced. Manufactured as a UH-1D with tail number 65-10091, it was purchased by the Army in August 1966.

By September, it was in Vietnam, serving withthe 173rd Assault Helicopter Company, the Robinhoods.

While in Vietnam, the Huey was documented as damaged by enemy fire three times; during thethird incident it was hit in the cockpit, the hydraulic systems were damaged and the helicopter crashed. This resulted in her being declared a “loss to inventory.” The Huey was “later recovered by any means other than its own power” and brought back to the United States where it was repaired and put back into service.

A pprentice Warrior is the second ofthree novels in the early / I life of David Harrison, a son ofrich and politically conJL nected parents who are involved in the fledgling U.S. aviation industry. The entire book is seen through David’s eyes.

Apprentice Warrior follows the 1912-1916 West Point years of cadet David Harrison. Four years prior to his admission to West Point, young Davey found a mentor in a young test pilot Lt. Thomas Selfridge andhad been smitten ever since by that lonely impulse ofdelight, the desire to fly. Through Harrison’s family business dealings with an engineering entrepreneur named Glenn Curtiss, David has not unexpectedly compiled more than 600 flying hours and probably knows far more about flying than his superior officers. Hence, he has attracted the attention of a USMA military instructor, Maj. Billy Mitchell. The exchanges between the Mitchell and the youthful Harrison are both fascinating and fact-filled. In 1912, Mitchell may be naive about aviation, but Harrison is even more naive about history and politics.

In the summer of 1915, as part ofhis cadet summer training assignment, Harrison is sent by Mitchell on an overseas training trip to view the Royal Flying Corps. This is precisely the point in history where the

A Review of Apprentice Warrior: Born for Flight

Authored by William W. Whitson

warplane is transitioning from a reconnaissance platform to a killing machine. In Europe, Harrison gets a first-hand view offlying training, combat and death. He instantly becomes aware that most combat pilots of 1915 WWI are about his age and they’re dying.

Apprentice Warrior ends with Harrison’s graduation from West Point in 1916. At graduation, Harrison has matured light years. He has transitioned from the enthusiasticidealism of “I-wannafly-and-nothing-but” to a young man ofguarded cynicism, one who is about to experience war and all its warts.

Author William Whitson (USMA ’48) is certainly to be congratulated for his sense ofhistory. I rarely read fiction in which the author has done his homework in such uncommonly accurate detail, the sort ofaccuracy which is professionally woven into the historical novels ofauthors like Herman Wouk and Louis L’Amour. I am both relieved and grateful to report that, Apprentice Warrior is not one of those Hardy-Boys-Learn-to-Fly or Dick-Cole-atWest-Point books of the 1930s intended to inspire naive youth. It is a well-thought-out and well-researched document. The reader can’t finish the book without picking up hundreds of new facts. And Apprentice Warrior is quite plausible.

For historical accuracy, names and true anecdotes of thelikes of Stratemeyer, Spaatz, Eisenhower and Stilwell (my father had known the real-life no-nonsense “Vinegar Joe’’ Lt. Col. Stilwell in the 1930s) run throughout this novel. In those days at West Point when the Corps population rarely totaled more than 500 cadets, everyone knew every one else, and class unity was necessarily far stronger than it is today. Accurate descriptions of early aircraft, their strengths and weaknesses, with ghostly names like Bristol, Avro, Callus, Bleriot and Taube appear in nearly every chapter. You will find yourselfrepeating, “Gee, I didn’tknowthat!” I regret that author Whitson didn’t include a bibliography ofaircraft.

Whitson’stechnical accuracy is great, but his historical accuracy is superb. His dialogues return to that venerable question: Which are the most important academic endeavors at the service academies, engineering or the humanities? As I look back on the recent mistakes of our civilian and military leaders, I reflect that nearly all oftheir mistakes have come about not because of their lack of technical expertise but because oftheir ignorance ofhistory.

As far as plots go, Apprentice Warrior is rather mild, but that shouldn’t discourage the reader from treating it as a sort ofWinds ofWar, the prequel to Herman Wouk’s blockbuster novel, War and Remembrance. Indeed, I await Whitson’s follow-on blockbuster sequel, Test of Battle. In Whitson’s upcoming installment, I predict David Harrison is about to step into history. B

Whitson, William W. (2003) Apprentice Warrior: Bornfor Flight. Putnam Valley, NY: Cogent Publishing. 430 pages. ISBN 0-925776-10-6. $19.95

GENERAL HUBERT HARMON NAMED 'FATHER OF ACADEMY'

The Academy's first superintendent has been officially named "The Father of the United States Air Force Academy" as stated in an April 8 letter signed by U.S. Air Force Secretary James G. Roche and Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper.

Lt. Gen. Hubert R. Harmon's efforts directly resulted in the establishment of the Air Force Academy, and his visionary leadership has earned him this title, said Roche and Jumper. The letter was issued in celebration of the U.S. Air Force Academy's 50th anniversary.

"General Harmon's contributions to establish the Academy and its legacy as a world-class leadership and academic proving ground deserve our respect and admiration. His achievements have a lasting impact on our Air Force and the officers who graduate from this fine institution," wrote the leaders.

When the Stearns-Eisenhower Board issued its report on service academies in 1949, Lt. Gen. Harmon was assigned as special assistant to the chief of staff of the Air Force Academy. He had the responsibility of coordinating issues concerning the planning, location and beginnings of the new institution.

The general and a staff worked with Congress to draft legislation establishing the Academy April 1, 1954. Though retired in 1953 after 38 years of service, he returned to duty in November 1954 at the request of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and took his last assignment in August 1954 as the Academy's first superintendent. He served for almost two years before retiring in July 1956. He died in January 1957 of lung cancer.

Cadets challenge 40 college teams

national ethics bowl Feb. 26 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sponsored by the Association of Practical and Professional Ethics in Charlotte, N.C., the bowl is designed to get participants thinking about complex ethical and moral issues.

Indiana University finished first this year after placing second in 2003. Last year’s winner, Annapolis, finished eighth. Air Force placed third in 2003.

Cadet team members this year were CICs Tyson Fladduck, Kristen Seery, Kalli Ritter and Nick Haussler; and C2C Pete Orzech.

Haussler and Seery competed for the second consecutive year. The team was coached by department of philosophy professors Maj. William Casebeer and Capt. Marc Hedahl.

During the course of a full day, the teams had to deal withdifficult ethics-related case studies. Past issues range from euthanasia to corporate oversight. Competitors are judged on case answers as well as responses to questions, said Casebeer. The cadets received the cases more than a month in advance so they could properly prepare.

The 40 teams compete in three preliminary rounds. The best eight teams faced off in a deciding round. During a round, two teams hear two cases. The first team gives their position on a case with the second team either criticizing or agreeing with the first team’s position. The teams then trade. The team who criticized in the lastdebate would respond.

Participants are judged on intelligibility, clarity, depth, focus and judgment. Judging panels comprise professionals from all walks of life: ethicists, lawyers, doctors, etc.

Board of Supervisors Recognizes USAFA’s 50th Anniversary

TheSanta Clara California County Board of Supervisors recently recognized USAFA’s 50th birthday by presenting a proclamation. In all, nine graduates were present for the ceremony.

Covey, ’68, and Gregory, ’64, inducted into NASA Astronaut Hall of Fame

The first American woman to walk in space, the Hubble Space Telescope repair mission commander, the first African American to command a spaceship, the first American to occupy Russia’s Mir space station, and the commander of the 1986 ill-fated Challenger 51-L were inducted into the 2004 induction in the Astronaut Hall of Fame.

Joining such illustrious American icons as Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, Alan Shepard, John Glenn and Sally Ride as Hall of Fame inductees were Kathryn D. Sullivan; Richard O. Covey, ’68; Frederick D. Gregory, ’64; Norman E. Thagard; and Francis “Dick” Scobee, who was represented by June Scobee. The honorees were enshrined in the Hall of Fame during the public ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Houston, on May 1.

Sullivan, America’s third female astronaut, made history as the United States’ first woman space walker during her 1984 inaugural shuttle flight when she and David Leetsma slipped into Challenger’s open cargo bay to practice techniques for refueling out-of-gas orbiting satellites. On two later missions, Sullivan helped launch the Hubble Space Telescope and made an extensive study of Earth’s resources.

A four-time space shuttle flyer, Covey distinguished himself as both commander of the Hubble Space Telescope repair mission and as pilot ofthe shuttle program’s critical return-to-flight mission following the 1986 Challenger disaster.

While he also flew on Discovery in 1985 and Atlantis in 1990, much more visible was Covey’s 1993 command of Endeavour on the most difficult space repair mission ever attempted. He was also in a high-profile position as pilot of the Discovery in 1988, when he and four other veteran

shuttle fliers were the first to fly in the redesigned spacecraft following the Challenger incident. Covey currently serves as co-chairman of the Stafford-Covey Return to Flight Task Group, which is making an independent assessment of NASA’s implementation of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board space shuttle return to flight recommendations.

Gregory flew on three shuttle missions, the first as pilot of Challenger which shot into orbit in 1985 with a crew of seven and a menagerie of24 rats and two squirrel monkeys who were along to test cages designed for future animal research in space. He became the first African American to command a space mission when he guided Discovery in 1989 on a secret Department of Defense flight and again commanded a military mission with the 1991 launch ofAtlantis. Since leaving the astronaut corps, Gregory has held various positions within NASA and is now the agency’s second in command.

After serving in various capacities on 1983, 1985, 1989 and 1993 shuttle flights, Florida native Thagard rode into space in a Soyuz spacecraft launched from Russia’s Baikonur Cosmodrome. The spacecraft docked at the Mir space station, where Thagard spent 115 days, working on 28 different experiments before returning to Earth aboard Shuttle Atlantis.

Scobee was the pilot aboard Challenger in 1984 on the world’s first mission to repair a satellite in orbit. The shuttle was launched on a week-long journey in pursuit of the Solar Max sun-study satellite, which had been disabled in orbit for three years. The satellite was snared, refurbished and set free to resume its study of the sun.

Scobee was aboard Challenger again on January 28, 1986, this time as commander with six crewmates, when it lifted off on a frigid day. Fifty-eight seconds later, a tongue of flame burst through a solid fuel booster rocket, igniting a reaction that destroyed the shuttle and its seven crew members.

This year’s inductees were selected by a blue-ribbon committee comprising former NASA officials and flight controllers, journalists, historians and other space authorities in a process administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.

To be eligible for induction, an individual must be a U.S. citizen and a NASA astronaut and must have been out of the active astronaut corps at least five years. Committee members consider not only an astronaut’s accomplishments in space, but how he or she contributed to theadvancement ofspace exploration both before and after his or her mission

This is the third group of space shuttle astronauts selected for induction into the hall of fame. Fifty-seven space explorers are enshrined there. Earlier inductees came from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz programs.

For more news about NASA log on to http://www.nasa.gov/ news/highlights/index.html. H

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Teamwork makes fitting theme, direction for NCLS

More than 100 students from colleges and universities recendy came from across the nation to join Academy cadets in discussions ofcritical moral, ethical and leadership issues facing our world.

The theme of the Academy’s 11th annual National Character and Leadership Symposium was Teamwork: Honorably Working Together to Achieve Excellence.

NCLS focuses entirely on character and leadership.

“Those areas are at the very heart ofthe Academy mission. The messages covered by this year’s wonderful speakers relate directly to our new Officer Development System, where we stress character-based officership,” Brig. Gen. John Weida, ’78, said.

Guest speakers at this year’s event included Ted Sundquist, ’84, general manager of the Denver Broncos; Rick Reilly, senior writer for Sports

legendary college basketball coach; and Nancy Sherman, renowned

Georgetown University. The symposium also included several distinguished combat veterans, including Capt. Kim Campbell, ’97.

The NCLS is hosted by the Center for Character Development in partnership with the Association of Graduatesand the Phillips and McDermott foundations. AOG sponsored the event.

Rocket Science:

Astronautics offers cadets unique opportunity

ot every college lets you build and launch monster rockets and earn undergraduate credit at the same time. Odds are, ifyou do it, you’re more likely to be placed on a list at the Homeland Security offices unless you’re attending the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Astronautical Engineering 452/453 is the Academy’s two-course path to becoming a rocket scientist. On the wide-open spaces of Fort Carson’s Pinon Maneuver Area in Trinidad, Colo., 18 seniors, their faculty and contracted advisers recently rejoiced as the program’s capstone project took flight.

“The second the rocket fired and took off, you could feel the weight lifted from the shoulders of each and every cadet that had put so much time and effort into something not many undergraduate college kids can ever say they did. It was awesome!” said ClC Chris Nations who was chosen randomly to press the “fire” button. Nations’ prompting sent an 11.5-foot tall, seven-inch diameter, 115-pound rocket blasting away with 110 pounds of thrust from a solid rocket motor.

Program manager and primary course instructor Maj. Dan Miller feels the cadets’ experience is even more unique than they realize.

“No other university is building and launching this class of rocket at the undergraduate level,” he said. “Cadets and faculty went from blank paper to flight hardware in eight months. This included developing the rocket motor with propellant, insulation, throat and nozzle, pressure vessel case, recovery system, etc.”

Computer modeling predicted a flight of up to mach 1.8.

“We probably didn’t get that, but from the sonic boom we broke the sound barrier,” Miller said. The missile fell short of its top speed and projected flight ceiling of 50,000 feet because of a parachute malfunction during flight.

Project Chief Engineer ClC Kevin Geoffroy seems well adapted to the role of rocket scientist with the following heady explanation for the miscue.

“There are a number of algorithms that determine apogee of the rocket including a pressure switch,” Geoffroy said. “The current theory for the chute deploying early is that the pressure behind theshock wave decreased enough that the R-DAS interpreted a decrease in altitude, triggering the deployment.”

According to Maj. Miller’s translation, this means the parachute inadvertently deployed early and at high speed. The problem, he assures, will be fixed on future projects.

The Air Force Research Lab’s Space Propulsion Division took an interest in the cadet rocket program in 2002 and began sponsoring it to the tune of $100,000 per year. The lab also takes cadets on field trips to government and industry sites of space propulsion interest.

The big picture plan, hopefully realized next year, is to build a rocket large enough to reach space, Miller said. Next year’s mission will shoot for 330,000 feet and the Air Force Space Test Program looks to put experimental payloads on future missions.

“The USAFA rocket program is going higher, faster and fartherthan at any other time in its history,” Geoffroy said. “Our rocket class will pass everything we have learned to the Class of2005. They will benefit from the lessons we have learned as we did from the Class of2003.”

Glad as he was to see the cadets’ rocket take to the air, Miller is also pleased to have met an even more important goal. In a few weeks, his rocket scientists leave the Academy and launch their own careers as Air Force officersand leaders.

“Cadets in the program get the opportunity to experience first hand what the ‘real world’ is like. Technical challenges, schedule delays, peers that can or cannot be counted on, etc.; this is a yearlong leadership laboratory focused on a specific goal,” he said. “My objectives are not primarily rocket science, but developing officers. This is the finest group of cadets I have worked with and they will be impressive officers.” S

THE SABRE SOCIETY

The Sabre Society was founded in 1995 byAcademygraduate John Kelly, 65, and Greg Kolligian, a friend of the U.S. Air Force and the Academy. The society’s name, logo and motto Pledged to Leadership represent the group’s long-term tangible commitment to support cadet leadership programs perpetuating the Academy’s values of integrity, service and excellence. Today, the Sabre Society continues to formally recognize and honor the generosity and commitment of donors who make annual unrestricted gifts of $1,000 or more to the Air Force Academy Fund during a given Fiscal year (July 1 June 30). These gifts support valuable character development, academic, heritage and athletic programs.

“I think the values for which the Academy stands are important to society as a ivhole, both in and out of the military. The Sabre Society provides those of us who share these values the opportunity to join together to help young people and to support the Academys leadershipprograms that reinforce this value system.

John Kelly, ’65 Sabre Society Founder

For more information or to become a Sabre Society donor, please contact the AOG at (719) 472-0300 or visit us online at ivww.usafa.org.

The Association of Graduates

3116 Academy Drive

USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475

MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERSHIP IN THE ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES allows the AOG to provide valuable support to graduate programs, enrich the cadet experience and promote the heritage and tradition of the Long Blue Line.

Providing leadership and service to the Academy graduate community is an important part of the AOG’s mission. Examples of current programs, services and membership benefits include:

A Checkpoints magazine

4 Parent Handbook

-f Register ofGraduates

4" www.usafa.org

4~ Class reunions

4" Nationwide graduate chapters

4" Civilian employment programs

-E War memorial maintenance

4" Historical record keeping

4- Merchandise, including cadet-issue clothing

4~ Cadet sabre rental and purchase

4- Scholarships for dependents

4- Eisenhower Golf Coursereservations

THE CADET EXPERIENCE WOULD NOT BE THE SAME without the Association of Graduates. Support from graduates, cadets, parents ofcadets and friends of the Academy has enabled the AOG to fund more than $6 million to various cadet programs, activities and clubs such as:

4- More than 30 cadet clubsand organizations

4- Internships at NASA, Congress, NATO and the State Department

4" Cadet international cultural immersion experiences

4- Cadet national collegiate competitions

4- Cadet summer research and travel programs

FOR MORE INFORMATION or to purchase an AOG membership, please call the Association of Graduates at (719) 472-0300 or visit us online at www.usafa.org.

Yearbooks Needed

The USAFA Preparatory School needs yearbooks (Malamutes) from the years 1962, 1963,1965, and 1967 to complete the school’s archives. If you’re interested in helping,

November 5-6 for a

November 5: Evening social and dinner at the Union League Club

November 6: Cheer on the Falcons as Air Force takes on Army at Michie Stadium (bus transportation available)

More information, including R.S.V.P. details, will be mailed to all Sabre Society donors this summer. Make your hotel

(ask for the Sabre Society block) directly through the Union League Club - 37th between Park and Madison, (212) 685-3800 - OR Grand Hyatt - Park & 42nd, four blocks from Union League Club, (800) 233-1234.

“On behalfofthe Falcon Heritage Forum and the Cadet Wing, I wanted to take the opportunity to thankyou and theAOGforyour support oftheprogram. Withoutyou, we wouldn't be able to make it happen every semester. I am trulyappreciative... mostly because I see what others get out ofit. Bringing in thepeople we do and having them interact with cadets is one ofthegreatest learning experiences we can have. Thankyou againfor allofyour support to cadets it is invaluablefor so much ofour success here.

C2C

Falcon Heritage Forum Cadet in Charge

Please remember to makeyour annual contribution byJune 30 to receive recognition at the Sabre Society level. To increase, verify, adjust or renew your currentpledge, please contact Sabre SocietyAdministrator Regina Clark at (719) 472-0300 or regina.clark@usafa.af.mil.

New Perimeter Fence Surrounds Cadet Area

new measures to provide better cadet protection

onstruction began in April on the cadet area protective perimeter. This project begins the first phase of the plan to install approximately 8,000 feet of fencing.

The seven-foot, black, vinyl-coated chain link fence is one of two types of fencing to be installed. The other fencing is made of seven-foot vertical, one-inch square steel pickets with posts seven feet apart.

This project became necessary because of the events of Sept. 11 and the heightened security that followed.

“Our critical resource is our 4,000-member cadet wing, especially when they are in formation. We must protect them where they live, study and sleep,” said Maj. Kit Lambert, commander, 10th Security Forces Squadron.

To understand the importance of this plan, “One must understand the potential threat and the risk that must be balanced with the need for the public to interact with cadets and experience cadet programs,” Lambert said.

The process has been long and complicated, according to Dave Mein, 10th Civil Engineering Squadron project manager. Coordination with all the activities on the hill while striving to meet antiterrorism requirements was a huge hurdle. Although protection was the ultimate goal, the fence isn’t meant to be an obstacle for cadets to get to the gym and other buildings.

Two new guard houses, similar to the new south gate, will also be constructed to replace current temporary facilities. Construction is scheduled for completion in September. V

The United States Air Force Academy provides superior educational and military training opportunities for tomorrow’s finest officers of the greatest air and space force in the world.

The Association of Graduates supports programs not funded by the government that shape the cadet experience, such as the National Character and Leadership Symposium, language and cultural immersion programs, cadet clubs, integrated field studies and summer research internships.

With your continued support, the exciting momentum we experience as the Academy celebrates its 50th anniversary will enable USAFA to reach new levels of excellence throughout the next 50 years.

THE U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY

U.S. News & World Report

#6 Best overall engineering program

#2 Best aerospace engineering program

#6 Best electrical engineering program

#8 Best mechanical engineering program

#9 Best civil engineering program

The Princeton Review

#6 Best overall experience for undergraduates

#3 Students from different backgrounds interact #14 Toughest to get into

#4 Professors make themselves accessible

#8 Everyone plays intramural sports

%

COMBAT RESCUER

Stovall, ’67, flew perilous combat rescue missions in Vietnam

U'Tp

here’s nothing to compare in satisfaction to a successful combat rescue of a fellow airman,” said retired Brig. Gen. Dale Stovall, ’67.

As a captain, Stovall piloted the HH-53C helicopter that completed the June 2, 1972 combat rescue of Capt. Roger Locher, an F-4 Phantom weapons officer shot down deep inside North Vietnam.

The Locher pick-up is extraordinary because Locher spent 23 days on the ground struggling to survive and evade capture only a few miles from a huge MiG base. No other airman shot down in North Vietnam avoided capture longer than three days.

When the 1973 Jabara Award for Airmanship was presented to then-Capt. Stovall, the citation accompanying the award referred to “the deepest rescue mission ever into North Vietnam to pick up a downed U. S. Air Force [flight crew member] 60 miles northwest of Hanoi.”

To rescue Locher, read the citation, Stovall “repeatedly and successfully penetrated extremely hostile and heavily defended areas ofNorth Vietnam to arrive at the downed [flight crew member’s] location five miles northeast ofYen Bai airfield, one of the most active enemy MiG airfields.”

Stovall was awardedthe Air Force Cross for that mission. He received two Silver Star awards for other combat rescues among the 12 he accomplished during his tour in Southeast Asia. Stovall flew 79 combat missions and logged 267.7 combat hours.

A native ofToppenish, Wash., Stovall attended the Air Force Academy, where he was a 3-year Letterman in track. He qualified for the 1966 All-American Indoor Track Team. He graduated in 1967 and completed fixed-wing pilot training with Flying Class 69-02, pinning on his wings in 1969.

Stovall’s first assignment was flying the C-141A Starlifter on long-range transport missions. He was selected for helicopter training in 1970 and flew the HH-53C at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., as part of the recovery team for the Apollo 14 and 15 Lunar space flights. Then, he joined the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Thailand.

“In my squadron, four out of40 pilots were killed in combat, a loss of ten percent, something most units wouldn’t be able to handle,” Stovall said in a telephone interview. “Our rescue missions were very much combat first, rescue second. And our successes were very much the work of many people, from the maintainers who worked on our aircraft at night to the pararescuemen who helped with rescues.”

When F-4 back-seater Locher came up on the radio 21 days after being shot down, rescue experts initially did not believe it was possible any American could have survived that long without being rounded up by enemy troops.

“We tried to reach him on June 1, 1972,” said Stovall. “Even after a radio exchange that authenticated his identity, we weren’t

sure we could get him out of there.” While making the attempt, A-l Skyraider and HH-53C pilots came under attack from a MiG but eluded the enemy fighter in a narrow canyon. The rescue force then dodged missiles, another MiG, and gunfire, but failed to get through to Locher that day.

“On June 2, we went back with an armada. We shut down the war to go get Roger Locher. There were 119 aircraft over North Vietnam supporting us one way or another. My crew was just lucky to be the one on the end-point, the helicopter that went in and picked him up.” Stovall’s HH-53C crew hoisted Locher into the helicopter from a steep, 1,200-foot hill slope while two crewmembers blazed away at North Vietnamese troops with mini-guns.

“I had a package ofcookies from my mother in my pocket,” said Stovall. “I knew he hadn’t eaten in a long time Locher had lost 13 pounds so I gave him the cookies. He stuffed them in his pockets and said, ‘If we get shot down, this time I’ll have something to eat with me.’” Stovall’s crew also handed Locher his first cigarette in 23 days.

Locher later became a pilot, flew F-4 Phantoms in Alaska, and had a key role in the early days of the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter program. He retired as a colonel and lives in Kansas.

Stovall continued from Southeast Asia to a full Air Force career in rescue and special operations. He commanded the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., from 1987 to 1989.

In his final two assignments between 1990 and 1993, Stovall was vice commander ofAir Force Special Operations Command and deputy commanding general ofJoint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C

“When you’re young, you can fly a helicopter into North Vietnam on a rescue,” said Stovall. “We never intended to be shot down or captured. I looked like Pancho Villa on each mission, carrying two pistols, a rifle, and bandoliers of ammunition slung over my shoulders. My crew and I decided that if we went down, we were going to shoot it out.”

According to a 1973 Air Force press release, in Southeast Asia crews like Stovall’s saved 2,624 lives under hostile conditions and another 1,231 lives between Dec. 1, 1964 and Mar. 29, 1973.

Widely viewed as one of the Air Force’s most respected special operations leaders, Stovall lives today in Missoula, Mont. He is pursuing a second career as a pilot for Federal Express. Stovall and his wife Carol have three children. He marked his 60th birthday on Feb. 19. H

62nd Doolittle Ra nion

Capt. Scott Cerone, ’95, talks with Jack Sims, a Doolittle Raider, during a dinner honoring the group’s 62nd reunion April 15 in Tuscon, Ariz. The Doolittle Raiders flew a pivotal mission on April 18,1942. They bombed Tokyo as symbolic revenge against Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.The mission was led by then-Lt. Col. James Doolittle. Seventeen of the 80 raiders are alive today. Cerone is assigned to Davis-Monthan’s 357th Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Lanie McNeal)

Tomorrow’s leaders learn from today’s heroes

The Falcon Heritage Forum recently paired seasoned military people with cadets to provide opportunities to interact on a personal level with highly distinguished military veterans, including former prisoners of war.

Veterans bring OEF, OIF experiences to Academy

Following an initial introduction and briefing April 22, the44 members of the group divided up and visited every cadet squadron for one-on-one briefs where they shared their experiences, hoping to motivate cadets before they graduate.

“Falcon Heritage Forum was a wonderful success both for the cadets and the 44 Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom warriors who attended. Cadets heard briefings from six veterans, includingArmy special forces, A-10 and B-2 pilots and space operators,” said Capt. Eric Ecklund, 34th TrainingWing Falcon Forum deputy program director. “All 36 cadet squadrons had assigned veterans and were able to interact with these ‘just back from the front’ warriors. Everyone benefited from this experience.”

By sharing stories of their own journey in an informal setting with very small groups ofcadets, the veterans provided inspiration and mentorship for future Air Force leaders.

“The Falcon Heritage Forum this semester was an incredible eye-opener for many cadets, including myself. You don’t realize the effects ofthe war up here on the hill; but meeting people who were there and hearing their stories brought it to life,” said C2C Emily Gross, a management major from Cadet Squadron 23. “I was completely overwhelmed by their presence, and their willingness to sacrifice for their country. At one point, I spoke with an Army captain who received the Purple Heart. He lost his leg from the knee down in combat. As I talked to him about his experience, he was telling me that ‘it’s just what I had to do and I would do it again in a second.’ I was amazed by his courage, bravery and will.”

Getting up close and personal with heroes of today helped tomorrow’s leaders shape their career goals as well.

“Not only do you learn from these warrior heroes, you also gain insight into what interests you,” Gross said. “Would you rather be on theback burner in services or maintenance butstill providing a critical task for the pilots? It was my honor to be associated with these men and women. I think Falcon Heritage Forum was a huge success this semester. I am already looking forward to planning next semester’s forum.”

The Association of Graduates was a major sponsor of this year’s program. S

“If I can’t go back with my self respect, I won’t go

In memory of Lt. Col. (Ret.) Theodore R. Harris 1923 - 2003 Prisoner of War Korea “The Last Man Out”

backat all.”

This Memorial Day the Association of Graduates remembers all the men and women of the armed forces who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may live under the flag that represents freedom and democracy throughout the world.

“Onee upon a time

Grads, remember all the great stories you and your classmates shared with one another at your last reunion? Well now is your chance to share some of the most important memories of your life with the 22,000 readers of Checkpoints magazine, which includes the entire Cadet Wing.

As the Academy and the Association of Graduates begin a four-year celebration of the institution’s 50th anniversary, the staff of Checkpoints wants to publish some of your cadet experiences and stories of how your four years at the Academy affected your career and life.

Although we can’t guarantee every submission will be published, we hope that many of you will take time to share your first-hand account of the Long Blue Line’s heritage and history. Please keep your story between 500-2000 words. If you have photos to include with the story, please include them, too. Digital copies of photos must be in “jpg” file format, at a resolution of no less than 300 dots per inch at a dimension of 5 x 7 inches. For more information or ifyou have any questions, please contact Ken Wright at (719) 472-0300 or ken.wright@usafa.af.mil.

Please e-mail your story and photos to editor@aog-usafa.org. Ifyou choose to mail your story, please include a digital copy of your story and photos on a CD or floppy disk. Microsoft Word files are preferred for the text documents. The submission deadline for the spring 2004 issue of Checkpoints is March 31. The deadline for the summer edition is June 30.

Explore the world with other service academy alumni.

Travel with those who knowwhat it is to serve and share new experiences together. Join our new program and enjoy the benefits of group travel with us; complete predeparture service and a program that combines a unique itinerary with great staff and service every step of the way.

PLANA TRIP TO GERMANY

Germany’s Legendary Holiday Markets (December 4-12, 2004) Explore the great towns and villages along the Main river and see the wonderful Christmas markets each town creates. See old world Christmas traditions and experience the warm hospitality of Germany without the huge crowds of summer. Cruise aboard the MS Swiss Pearl-unpack only once and shop till you drop (from $1895 plus air). Alumni Holidays

2005 TRIPS

We are working on our offering for 2005 and know you will find something appealing and interesting. Keep watching this announcement for information on these trips.

***Please note prices and dates are tentative. Contact Joint Academy Travel for final information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT www.jointacademytravel.org E-MAIL bobbi.collins@jointacademytravel.org OR CALL (410) 263-4448 ext. 139

Cadet Clubs

ON BEHALF OF THE ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES, Col. (Ret.) Jim Shaw, ’67, president and CEO, presents a check for $52,227 to Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. John Weida, ’78, to enhance the quality of life of Academy for cadet club members. The funds specifically offset the high cost of transportation, lodging, entry fees, supplies and equipment for clubs like the Cadet Chorale, Combat Pistol Team, Cycling Club and Bluebards Productions.

cadets thrive at West Point’s Sandhurst competition

leven cadets conquered nine field events and maneuvered through about five miles ofNew York terrain to capture fourth place out of45 teams at West Points annual Sandhurst competition April 24.

“They did awesome!” said Brig. Gen. Johnny A. Weida, ’78, academy commandant ofcadets. “This is exactly what were talking about to instill warrior spirit. These cadets have been dedicated to training for this event for 45 days, and they did awesome!”

The goal ofSandhurst is to increase military excellence in the field. It tests cadets’ ability to move, shoot and communicate while stressing teamwork. These tests included equipment inspection, gas-mask drill, boat movement, marksmanship, grenade throwing, river crossing, wall climbing and repelling. The final event was a commandant’s challenge, which featured a series ofshort obstacles testing strength, speed and balance.

“This was definitely rewarding,” said C2C Erin Heintz. “It was great to work and train closely as a team and also experience how [soldiers do] things. We had a unique opportunity to work with cadets from the Canadian and British academies,

BEHIND THE SCENES

and we learned things not normally taught at (our Academy), such as repelling and a zodiac boat movement.”

Sandhurst began in 1967 when the Royal MilitaryAcademy Sandhurst presented West Point with a sword as the prize for a field competition. In recent years, the Academy, ROTC, and Canadian and British cadets have traveled to West Point for this competition.

“Our success couldn’t have been achieved without everyone’s participation,” said C2C Eric Davis. “It was a tough competition, and we are proud ofwhat we accomplished.”

General Weida witnessed every step of the Air Force cadets’ persistence. He was among a group ofAcademy leaders who ran behind the cadets throughout the course.

“I’m thrilled!” said Col. Clada Monteith, 34th Training Group commander, who also followed the cadets. “They gave all they had. They really set a standard here.”

This is the third year Academy cadets have taken part in Sandhurst. In the first year, they came in last place, and they jumped up to 19th in 2003.

A resounding “air power” was shouted from Tech. Sgt. Erik Blatnik, noncommissioned officer in charge ofAir Force Sandhurst training, when he first heard of their fourth place standing. “I’m incredibly proud of these guys,” he said.

“They really pushed themselves. This is just awesome,” said Tech. Sgt. John Coleman, assistant noncommissionedofficer in charge of Sandhurst training.

The team also included CICs Aaron Zamora, Matt Rottinghaus and Garrett Chandler; C2Cs Brent McCall and Craig Neuman; C3Cs Giovanna Espegio and Mark Truxillo; and C4Cs Matt Schlittler and Christopher Leonhardt. S

U.S. Air Force Academy cadets take part in the zodiac boat movement.

Thanks to the generous contributions of graduates, parents and friends, the Academy continues to produce leaders of characterwho are passionate about serving our nation and Air Force.

Heirs to a rich heritage, the Cadet Wing continues to accomplish extraordinary achievements because graduates, parents and friends have supported the Academy in reaching new levels of excellence through their generous donations to the Air Force Academy Fund. Unrestricted, private dollars fund Academy character development, academic, athletic and heritage programs.

The Air Force Academy Fund is the best and easiest way graduates, parents and friends can support the Air Force Academy. Last year, more than 6,000 people gave more than $2.1 million to the Air Force Academy Fund.

Give to the Air Force Academy Fund.

For more information, please contact Greg Knedlerat (719) 472-0300 or gregory.knedler@usafa.af.mil.

Northwestern Preparatory School

4- Appointments to the U.S. Air Force Academy and other Service Academies have been received by over 90 percent of our students.

*+• SAT/ACT Enhancement

PAE Improvement

“Northwestern Prep provided me with an academicfoundation that raised my SAT scores by 200 points, as well as an ability to focus on the essentialpreparation to succeed at the Academy. As a result ofthe self-confidence I gained there, I became Outstanding Student in CST, Outstanding 2nd Class Cadet in 3rd Group, Team Captain of Women s Fencing, and Outstanding Squadron Commander ofthe #1 ranked squadron ofthe wing!

2002 USAFA Graduate

FOUNDERS DAY

Celebrations mark more than just an anniversary Story byAcademy Spirit and AOG

Two rare honors were presented to the Air Force Academy April 1 in a ceremony commemorating its 50th anniversary.

The U.S. Postal Service unveiled a commemorative 37-cent stamp, and the U.S. Department of the Interior bestowed the National Historic Landmark honor to the Academy. It was 50 years ago when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Air Academy Act authorizing the Academy to be built.

“This is a proud time to be at the Air Force Academy,” said Lt. Gen. John Rosa, academy superintendent. “The list ofgraduates (who) have passed through here over the five decades includes many of our nation’s finest leaders. As we take our Academy to the next level ofexcellence, we can look forward to graduating many more in the years to come.”

The stamp honors the Academy’s years of service to the nation. A photo of the Cadet Chapel is featured on the stamp.

William Johnstone, secretary of the U.S. Postal Service board of governors, said the image would go into the homes of America, symbolizing the values of the nation.

Retired Brig. Gen. Robert F. McDermott, dean of the faculty from 1959 to 1968, attended the ceremony and said he was thankful he lived long enough to witness the anniversary.

“I find it thrilling that for over 50 years, cadets have taken advantage ofwhat the academy offers,” McDermott said.

Following the stamp unveiling, Craig Manson, ’76, assistant secretary of the interior for fish, wildlife and parks, signed the formal documentation declaring National Historic Landmark status for the Academy’s cadet area because of its unique resources.

These resources include Arnold Hall, Harmon Hall, Fairchild Hall, Vandenberg Hall, the aerospace laboratory, planetarium, physical-education building, Cadet Chapel, terrazzo, Honor Court andthe parade grounds, which were all constructed between 1958 and 1968.

On April 2, the Academy and the Association of Graduates paid special tribute to its two newest distinguished graduates, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Bradley C. Hosmer, ’59, and Mr. Richard T. Schlosberg, ’65 at a dinner where the two were honored.

Both graciously thanked the Academy andthe AOG for bestowing the honor upon them and talked to nearly 300 guests about how their Academy experience affected their lives. Hosmer noted, “The lessons ofservice, starting with the Academy, have

been vitalfor all of us in allwalks of life, and not just those in the service. I think those lessons are probably equally important in the private sector. I know out there the agendas are often mixed and sometimes concealed, but I can’t help but believe that integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do, is a useful set ofguidelines out there as well; and I can only refer you to my colleague, Dick Schlosberg, where he reflects and has achieved in his life as evidence of that.”

Schlosberg echoed Hosmer’s sentiment byadding that “The main gift was the ability to have the tools for lifelong learning. Lifelong learning, I think, is the key ingredient oflong term success, and for that the Air Force Academy is among the best, I think, in the nation.” S

ONOR I-BEAM SHOWS SQUADRON’S DEDICATION

A Cadet Squadron 24 tradition, the “Honor I-beam” ceremony held March 4 in Sijan Hall, demonstrates commitment to the Academy Honor Code.

The aluminum I-beam is a visual sign of the squadron’s dedication to high standards ofmoral character. When turned one way, the beam forms an “I,” which stands for “integrity.” When turned another way the beam forms an “H,” which stands for “honesty.”

First- and second-class cadets leaving the squadron present an I-beam to the incoming third- and fourth-class cadets who have joined during the past year. The I-beam represents the importance of integrity and honesty in the squadron and more importantly in each individual’s life.

“The I-beam joins together all Phantoms in pursuing an honorable life,” said C1C Michael Vogel, ceremony honor officer. “The ceremony helps remind people of the importance of the commitment.”

1st Lt. Jason Lawrence, ’00, created the I-beam tradition for Cadet Squadron 24 while he was a cadet.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Lawrence wanted to take honorable living and honor education to the next level, Vogel said. He sought to bind the classes and the squadron together, so he created a symbol to personalize the code to his classmates. He wrote a statement explaining the significance of the I-beam andhad it printed in the shape of an “I.”

One ofhis quotations reads: “Integrity is the first of our institutional core values. It stands for more than a simple mission statement or key to success. It is a keystone to life.”

The annual ceremony helps current cadets take that message to heart.

“Personally, honor and honor education have always been the most important aspect ofthe Academy. The foundations of the honor code, what the Academy and the graduates ofthe Academy represent was one ofthe strongest reasons I had for coming here,” said C1C Monique Foster-Loggins, ceremony honor officer.

Initially, the ceremony involved only firstclassmen and fourthclassmen, but to add a new twist to tradition, the squadron has involved all members.

“Incorporating all four classes reaffirms the importance of honor and integrity across all four years ofcadet life. I wanted to bring

the tradition backand put a new twist on it,” Foster-Loggins said.

C3C Benjamin Shearn participated in the ceremony and said it was a positive experience because the ceremony focused on the honor code as more than a list of things not to do.

“The Honor Code is often discussed at the Academy with a focus on its negative aspects (the ‘do nots’),” Shearn said. “The Ibeam ceremony highlighted the importance ofthe positive aspects of the code, such as actively seeking integrity and honesty.”

C3C Carsten Stahr said he began to contemplate the ideas of integrity and honor more after the ceremony.

“Those are two qualities I hold very highly in my own life,” Stahr said. “It became clear to me this I-beam ceremony meant much more than any other commandant’s time activity could. It presented me with something physical that could remind me daily of my commitment to the honor system.”

Both Shearn andStahr said they will keep the I-beam on their bookshelves as a daily reminder of the importance of following the honor code.

Approximately 30 thirdclassmen and 32 fourthclassmen were presented with an I-beam this year. H

mJT ike Ritzman, 94, a former wrestling coach and English instructor at the Prep H I \ / I School, left the Air Force in 2001 in hopes of storming the civilian sector. JL T JL After briefly working as a financial adviser and later a production supervisor in a manufacturing facility, Ritzman’s passion for public service led to his reporting to the FBI Academy in August 2003. As the nation continues to build its antiterrorism defenses, many others like Ritzman are realizing the opportunities at the FBI.

While at theFBI’s academy, Ritzman studied law, firearms, defensive tactics and investigative methods. Three weeks before completing the training, he injured his knee and is scheduled to return and finish training in June. He then will be assigned to the bureau’s Pittsburg office as a special agent.

Ritzman became interested in the FBI after talking with an Academy classmate, Todd Kusserow, ’94.

“Based on whatTodd and another friend, Kieran Smith, ’93, told me about the bureau, I knew it would be a good fit,” Ritzman said. “In addition, I, like many of my academy classmates at Quantico, was very moved and motivated by the current events and felt compelled to serve our country.”

continues Air Force

“service before self” in the FBI

The FBI continues to seek qualified applicants for special agent positions. During the 2003 fiscal year, the bureau hired 829 special agents. Approximately 25 percent had prior military experience. This year, the FBI will hire as many if not more special agents than last year.

The bureau comprises 56 field offices and is seeking applicants with the following skill sets:

Accounting/finance

Computer science/information technology specialties

Engineering

Foreign languages

Intelligence experience

Law experience

Law enforcement or other investigative experience

Military experience

Physical science (physics, chemistry, biology, etc.)

To qualify, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree, three years work experience, and be between 23 and 37 years of age.

Military service, including time spent while at the Academy, can be used for retirement, and military service counts toward annual leave accrual.

To learn more, visit the FBI online at www.fbijobs.com. Specific questions may be directed to your local bureau office’s applicant coordinator. HI

The United States Air ForceAcademy 50th Anniversary First Day Covers

50 Years of Integrity Service and Excellence

Since its establishment on April 1, 1954, the United States Air Force Academy has forged a distinguished tradition and given America a remarkable legacy of leaders who have shaped our history and safeguarded our freedom. The year 2004 marks a proud milestone in the history of the Academy as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

Officially Authorized 50th Anniversary Issues

Officially authorized by theAssociation ofGraduates ofthe United StatesAir Force Academy, these are historic First Day Covers of the new 2004 U.S. postage stamp commemorating the Academy’s 50th Anniversary. The Medallion First Day Cover also showcases the U.S. Air Force Academy Official Crest Medallion, handcrafted in genuine cloisonne. Both Covers will be officially First Day of Issue postmarked April 1, 2004, Colorado Springs, Colorado the first day the 2004 stamp will be issued to the public. It’s the exact 50th Anniversary of the day PresidentEisenhower signed the Act of Congress establishing the Academy.

These dramatic Covers are the perfect way to show your pride and the Nation’s pride in the Academy. They’ll also make great gifts for family, friends and colleagues and serve as your own cherished keepsakes for generations to come.

Reserve Yours Today Satisfaction Guaranteed!

The United States Air Force Academy 50th Anniversary First Day Covers are available exclusively from Fleetwood®, America’s oldest and foremost creator of philatelic commemoratives. Reserve yours today by calling TOLL FREE 1-800-443-3232 or complete and mail the convenient Official Order Form to Fleetwood, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, WY 82008-0001. You can also order online at www.unicover.com/ofr_case.htm. Your satisfaction is guaranteed!

A TOAST TO 2004

When you first stepped upon the terrazzo's white granite strips, you had no idea what lay ahead. Basic Cadet Training was just the first of many challenges you overcame with unshakeable determination and strength of character.

Through the good and bad days of the four years that followed, you emerged as a class that is truly ready for anything. When the winds of change blew across these foothills, you stepped forward and said, "I will lead the way." And you did, again and again.

Many will be honored by the presence of the commander in chief in Falcon Stadium June 2, 2004, but all will be in awe of you. You are the Class of 2004 like no other.

Here's a toast!

by Capt. Michael G. Johnson 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

It was Thanksgiving weekend in 1979 when then-Capt. Michael Sumida, ’74, received an unusual call on a day off summoning him to the squadron from the comfort of his home.

Capt. Sumida was a C-130 Hercules navigator with the 1st Special Operations Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan. He said he had not expected a call that weekend and wondered what was so important that it could not wait until after the holiday weekend.

“It turned out two full crews had been called in, and we were briefed on a hostage-rescue mission,” said now-Colonel Sumida.

On Nov. 4, 1979, Iranian militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 66 Americans hostage, a crisis that would last 444 days and would play out daily on the news.

“The mission was predicated on night-time operations,” Sumida said. “We needed sufficient cover of darkness to complete the mission. We knew there were certain features of the mission we had to start practicing immediately, one was [using] night-vision goggles [during] blackout training the other task was getting an altimeter reading on our own.”

In 1979, flying with NVGs was not common in the Air Force.

“When we practiced (nighttime) landings, some interesting things happened,” Sumida said. “I remember the (first) NVG mission we ever flew; we knew we would have to make some adjustments. The first one was, you put the night-vision goggles on, and the lighting in the plane was too bright. It would blind you; so we had to figure out how to dim it. Our approach was masking tape. We just went out with rolls of masking tape and started taping up every light we could possibly think of.”

Once the crew had taped up allthe lights, they taxied the airplane up to the runway to practice the landing. The crew soon discovered they had overlooked one light, the radar altimeter, a device used to signal distance from the ground during landing.

“[On] our first approach, we gave it a shot. The light (came) on, everybody (said) ‘Wow!’ because we were all blinded,” Sumida said.

Crews spent weeks training several different scenarios, planning for the unexpected and continuing to refine their skills. In the end, six C-130s comprising two from Kadena carrying the extraction team and four from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., carrying fuel, converged with eight helicopters. The helicopters picked up the extraction team, refueled and went on to a location in the mountains where they met with ground transportation. D>

The C-130s arrived at the predetermined desert location without incident. Only six ofthe eight helicopters arrived 40 minutes to one and a halfhours late, and one ofthe six had mechanical problems.

“At that point in time the mission was aborted,” the colonel said. “The importance of that sixth helicopter being borderline broken, [the extraction team’s commander] knew he had to have five helicopters to get everybody out. He was not going to risk any lives because he didn’t have enough helicopters.”

Quickly, the focus shifted from the mission to redeploying. Several of the C-130s were becoming low on fuel since they had waited for the helicopters with engines running to avoid restarting the engine in the desert.

“We were not going to shut down an engine,” Sumida said. “The reason is, C-130s start by blowing air past the front end ofthe jet engine and that gets your jet spinning. That air is turned on and offwith valves, and if we got a grain ofsand in the valves and had shut the engines down and had failed to open up one ofthe valves, we would have not been able to start an engine.”

One ofthe helicopters had positioned itselfbehind one ofthe lowfueled C-130s to prepare for refueling. When the mission was aborted, refueling was no longer necessary. The helicopter crew was told to move so the C-130 could taxi for takeoff that is when tragedy struck.

“He lifted off [in the] blackout environment, no horizon to talk about just black, kicking up sand and dust. The helicopter pilot got vertigo, went forward over the [C-130’s] left wing and landed on top of the [C-130’s] flight deck, killing five of the crew up front and three in the helicopter,” the colonel said.

At that point, the helicopters were abandoned; everyone was loaded onto the C-130s and prepared to leave the area, but the harrowing experience was not over yet.

Several of the C-130s were “heavy” because of the extra fuel and people onboard. The aircraftturned 180 degrees, ran engines up and began to take off. They had landed just beyond a road on sandy soil, and they were headed toward the road on takeoff.

“There are a couple ofspeeds that are important on a C-130, one ofthem is takeoffspeed, the speed where you can fly,” Sumida said. “We never got there. The other critical speed is called minimum control speed. It is the speed where you have enough air going over the surfaces ofthe airplane where you’ve got enough drag to make the surface catch enough air to maneuver the controls. We got to that speed, as I recall it was somewhere around (100 mph).”

A flat road by itselfwould not havebeen a concern; however, as is the case with many roads around the world, this one had a ditch.

“I remember the engineer saying ‘88 knots, 88 knots, 88 knots,’ andthere was that road coming,” the colonel said.

“We’re coming up on that ditch, we can see it with the (nightvision) goggles, and I think we’re all thinking we’re going to hit the

ditch and tear the landing gear off, slide to a stop, and we’re going to have to walk out,” Sumida said. “Low and behold, we hit the ditch, and it bumped us into the air, and we stilldidn’t have flying speed. There’s a law ofphysics the laymen’s term would be an ‘air bubble,’ we call it ‘ground effect.’ It’s where you pop up to an altitude approximately the wingspan of an airplane. The pilot immediately recognized that situation and started milking it for all it was worth.”

The pilot worked with the air bubble, which lasted just long enough for the airplane to reach takeoff speed, andthe crew was finally on their way home.

Thoughts ofbeing part ofthat historic rescue attempt haunted Sumida during the next 20 years. He saidhe could not get over feeling that the mission was a total failure, and he had left people behind. April 25, 2000, the 20th anniversary reunion ofthe Iranian hostage crisis was held in Washington. As the colonel remembered the guilt and the reunion, his voice quivered and his eyes watered.

“It’s tough because you kind oflive with a little bit of a stigma of a failure,” he said.

The reunion brought together crew members and some of the hostages, whom the crew members had never met. During a luncheon, one of the hostages stood up and asked to speak.

“He said he’d really like to thank the (leaders) of the United States and the team that went in andrisked their lives for them,” Sumida said. “The hostages knew about the rescue attempt and that it failed, but they couldn’t believe that about 200 Americans believed [the hostages’] lives were so important that [the team members] would put their lives on the line.”

Finally, 20 years later, some solace and peace of mind came for the crew members of the fateful rescue attempt.

April 24 and 25, 2004, marked the 24th anniversary of the rescue attempt. The colonel observed that anniversary in the same area of responsibility that the Iranian hostage crisis occurred, serving as the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan. The 376th AEW is the strategic airlift hub for Operation Enduring Freedomand provides tactical-airlift and air-refueling support to the area.

The colonel is deployed from the 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He lives in Denver and, as a civilian, works for a defense contractor.

Twenty-four years later, as an Air Force reservist, Sumida is still ferrying important cargo as a C-130 navigator. This time it is people and equipment in and out ofAfghanistan supporting the war on terrorism. H

Editor’s note: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Art Schwall, ’69, was also a member ofthe rescue mission. Then-Capt. Schwallpiloted the #3 MC-130 into Desert One.

Service Academy

SACC Schedule of Events

Thursday, August 26, 2004

Interview Prep Seminar at 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Friday, August 27, 2004

Breakfast (provided) 8:00 am - 9:30 am

Registration 9:00 am - Ail Day

SACC 12:30 pm

Lunch (provided) 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

SACC 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Saturday, August 28, 2004

If

What is SACC?

The SACC is the Service Academy Career Conference supported by the Associations of Graduates from the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Military Academy, and Alumni Associations from the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Previous conferences have been attended by hundreds of companies and thousands ofalumni.

Where will the SACC be held?

The next SACCwill be held at the Sheraton San Diego, 1380 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego CA. You may obtain a room for the SACC rate, ifavailable. Call (877) 723-2726 for reservations and ask for the SACC rate. There are many other hotels available in the area or stay with classmates or family.

Registration Fee

The SACC Candidate registration fee is $35 and may be paid by check or credit card. Please mail theattached registration with form ofpayment and two copies ofyour resume-resumes must be one page/one sided and on plain copy paper. Please mail your registration, or e-mail to: sacc@usna.com. Please do not fax-we need a nice, clean copy of your resume. Registration deadline August 6, 2004.

SACC Hotel Information

Sheraton San Diego 1380 Harbor Island Drive

The Air Force Academy Fund EH

50 Years: The Role of Private Support

On July 11, 1955, when the Air Force Academy opened its doors to the first class of cadets, few could imagine what the institution would look like in 2004. Even fewer understoodthe role that private support would play in the growth ofthis national treasure.

As one walks across the terrazzo today, much of the Academy’s physical structure and beauty from the early days has remained the same. However, behind these visible landmarks, the programs and activities that involve cadets have evolved to meet new challenges. While there have been numerous influences behind this evolutionary process, the role that private support has played is significant and continues to be important.

Academics:

Since its beginning, an Academy education has provided a balance between both hard and social sciences a formula that remains intact. During the early days, the course content was constantly under review and regularly changed to meet various accreditation requirements. In the 1960s, under the leadership ofBrig. Gen. Robert McDermott, the curriculum forever changed to address individual interests as majors were developed. Today, the Academy offers 32 majors ranging from chemistry to political science.

While some degree programs like engineering have always been part of the curriculum, teaching methods and techniques have

Difference

Building Leaders of Iharacter for the Nation

changed significantly throughout the years. For example, as the Class of 1959 was commissioned, the concept of space exploration was still very much in its infancy. During the last 50 years, numerous graduates flown and commanded space missions, and todays cadets activelystudy space exploration with an eye on the future of our air and space force.

Developed through the help of private support, Engineering 100 enables cadets to design, build and launch rockets as part of their class assignments. The class was originally developed with a $50,000 grant from the Association of Graduates made possible by countless gifts to the Air Force Academy Fund. Today, more than 2,000 cadets have participated in this thrilling classroom environment.

This is just one of a number of courses that has been developed as a result of the

generosity of many. Support like this continues to enhance the academic opportunities for cadets. This past year, gifts to the AOG were directed toward curriculum development, faculty support and cadet international travel a trend that will continue to grow into the future.

Athletics:

“On the fields of friendly strife...” are words that are permanently etched in the minds of every doolie during their first few days at the Academy. Athletics, whether it’s intercollegiate or intramurals, have always been one of the Academy pillars. The high level of competition found on the athletic fields is viewed as an effective way to teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. Athletics is used as a tool to mirror some actual combat situations.

For the first time in 42 years, the Academy competed in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. While all eyes focused on Denver for the March Madness match up between the Falcons and the University of North Carolina, the first steps of this past season’s journey actually began overseas.

In August, the basketball team traveled to Europe to compete against international opponents. The trip enhanced the cadets’ academic experience by introducing the team to different cultures while building team unity and preparing the team for its exciting season.

The entire trip was made possible by more than 309 gifts from 172 donors, totaling nearly $125,000 from supporters to Friends of Basketball, a booster club for the team. It is not a stretch to say that this year’s magical season is as much a direct result of the generosity of private support as it is of superb coaching and excellent athletic performance.

7give in memory ofmy husband. When he was a young man, theAcademy was notyet formed. In 1942 hejoined theArmy Air Corps aftergraduatingfrom basic training at Lubbock. Hisfirst love wasflying andhe was very enthusiastic about being a pilot. He was happiest when he talkedaboutflying. Since we had no children, I decided to support cadets in my husband’s memory because they are the future ofour Air Force and country.

This generosity is not unique to the hasketball team. In years past, Academy club teams have competed at the highest level and won national championships. Their travel expenses, uniforms and equipment not supported by government funding were provided by the AOG. The new Athletic Hall of Excellence was funded in part through donations. Even Falcon Stadium is the result ofcontributions to our athletic programs.

In the future, the AOG intends to continue to work with the athletic department to identify funding opportunities to take our programs to new levels of excellence.

Character Development:

“We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does” is the core of the Academy experience. Living under the honor code and committing oneself to live honorably is what distinguishes Academy graduates from others.

Today, because of a variety of societal influences, it is tougher than ever before to instill the Honor Code in cadets. In society, the loyalty to the individual and

conforming to societal norms have taken precedence to loyalty to an institution.

To reinforce the values ofthe Academy and to continue to develop leaders of character, each cadet now participates is a series ofcharacter enrichment seminars. These mandatory programs are designed to help shape the views of all cadets. Doing the “right thing” is not always an obvious solution. Cultural enrichment seminars strengthen the Academy’s core values and equip our cadets with the tools necessary to lead lives ofintegrity.

Through private support, the AOG provides the majority of funding for these forward-thinking programs. Without private support they literally would not exist. We are committed to expanding our role in this important endeavor and working with the Academy to fund new opportunities as they arise.

Private support from graduates, parents and friends has changed the face of the Academy for its first 45 classes. As funding demands increase, the significance of donations will become greater. Together our commitment will continue to impact our beloved Air Force Academy and ensure its future.

For additional information, please call Sean Pieri, vice president ofdevelopment at (719) 238 - 2641

Alumni Relations

The AOG is workingto modernize, upgrade and improve the services we provide to the graduate community. We also are working hard to help chapters improve their programs and service to the Academy. The graduate community wants to stay informed about Academy successes and to provide its thoughts on how the Academyexperience can be maintained, improved and strengthened. Chapters can play a vital role. Now more than ever before, the graduate community can provide service to the Academy by collaborating with local parent clubs, supporting local Academy liaison officers in their recruitment efforts and providing venues where senior Academy staff can speak to large groups ofgraduates, parents and friends of the Academy. For nearly 50 years, the Academy has been providingsuperior leaders for the Air Force and the nation. You are the proofofthat. Today it continues to produce leaders ofexcellence and character despite recent news articles to the contrary. Chapters can provide important support, and the AOG can help you make it happen. Graduates remain concerned about the Academy and wish to provide their thoughts and suggestions, and chapters can help by conducting focus groups and sending the results to the AOG for forwarding to the Academy leadership. Ifyou are not yet part of a local chapter, please join today. Call the AOG for contact information. Get involved, stay involved.

“AcademyToday” Series

Alumni Relations has developed a series of “briefing and ‘Q&A” to benefit the alumni and parents across the country. This test program, dubbed “Academy Today,” breaks away from the format of “formal dinner with guest speaker” that is not conducive to interaction with the audience. Instead, the speaker briefs in a casual setting for a determined period oftime, followed by a question and answer period from the audience.

We tested this format in March and April with the superintendent traveling to Northern Virginia, the California Bay Area, and Arizona. The feedback has been promising. The alumni relations staffis alreadylooking at continuing the series in the fall in conjunction with away football games.

We encourage you to check with your local alumni chapter to see if “Academy Today” is coming to a city near you.

Colorado License Plate 100+ on the Road

The U.S. Air Force Academy license plate for Colorado car owners was released in the fall of2003. Already, more than 100 people have submitted applications and placed the plates

on their vehicles. If you have a car titled in Colorado and want to show off the Academy plate, go to our link at http://www.usafa.org/ plates.html. Just follow the instructions, and we’ll send you a certificate that can be taken to your local DMV in exchange for the plates.

“Ready to Roll”

2004 Commemorates four years of cadet life. The fine young men and women of the Class of 2004commemorated their four year journey with the historical painting “Ready to Roll.” The painting, featuring two B-2 Spirits at high altitude with a snow-covered Front Range, will be donated to the Academy as a gift from the Class of 2004. This will be the 60th painting that artist, Richard R. “Rick” Broome, has created and donated to the Academy during the past 30 years.

When asked about this tenure, Rick says, “It is a stewardship. I havebeen blessed to work with such fine young leaders. My goal is to capture the spirit of each class. These young men and women are my heroes, and I am fortunate enough to be able to represent them through my God given talent with paint and brushes on canvas. My paintings will be here for many generations to come.” This year’s painting was created on both canvas and as a limited edition lithograph “Class Print.” The painting will be donated before graduation. More information can be found at www.rickbroome.com.

Major General (Ret.) Pete Todd, ’59, &Rick Broomeunveil the 2004 Painting “Ready to Roll” at the Class of 2004 Ring Dance.

Rings

Do you need your ring repaired, replaced or refurbished? Do you want to get a ring for your spouse or a class pin? Call the AOG customer service at (719) 472-0300 for information on how to contact the company that made your class ring.

08© of the Coif Course

The following procedures have been arranged by the AOGfor graduates to play golf at the Academy’s Eisenhower Golf Course.

Graduates with military ID: Call (719) 333-3456 no more than 72 hours in advance to follow the same reservation rules applicable to active-duty personnel not stationed at the Academy and retirees. _reen fees are $22. Reciprocal privileges are in effect for active-duty graduates who have annual memberships at other Air Force courses. Golf cart fees are $11 per person.

Non-retired, non-active duty graduate AOG members: The AOG is allocated eight tee times per month (Tee times will be 10 a.m. or later). AOG members who do not have a military ID card may reserve these tee times by contacting Steve Knight at (719) 472-0300 or steve.knight@usafa.af.mil. He will contact the golf course and notify you of the specific date and tee time reserved. Graduates may schedule only one tee time per month to ensure all eligible graduates have an opportunity to play golf. If by the 25th of each month the eight tee times have not been reserved, a graduate may schedule a second tee time. Green fees for nonretired, non-active-duty graduates are $55 and golf cart fees are $11 per person.

Reunions and Homecoming: A tournament will be scheduled by the Academy and the AOG to accommodate graduates at a set fee for all players. Thisfee is independent of military status or golf course membership.

C2FALCONS

in Record Breaking Season

In a year of program firsts (first 20-win season, first victory at The Pit in Albuquerque and first conference championship), seconds (second consecutive national scoring defense title and second regular season tournament title) and thirds (third appearance in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament), the Air Force men’s basketballastonished everyone with its rise to national prominence during the 2003-04 season. Who would have thought that after 23 years of not producing a winning season, these Falcons would put together a 22-7 season, the Mountain West Conference regular season title and a date with North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament?

Several milestonesand accomplishments were reached during the season. At the top of the list are those ofsophomore center Nick Welch, who was named MWC Co-Player of the Year and an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press. He is the first Falcon to earn conference player of the year honors and only the fifth to be named an All-American.

Head coach Joe Scott also earned several honors, easily winning the MWC Coach of the Year award and was namedthe District 13 Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. D>

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The 2003-04 season actually started in August with a 12-day excursion in Denmark and Sweden, wherethe Falcons played six games and won all of them. At the time, it was neat for the players to get a taste of international basketball and culture. It turned out to be a vital confidence boost for all the returning players.

The regular season began Nov. 22 with a 63-40 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a sign of things to come during the 13-game home slate. Next came service-rival Navy in Annapolis, and the Falcons posted the largest margin ofvictory in a road game against a Division I opponent, hammering the Midshipmen 86-46.

The road swing continued with losses at Belmont (4638) and Auburn (68-49). What came next was arguably the best stretch ofbasketball ever seen at the Academy. It started with a hard-fought 56-53 victory at Texas A&MCorpus Christi Dec. 9 and did not end until a 63-50 loss at UNLV Feb. 2, a span of 13 games, setting a new school-record for the longest winning streak.

Included in the streak were two victories andthe title at the Golden Bear Classic hosted by the University ofCalifornia, five non-conference home victories all by at least 20 points - andfive MWC games, including a 65-57 win at Colorado State, which snapped AFA’s 27-game conference road losing streak. Also, a 68-42 shellacking ofNew Mexico in Albuquerque was the Falcons’ first win there since 1962 and their largest margin ofvictory ever in a conference road game. Air Force completed the streak with a pair ofhome

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victories over MWC powerhouses BYU (74-52 in front of a Clune Arena record 6,359 fans) and Utah (62-49) and a 57-43 win at San Diego State.

The Falcons’ 49-44 victory over tournament host California in the title game of the Golden Bear Classic was the first true sign that this team could be special. Trailing 38-33 with eight minutes remaining, Air Force went on a 10-0 run, sparked by seven points from sophomore guard Antoine Hood, and held off the Bears for its first regular season tournament title since the 1972 Evansville Invitational.

Air Force easily defeated 2003 NCAA Tournament participant Wisconsin-Milwaukee (71-49), Savannah State (72-35) and IPFW (64-44) at home prior to opening the MWC schedule at CSU. The team’s backto-back road victories at CSU and New Mexico were the first consecutive conference wins away from home since 1989.

After the victory at San Diego State, Air Force was 15-2 overall, 5-0 in conference play andhad secured its first winning season since the 1977-78 campaign. The loss at UNLV was Air Force’s lone appearance on

ESPN’s “Big Monday” telecast, although an even bigger nationally televised game was looming in the distance.

Air Force rebounded nicely from the defeat at UNLV with three straight home wins to bump its record to 18-3 overall and 8-1 in the MWC. An 8371 victory over Wyoming in which the Falcons scored the most points under Joe Scott started it off. Following a 52-44 victory in the rematch with Colorado State, the Falcons and NewMexico produced the most heart-stopping game of the season. The Lobos led for most of the game, but a late blocked shot and three-pointer by senior co-captain Joel Gerlach gave Air Force a 48-46 lead with 1:40 to go. UNM recaptured the lead with a three-pointer, then Hood made three free throws in the last 1:17, the final one with nine seconds remaining to give the Falcons a well-earned victory.

The celebration did not last very long, however, as Air Force took a trip to Edinburg, Texas, for its final non-conference game of the campaign against Texas-Pan American. The Falcons shot season-low totals of 30.2 percent (13-of-43) from the field and 16.7 percent (4-of-

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24) from 3-point range in a disappointing 37-35 loss. A loss, according to some, that may keep the Falcons out of the NCAA Tournament.

The team’s confidence was restored five days later in SaltLake City, where Air Force had not won since 1989. Gerlach sank a pair of free throws with 1.5 seconds left to give AFA a 59-57 victory and a full two-game lead in the MWC standings. A valiant effort followed at the Marriott Center in Provo, but the Falcons fell 67-61 to BYU.

Air Force returned home needing one victory to clinch a tie for the MWC championship. Before a raucous crowd of6,014 at Clune Arena, the Falcons held offJerel Blassingame and the UNLV Rebels, 72-70, thanks to a threepoint play by senior co-captain ClC A.J. Kuhle with six seconds remaining. Kuhle ledthe Falcons with 20 points, while Blassingame’s 28 was a season-high by an opponent.

So the Falcons needed one victory in theirfinal two games to clinch the program’s first-ever conference championship. First up was San Diego State at Clune Arena. Nothing would be finer than to clinch the MWC in front of the “Clune Crazies.” Air Force made the wish come true, never trailing in the game, with a 61-49 triumph. Welch had 17 points and seven rebounds, while Kuhle dished out a career-high 11 assists. As special as the game was, what came after was surreal. One by one, the Falcons climbed a ladder and cut a piece of the net, including the three seniors, Kuhle, Gerlach and ClC Marcus Jenkins, who were honored before their final home game, until Scott cut the last piece of twine to a thunderous roar.

The Falcons had done it! They went from worst to first in the MWC, did not lose a game at home and finished higher than sixth in the conference standings for the first time ever. The only thing left was to try and produce the best conference record in MWC history with a victory over Wyoming in the season-finale in Laramie.

Rallying from a 29-20 halftime deficit, the Falcons held Wyoming to just 18 points in the second half and defeated the Cowboys, 52-47, for the first win in Laramie since 1989. A 12-2 MWC record won the conference by two games and set-up a date with eighth-seeded Colorado State in the first round of the MWC Tournament at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

The Rams took full advantage of having junior center Matt Nelson playing for the first time against

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Air Force this season. A 60-48 loss stung for awhile, but the toughest part of the loss was having to wait for three days until the announcement of the field of 65 for the 2004 NCAA Basketball Tournament. Many felt that the Falcons were a lock to get in, but there were some doubters.

The team gathered at a local restaurant for “Selection Show Sunday.” A quiet nervousness fell over the crowd as CBS walked through the brackets. Then it happened, the llth-seed in the Atlanta Region, playing North Carolina at the Pepsi Center, the Falcons of Air Force!!

The 42-year drought was over, Air Force was scheduled to play a postseason game for the first time since dropping a 68-66 decision to Texas Tech on March 12, 1962. And in its own back yard against the mighty Tar Heels!

While Air Force was making its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina was making its 36th. The Falcons made the most of its experience, as Welch and freshman Jacob Burtschi each hit a three-pointer in the final minute of the first half to give the Falcons a 28-23 halftime lead. Air Force kept up the momentum for the first eight minutes ofthe second half. Gerlach converted a four-point play with 12:50 remaining to give Air Force its biggest lead ofthe game at 44-38. However, three consecutive turnovers sparked an 11-0 run by the Tar Heels in the next two minutes and AFA struggled offensively the rest ofthe way in a 63-52 loss.

Gerlach, Kuhle and Jenkins leave the program with 51 victories in their four years at Air Force, the ninth-most of any class in Air Force history andthe most since the Class of 1979 won 55. Gerlach finished his career 12th on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,087 points and started the final 105 games of his career. He was an honorable mention all-MWC selection for the third consecutive year.

Kuhle, meanwhile, is tied for second in career games played at Air Force with 111. He also moved into the top 10 on the career assist (9th with 241) and steals (T, 9th with 104) lists. Kuhle earned second-team all-MWC honors and was named to the all-district team by the United States Basketball Writers Association.

Head Coach Joe Scott has left the program to become headcoach at his alma mater, Princeton University. Scott had a 51-63 career record at the Academy. Associate headcoach Chris Mooney was promoted to head coach and Mike McKee will take over as associate headcoach.

The Association of Graduates salutes this year’s team and congratulates Coach Joe Scott and his stafffor a record breaking season. We wish Joe and his family all the best for future success at Princeton. S

THEY CALL ME COACH

UCLA basketball coach emeritus shares wisdom, heart

John RobertWooden said it best. I am just a common man who is true to his beliefs.”

Common, but legendary.

Coach John Wooden graced the Academy with his presence Feb. 11 as part of the 11 th annual National Character and Leadership Symposium. His speech was sponsored by the Class of 1959.

Coach Wooden is one ofonly two men selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, and ESPN chose him as “Basketball’s Coach of the Century.” With 38 NCAA tournament victories, 10 national collegiate championships in 12 years (including seven consecutive championships), Coach Wooden set the standard for the term “legendary.”

“When we were brainstorming names ofpeople we felt could talk to the theme [ofteamwork], we mentioned a lot ofsports figure names,” said Chaplain Maj. Cheri Wheeler, division chieffor the Center for Character Development Excellence. “Maj. JeffKozyra, a member of our staff, was very excited about bringing coach to the Academy not only because he was ‘the legendary Bruins coach,’ but because he had always lived by the values which happen to be our honor code.”

Sitting in a blue Queen Anne chair on stage in the ArnoldHall Theater, the coach shared his life philosophy about success, teamwork and leadership.

He took a packed room back to January 1946. The teacher-turned-serviceman resumed teaching after he had been discharged from the Navy.

“While I was teaching in South Bend, I became disappointed with the youngsters in my English classes,” the coach recalled. “Parents would make the teachers feel they had failed if their children had not done well.

“I hoped to come up with a better way to evaluate my youngsters,” he said.

Coach Wooden then took the audience through a series of teachings and lessons he learned. One ofthese lessons was quite poignant and life-changing, and it happened when he “graduated” from elementary school.

The coach’s father gave his son a piece ofpaper, written on both sides, with wisdom that would stay with him for life.

On one side, four items were written:

Think without confusion more clearly.

Love fellow man more sincerely.

Act from honest motives purely.

Trust in God and heaven securely.

On the other side, these items were written:

Be true to self.

Help others.

Make each day your masterpiece.

Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.

Make friendship a fine art.

Build a shelter for a rainy day.

Pray for guidance.

Give thanks for your blessings every day.

SCORECARD

From this sage advice, Wooden began to build a visual design for success.

First came his own definition. “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the best effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable ofbecoming.”

This definition led Wooden to spend the next 14 years carving the ideological structure he calls “The Pyramid of Success.”

Laying the foundation are the cornerstones of industriousness and enthusiasm.

In the coach’s first year at UCLA, 1948, he attended a speech “to be seen.” Seemingly not interested in what the speaker was saying, the new coach found himself drawn to the words because the speaker was very enthusiastic.

“Enthusiasm brushes off upon those with whom you come in contact,” he realized.

Between these cornerstones, Coach Wooden placed friendship, loyalty and cooperation. The foundation was complete.

The next tier in Coach Wooden’s pyramid contained self-control, alertness, initiative and intentness.

“We’reall going to fail,” he admonished. “But failure to act when action is needed is the biggest failure of all.”

The heart of the pyramid was next. This tier included condition, skill and team spirit.

Just below the peak of the pyramid are poise and confidence.

“Ifyou don’t have confidence in yourself, you shouldn’t expect others to have confidence in you,” the coach concluded. S

Editor’s note: The annualNational Character andLeadership Symposium is sponsoredby theAssociation ofGraduates.

C3C J.T. Hamamoto placed second overall at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic April 13 in Scottsdale, Ariz. He finished 5 strokes under par, 1 stroke behind the winner, Travis Bertoni from California Polytechnic State University.

Hamamoto carded a three-round total of 69-6769-205, which is the lowest 54-hole tournament score in the history of the Academy, breaking the 2001 record of 207.

Hamamoto was tied with three other golfers heading intothe final round and a 1-under par 69 helped him secure the runner-up position.

Air Force tied for 12th overall with an 867 (295-285287), the lowest team score of the year for the Falcons.

Falcon Boxing Team Wins Sixth National Championship

Trhe Air Force boxing team clinched its sixth consecutive National Collegiate Boxing Association title April 3.

ClC Clell Knight earned his second national title and was named the outstanding boxer of the tournament.

Air Force won the national team title with 40 points, edging out Navy who finished second with 36 points.

Army rounded out the top three teams with 21 points.

The Falcons have now won 18 ofthe 25 national team titles sponsored by the association.

At the 2004 national championships, the Falcons had 11 boxers earn all-American honors, with a collection of medals that included one gold, seven silver and three bronze championships.

Knight defeated Army’s Matt Pride in a 156pound bout to win his second national title. He is the 90th Falcon to earn an individual championship. Knight also won the 165-pound title during the 2003 championships.

Air Force recorded seven second-place finishes. One of six cadets making his first national champion

ship appearance, C4C Willie Lloyd, was defeated by Moon Kim of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, at 112 pounds. C2C Darren Smith lost a 119-pound decision to Osahon Omo-Osagie of Lockhaven, while Blake Baldi fell to Todd Wilson ofVirginia Military Institute at 139 pounds.

C2C Ryan Dorsey-Spitz finished as a runner-up to Anthony Peters ofVMI at 147 pounds, while ClC Leif Nordhagen lost in a decision to Ryan Healey ofNevadaReno at 165 pounds. C2C Augustin Kamdem earned silver-medalhonors at 175 pounds, losing a decision to Amir Shareef ofNavy, while ClC Ryan Coates lost to Lockhaven’s Miro Jelev when the referee stopped the contest in the third round.

“This meet shows why collegiate boxing is a totalteam effort,” Air Force headcoach Eddie Weichers said. “Everyone contributes to the point-total. Yes, it’s gratifying to win an individual championship belt and receive a gold medal, but putting ‘national champions’ on your photo and hanging a team banner means a lot to these cadet boxers.” S

Temple, Park win conference championships

Lindeman selected co-coach ofyear for men’s indoor season

Two Falcons claimed conference championships for the Air Force men’s track and field team at this year’s Mountain West Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship.

C1C Sean Temple successfully defended his Mountain West Conference title in the 60-meter hurdles, leading a tight 1-2-3 Air Force sweep in that event during the conference championships this season. Posting an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 7.89, Temple set a MWC and championship meet record. Just behind Temple were teammates CICs Luke Marker and Jim Campbell, who crossed the finish line in a close second and third, with respective times of 7.92 and 7.93.

C1C Anthony Park won the conference long jump title, posting a distance of 24’4-l/2”. While setting the second-best leap in Academy history, the senior

became the first Falcon in school history to win an indoor long jump title.

As a team, Air Force finished third; mere points behind meet winner Brigham Young University and runner-up Colorado State University. The Falcons posted a team score of 162.50, while the first-place Cougars tallied 169.50 points. Those two teams, along with the second-place Rams (164 points), solidly distanced themselves from the rest of the field, as fourth-place Wyoming registered a team mark of 85 points.

“While I am disappointed in the outcome of the final standings it pales in comparison to how proud I am of this team and the way they performed this weekend,” head track and field coach Ralph Lindeman said after the final event of the day sealed the Falcons’ fate. “We performed so hard today I think that it was our best meet ever.”

ClC Nick Heraldfinished second in the conference’s first heptathlon competition with 5,187 points, including a first-place finish in the event’s 1,000meter run. All three Air Force heptathalon competitors finished within the top-10, as C2C Caleb Peger placed third (4,955 points) and C4C Brian Walsh finished eighth (4,662 points).

C2C Paul Gensic led a trio of Falcons who finished within the top-five on the pole vault. The junior finished second, vaulting to a season-best, NCAA Provisional Qualifying height of 17’7”.

ClC Ben Payne earned a runner-up finish in the 5,000-meter run, crossing the finish line in a time of 14:46.65.

Lindeman was namedthe MWC Co-Coach of the Year by conference head coaches. Lindeman shared this year’s honor with Del Hessel of Colorado State.

The Air Force women’s team finished eighth with eight points. The Falcons’ weekend was highlighted by C4C Olivia Korte, who set a new Academy record in the weight throw with a distance of 53T0-1/4”. Korte surpassed the previous all-time high mark of 53’5-3/4”, which Beth Inglis, ’02, set in 2002. S

C1C Delavane Diaz awarded the Swede Johnson Spirit Award

The Swede Johnson Award recognizes an “above and beyond” spirit ofendeavor, reflecting not only substantial athletic ability and achievement on the playing field, but also academic excellence, on-and-offthe court leadership, volunteerism and overall forward thinking.

The Sportswomen ofColorado panel chose Diaz because she represents all ofthe role-model ideals ofSwede Johnson’s legacy. A longtime supporter ofthe Sportswomen ofColorado organization, Johnson was a businessman, sportsman and community benefactor, whose energy, creative thinking and never-say-die attitude was an inspiration to all with whom he was associated.

“It is such an honor to be recognized,” Diaz said. “It’s especially meaningful to be receiving this award because it reflects all of the hard work that has taken place off the volleyball court the academics and leadership element that provide balance to the part of me that’s an athlete.”

A 2004-05 Rhodes Scholar-elect, Diaz holds a 3.80 grade-point-average in astronautical engineering. She served as wing commander for all summer programs - the highest leadership role that can be attained by a cadet. A member ofthe dean’s and commandants lists, Diaz is a three-time Academic All-Conference selection in volleyball.

A three-time team MVP, Diaz averaged 4.98 kills per game this season. She notched the top kills average against conference foes in Mountain West Conference history with a 4.93 kpg. Diaz shattered numerous records this season, including a new all-time Academy and conference record of41 kills in a match against Southern Miss on Sept. 13. She also set the single-season record at the Academy for service aces in a game, with seven against Denver on Oct. 21.

Del has been recognized again for her contribution that she makes to society,” head volleyball coach Penny LucasWhite said. “She goes above and beyond what is expected ofher on the court and in the classroom. This is a wonderful award given to a well deserving young woman.” H

By Athletic Media Relations

Rugby players from the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy battled it out during the Alamo City Fiesta Rugby Tournament April 24.

The Air Force won the Commandant’s Cup Trophy after successfully kicking two of three field goals in an overtime “shoot-out” to break a 5-5 tie. The Air Force ruggers recaptured the trophy after coming in second place last year; they won the trophy four years in a row before that.

Air Force finished a respectable third in the nation with a season record of 12-1.

FUND RAISING CODE ETHICS

“Integrityfirst, service 6efore seCf, excellence in allwe do. ”

These are the core vales ofthe United States Air Force Academy.. .and integrity is first. The AOG is committed to providing excellent service to all graduates, parents and friends ofthe Academy and we are committed to integrity first.

This AOG Donor Bill ofRights was adapted from the Donor Bill ofRightsdeveloped by the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel, the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, the Council for Advancement and Support ofEducation (CASE), and the Association ofFundraising Professionals (AFP).

AOG DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition ofgiving and sharing that is primary to the quality oflife. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of our constituencies, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the Association of Graduates (AOG) andthe United States Air Force Academy, the AOG declares that all donors have these rights:

I. To be informed of the AOG mission, ofthe way the AOG and the Academy intend to use donated resources, and of their capacity to use donations effectively for the intended purposes.

II. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the AOG governing board, and to expect the board and the Academy to exercise prudent judgment in their stewardship responsibilities.

III. To have access to the most recent AOG financial statements.

IV. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

V. To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.

VI. To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.

VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing the AOG will be professional in nature.

VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees ofthe AOG or hired solicitors.

IX. To have the opportunity for their donations to be made anonymously and to have their names to be deleted from recognition or mailing lists.

X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

If you have any questions concerning the fundraising activities of the Association of Graduates, please contact anyone in the development department but especially Sean Pieri, vice president for development. He can be reached at (719) 472-0300 or at sean.pieri@usafa.af.mil.

Link to Chapter Web sites at www.usafa.org

USAFA for a briefing and Q&A. Since its start in March, the USAFA superintendent has traveled to three locations: Northern Va., California Bay Area, and Phoenix. These forums are a great way for you to hear from people who are involved in the daily functioning of the Academy. Check with your chapter leadership to see ifAcademy Today is coming to your area in 2004.

Alamo Chapter, Texas The chapter will have its annual summer outing from 10 a.m. until dusk on July 31, at the Picnic Pavilion, Randolph AFB Recreation Area at Canyon Lake. A “party barge” pontoon boat has been reserved for our use. There will be pontoon rides all day, fishing boats and jet skis for rent by the hour or day (must have certification), volleyball, horseshoes, hiking trail, playground and protected swimming area.

Outlook

“Academy Today” Series

Academy Today is a program set up by the AOG to send Academy speakers to cities to meet with alumni, parents and supporters of

Chapter

Arizona Chapter The chapter’s annual July 4th Party will again be hosted by Ron, ’71, and Barb Marusiak. They have graciously agreed to plan a fireworks/dessert/beverages party at their house adjacent to the Arizona Country Club golf course wherethe fireworks

are set off. The party will start around 7:30 p.m. The location is 5742 E. Orange Blossom in Phoenix. Please R.S.V.P. directly to Barb Marusiak at (480) 949-5957.

Central Coast Chapter, Calif. The Chapter plans to continue meeting throughout the summer. In June, we’ll have our annual chapter organizational meeting. In August, we’ll have a summer picnic, probably at Cocheo Park on Vandenberg AFB. Check out our Web site for updates on these events.

Northern California Chapter In June, the chapter is planning another annual picnic and golf day at the Moraga Country Club. We also are looking forward to a group bike ride to Sausalito. Contact Susan Feland, ’93, at oisusan@yahoo.com or consuit the AOG Web site for more details.

North Texas Association The chapter will hold its annual “Summer Sendoff” appointee reception, picnic, and grads vs. candidates softball game on Sat., June 19 at the NAS Ft. Worth (Carswell) Recreation Field. Check out our Web site for more details.

GOAL 1

CelebrateAcademy heritage

Alamo Chapter, Texas - The chapter celebrated the Air Force Academy 50th anniversary with a gala celebration on April 3. The guest speaker was Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Robert McDermott. Picturedbelow is Chapter President, Maj. Gen. James Sandstrom, ’71, making a presentation to General McDermott.

Middle Tennessee Chapter, Tenn. - This new chapter celebrated the Academy’s 50th anniversary at Loews Vanderbilt in Nashville the evening of April 24. The Founders’ Day dinner was emceed by Al McCree, ’69, a local entertainer and owner ofAltissimo! Recordings. Speakers for the evening included J.T. Smith, ’60, of Clarksville, and Steven Thorpe, ’03, a Vanderbilt University med student. The featured speaker for the evening was Col. Rich Fullerton, ’83, permanent professor and head ofthe department ofeconomics and geography. Col. Fullerton discussed the Academy’s history ofexcellence and ongoingchanges to strengthen the Academy. The event was organized by Stewart Anderson, ’92, Amy Cox, ’83, Dave Garcia, ’91,Jim Harris, ’66, AndyJohns, ’93, Al McCree, ’69, Hal Sauer, ’71, and Cassan-

Chapter Goals

Tousley

North Texas Association - The chapter celebrated the Air Force Academy 50th anniversary April 3 by attending the Texas Philatec Exhibition wherethe 50th anniversary stamp was unveiled. Pictured below is Association President John Visser, ’77, (right) with Carl January USNA, ’77, the district director for the USPS. Each attendee received a special envelope with the stamp and a customized pictorial cancellation.

Attendees of the Atlanta Chapter’s USAFA 50th anniversary dinner, L to R: Bill Morgan, ’65, Rod Hennek, 75, Ken Grizzle, ’63, Coach DeBerry, Rick Zurbrugg, '65, Ed Sienkiewicz, ’75

for a celebration of the Air Force Academy 50th anniversary at the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead. Master of Ceremonies, Bill Morgan, ’65, introduced and toasted graduates in attendance from the Class of 1959 which included Mike Murphy, Joe DeSantis and Gerry McDonald. Grads from each decade up to the Class of 1997 were represented. Also in attendance were members of the Georgia parents club including Vice President Steve Haslup and a number ofaspiring cadets. Rod Hennek, ’75, introduced Coach DeBerry who gave a rousing presentation including film highlights ofthe season. Afterwards, coach stayed to greet everyone personally truly a great evening with a great man.

GOAL 2

Keep abreast ofAir Force and USAFA topics

Arizona Chapter - Academy Today went to Phoenix April 26 where Lt. Gen. John Rosa spoke to almost 100 alumni and parents at the Arizona National Guard Headquarters. Afterwards Ron andBarb Marusiak hosted a wonderful social at their house.

Central Coast Chapter, Calif. - The chapter hosted the Dean of Faculty, Brig. Gen David Wagie ’72, May 22 at the Marshallia Ranch Golf Course Clubhouse. The evening began with social hour, followed by dinner. The dean then spoke an opened up the floor to Q&A.

Northern California Chapter - The chapter was able to host Academy Today with the superintendent as the speaker on April 21. Gen. Rosa discussed the current environment, plans and policies at the Academy with more than 75 people at Mission College in Santa Clara.

North Texas Association - USAF Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper went the extra mile

to ensure he could speak with graduates while he was visiting the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. On March 26, the National AOG and the local association hosted him at the Dallas Museum of Art to speak with alumni and liaison officers from the region.

GOAL 4

Provide graduates networking opportunities

Piedmont Chapter, N.C. - The chapter participated in an all-academy networking event in Charlotte Jan. 22. Charlotte area Academy grads from USMA, USNA, USAFA, Merchant Marine Academy and the Coast Guard Academy were invited. Everyone enjoyed meeting other graduates and developing contacts for business-to-business relationships, employment opportunities, and simply making friends with other service academy graduates.

GOAL 5

Interact with other service academygraduates

Arizona Chapter - The chapter sends special “thanks” to Doug, ’74, and Carol Pelton for hosting our Spring Fling that included our first pig roast. We had a great turnout for this firstclass event. With the good number of grads/ spouses/friends who attended, we have decided that this will be an annual spring event.

St. Louis/Gateway Chapter, Ill./Mo. - The chapter participated in the annual “All Academy” golf tournament which was held on May 14 at the Gateway National GolfCourse. Tom Becker, ’89, coordinated our efforts with the West Point and Annapolis graduates.

Piedmont Chapter, N.C. Our chapter participated in the second annual Joint Service Academy Armed Forces Day Dinner May 15. The guest speaker was Commander Scott D. Waddle, USN (Ret.), USNA, ’81. Cdr. Waddle is the author of The Right Thing, a book that chronicles the events ofFeb. 9, 2001, and their aftermath. On that day, Cdr.Waddles life was forever changed when the submarine he commanded, USS Greeneville, performed an emergency surface maneuver, inadvertently causing the sub to collide with a Japanese fishing vessel. Nine civilians perished in the accident. Against his attorneys advice, Cdr. Waddle accepted sole

and complete responsibility for the accident, testifying to the Navy Court ofInquiry without immunity. Cdr. Waddle delivered the message that “failure need not be final.”

GOAL 9

Assistparents clubs!cadets

Northern California Chapter - On April 30 and May 1, the chapter turned out to support the rugby team at the Rugby National Collegiate Championship at Stanford University.

Space Group - The group has been in close contact with USAFA regarding development of strategic planning for space education and training. The USAFA Space Working Group (SWG), has developed and received leaderships approval of a plan for increasing cadets’ awareness of space power, both operations and capabilities. Development of such a plan has been a long-term focus of the space group (A summary of the plan is available on our Web site usafespace.tripod.com). Also, the training wing has developed a comprehensive, four-year graduated program called Project Aim Higher, to provide cadets with experience in space operations, to create a “spacemanship” program for cadets similar to the long-standing airmanship activities. Creation of a spacemanship-type activity was recommended by the space group in our first report to the Academy several years ago. Additionally, the superintendent has agreed to support renovation of the Space Operations Education Lab, as well as to sign a memorandum ofagreement between AF Space Command and USAFA. The space group congratulates the SWG leadership for these

developments in improving appreciation of space power at the Academy and stands ready to help in the implementation ofthe plan. In another area, we have supported the SWG in getting approval of a distinctive patch for cadets involved in space operations. Many other interactions between the space group and the Academy are continuing and will be reported in subsequent issues of Check-

points. Gradsinterested in joining us will find instructions on our Web site.

AcademyWomen The group was started by and for women to represent and support Academy alumni, cadets, midshipmen and candidates at the three service academies. The goal is to bring us together to share expertise gained in various life experiences, careers, military pursuits, civilian jobs and geographical locations. AcademyWomen is becoming wildly successful and to accommodate we have implemented new technology in our membership database and Web site. Members now have the capability to search for others based on characteristics and to find mentors or information in an area you find important. We apologize in advance for this inconvenience, but with the many updates even ifyou already registered we ask you to please register again. If you have not yet registered, please join. Access to the registry will require a password to keep your information more secure and only available to other members. Our updated Web site is www.academywomen.org. An upcoming event is the AcademyWomen Symposium at the Womens Memorial in Washington, D.C., June 25-26. Outstanding speakers and panels will provide presentations and it will be an ideal setting to meet other women. Additionally, we are conducting an on-line survey ofall women academygraduates. The statistical results will be posted, but all input is anonymous. Finally, a reminder AcademyWomen is run completely by volunteers. Ifyou would like to get involved or you have recommendations of people who might want to serve on the Board ofAdvisors, contact our president, Susan Feland, ’93, at feland@academywomen.org.

Cadet Running Suits

Cadet issue item.

S - XXL (Sizes run large) Available to members only.

Dark blue with reflective strips Jackets $83.00 Pants $50.00

Crew Sweatshirts

Crewneck sweatshirt. Features “Air Force” applique with “Academy” embroidered beneath.

Available in Blue or Gray.

S-XL $30.25

Hooded Zip Sweats

Hooded sweatshirt with pockets. Full length zipper. Features “Air Force” applique with “Academy” embroidered beneath. Available in Blue or Gray.

S-XL $34.50

Cadet Sweat Suits. T-Shirts & Shorts

Cadet issue items. Oversized to accommodate shrinkage. Available to members only.

Tops (S-XXL) $38.50

Pants (S-XXL) $25.50

T-Shirt (S-XXL) $10.50

Shorts (S-XXL) $15.75

Jacket

Dark Navy with new AOG logo on the left. Cotton/nylon (70/30) shell with polyester/poplin lining. Stain and water resistant.

S-XXL $63.75

Shirts

Polo Shirts by Cutter & Buck. 100% cotton with new AOG logo.

Available in dark navy and white.

S-XXXL $39.50

Denim Shirts by Vantage.Long sleeve with new AOG logo.

S-XXXL $40.75

Ties

100% silk. Repeating silver-colored AFA/AOG motif under a stylized

Prop & Wing. Two basic colors from which to choose.

Red with gold, blue, and silver accent stripes.

Blue with gold, red and silver accent stripes.

Regular length $28.00

Extra long length $29.00

License Piate Frames

Three styles from which to choose.

FALCONS - White lettering on a blue background

ALUMNI - White lettering on a blue background

PARENT - White lettering on a blue background

Each frame $ 6.25

Any two frames... $ 10.50

Plaques

Marble plaque

Etched falcon on white marble $72.75

Walnut plaque Laser engraved of thecadet area. Can be purchased with or without a plate suitablefor engraving. $114.50

Booksand Videos

Into the Mouth of the Cat* The story of Lance Sijan, ’65

The Iskra Incident Autographed by Grad, author Jimmie Butler, ’63

Red Lightning, Black Thunder Autographed by Grad, author Jimmie Butler, ’63

Separated by War Autographed by Grad, author Ed Herlik, ’80

The Secret Life of Waldo F. Dumbsquat* Autographed by Grad author Don Hall, ’76

A Certain Brotherhood* Autographed by Grad author Jimmie Butler, ’63

Honor Bound Autographed by one of the authors

Return With Honor (Video) Documentary of the experiences of POWs in Vietnam (DVD)

Spirit and Flight A photographic salute to the USAF Academy. Over 150 color photographs. Sponsored by the AOG. By Elizabeth Gill Lui (* Paperback)

Ciass Notebooks

Two-tone gray suede cover, junior legal size (6” x 9”), with class crest embossed on front and class color stripe; inside note pad and pen; available for the following classes only.

....Item #0340 $

....Item #0342 $20.75

....Item #0344 $23.00

....Item #0345 $26.00

...Item #0350 $10.50

...Item #0352 $10.50

...Item #0354 $39.50

...Item #0510 $19.75

...Item #0515 $25.00

...Item #0351 $10.00

Item

AOG Accessories & Other items

for all years through ’03.

Sterling

HATS

AFA hat w/class year. Navy blue w/embroidered AFA crest and class year. Please specify class year.

Adjustable leather strap for size AOG hat. Navy blue with brown bill.

Adjustable strap for fit

Class Crested Merchandise

#0310 $18.75

#0311 $16.75

The AOG has obtained excess merchandise from the Visitors Center that remained from recent graduating classes and reunions.

Items are in limited quantities, sizes and colors and availability varies from class to classand includes: sweatshirts, clipper jackets, T-shirts, buttons, etc.

This merchandise is only available for the following classes:

’74

Partial listing of available class crested items can be found on AOG web page under “merchandise/special sale items.” You can also e-mail merchandise@aog-usafa.org or call (719) 472-0300.

Three generations of Americans fought with it first against the Kaiser, then against the Fuhrer and the Emperor, and twice against the Communists. The "Old Forty-Five" was the most powerful military-issued pistol in history.

If you were bom betweenthe late 1800's and 1968, it is the symbol of your time, your day, your age. And future Americans will look back on our period, with reverence, as "The .45 Era."

But "Old Slabsides" has been retired from the skies and the flightlines,replacedby the less-powerful 9mm, so we can fire the same ammo as our NATO Allies.

How much longer will the M19UA1.45 be made? No one knows. But, while it is, we're proud to salute the Americans it symbolizes by issuing this firing Commemorative .45 in honor of the U.S. Air Force.

24-Karat GoldPlating

When you pick up this three-pound slab of steel and gold, you'll hold the finest, firing limited edition .45 ever made.

As a proper memorial to the U.S. Air Force, patriotic symbols and inscriptions are deeply etched and 24-Karat Gold plated across the slide. Custommade grips complement the mirror-polished slide, receiver and ten 24-Karat Gold plated parts. All the 24Karat Gold plating is to Jewelers Grade-Heavy thickness, for lasting beauty and value.

Your name or that of a family member can be engraved on the reverse side of the slide, along with other data to make this pistol a lasting, personal memorial.

USAF 0001 and USAF1911 and accompanied by a detailed Certificate of Authenticity.

This is the military-model M1911A1 and it fires .45 ACP ammo. It is even fitted with a rare and desirable lanyard with 24-Karat Gold-plated mounts.

Each pistol is built by the gunsmiths of Thompson/Auto-Ordnance, the company founded by General John T. Thompson, who developed the .45 ACP cartridge, and who invented the Thompson Submachine Gun. NRA test firings of their .45 show accuracy "significantly betterthan the average military-issued M1911."

Satisfaction Guaranteed

To reserve, or for questions, call our Member Relations Staff, toll free, at 1-800-368-8080, 9am-9pm ET, Monday-Friday, or return the enclosed reservation to "Columbia," our National Historic Landmark Headquarters and Museums, as seen on The History Channel. You may reserve with a

deposit,

TO MY SON, JOHN, JR.

FROM JOHN R. WILLIAMS

Personalized engraving available on

Expect Great Things:

A historical documentary of the first 50 years of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Expect Greet Things

is a comprehensive 50-year history of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Beginning with a vision for a U.S. Air Force separate from the other military services, the inception of an Air Force Academy and its founding at Lowry Air Force base, this captivating documentary features the construction of the Academy in Colorado Springs, presidential visits, and the development of the Academy’s impressive character development, academic, military training and athletic programs.

Call Today

Reserve Your Copy

Filled with never-seen-before behind-the-scenes interviews with Academy

Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Rosa, Falcon Football Head Coach Fisher DeBerry, and Operation Iraqi Freedom war hero Capt. Kim Campbell, ’97, this one-hour anniversaryissue DVD also highlights the impressive and storied accomplishments of the Long Blue Line.

Twenty-four special features examine the lives and accomplishments of graduates like Gen. Ron Fogleman, ’63, USAF (Ret.), former Air Force chief of staff and AOG distinguished graduate award winner; Congresswoman Heather Wilson, ’82; Mr. Harry Pearce, AOG distinguished graduate award winner, ’64; and many others who proudly share how their Academy experience continues to touch their lives.

To reserve your copy ofthis anniversary-issue DVD, call your Association of Graduates at (719) 472-0300.

Cost: $14.95 plusshipping and handling

Sponsored by the Association of Graduates and The Friends of the Air Force Academy Library

Tony Marietta, '70

Since 1975, selling Colorado homes, homesites, and recreational properties. MARIETTA & COMPANY

m 6189 Lehman Drive, Suite 200 Colorado Springs, Colorado 80918

L=J E-mail: usafa70@aol.com 719-592-9700 Toll free: 1-800-571-1161

Academy Seeks Bios, Photos of Grads

The Academy’s dean of faculty is seeking biographies and high quality on-the-job and in-training photos ofAcademy graduates who are in the Air Force work force or attending flight training or other technical schools.

The items will be used in a display along the entire length of the second floor in Fairchild Hall, the Academy’s academic facility. The Dean hopes to have at least four academy graduates from each major and unified command represented in the display.

The display will highlight the accomplishments, activities, opinions and commentaries of recent graduates so current cadets can visualize their own futures in the Air Force.

Graduates interested in donating to this project are asked to send items by March 20 to: Maj. John Modinger, 34th Education Group/34th ES, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO 80840. For more information, e-mail Modinger at john.modinger@usafa.af.mil.

RogerB. Sims, ’63

Roger B. “Ramjet” Sims passed awayin his sleep on Monday, Feb. 2, 2004 in Everett, Wash, at the age of65. He was born in Chicago, Ill.

Rogercompleted three years as an undergraduate at Howard University, majoring in electrical engineering. In 1958 he enrolled in the Aviation Cadet program. However, before completing pilot training, he received an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy. Standing over 6' 6" tall no one knows how he got past the Air Force height limitation ofthe time.

Roger was distinguished as one of the first three Black graduates of the USAFA in 1963. Upon graduation from theAcademy, Rogerfocused on his first love, flying. He completed pilottraining at Laredo AFB. He was then assigned to MilitaryAirlift Command (MAC) flying his favorite airRoger Sims craft, the Douglas C-124 GlobemasterII. During the 1960s, Roger was a pilotassigned to Special Operations at Hickam AFB in Honolulu, Hawaii, and flew missions throughout the Pacific Area and Far East, includingVietnam.

Upon completion ofhisAir Force service in 1969, Roger entered the Columbia School ofJournalism. He was subsequently hired by CBS. There he was Associate ProduceroftheWalter Cronkite Evening News. During his media career, he servedwith all three major networks. He was Orange County California Bureau Chieffor KNBC. He also produced most ofthe Charles Kuralt Specials for CBS. After a productive and profitable career with CBS, he retired in 1991.

Roger was particularlyproud ofthe fact he was recognizedby his classmates and the Association ofGraduatesWay OfLife Chapter as a “WOL Pathfinder” during his attendance at the Class of ’63 reunion this past fall. On Nov. 8, 2003, in a special ceremony during the ’63 Tailgate, three Paver Bricks were placed at the base of the Pegasus statue in front of the AOG building, Doolittle Hall. They were in honor of Roger and his two fellow African American classmates, Mr. CharlesVernon Bush ofLosAngeles, Calif., and Col. (Ret.) Isaac Payne, ofAlbuquerque, N.M. (CharlesV.Bush, '63;andMaurice Ecung ’68)

Norman “Gene”Lasater, ’67

Like manyother days, Gene tookadvantage ofthe warm and sunny skies of Georgia by going on an afternoon flight. He was an experienced pilotwho earned his private pilots’ license at a young age. On this particular dayhe was flyinghis Cessna 172 with a student he had been instructing for many months. Little did we know on Sept. 18, 2003 that this would be his longestflight ever as his final destination would be... Heaven.

Gene Lasaterwas born Nov. 4,1944 in Kansas City Mo. He was one ofthree children born to Norman and Hazel Nell Lasater. He spent much time with his grandparents, DaddyA1 and Nana Scroghim in Greenfield, Mo. In 1963, DaddyAl, who was a retired militaryofficer, talked with him about going in to the Air Force Academy.

1967 was an exciting year for Gene as he successfully graduated from the USAFAcademy and married a cute little brunette from Kan-

sas City named Sherry. Immediatelyupon his graduation he was off to Navigation and ElectronicWarfare School at MatherAFB, Calif. Then it was on to Castle AFB, Calif, where Gene put his training to work as he started flying B-52s. This is also when Gene and Sherry were blessed with the birth oftheir babygirl, TamaraAnn. Within months they made their move to Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina. Gene continued to fly B-52s and learned about alert and “ARC Light”. He flew over 100 missions inVietnam between 1969 and 1972.

In 1972, Major Gary Reeves hired Gene into the USAF Reserves to fly C130s with the 442nd TAW at Richards GebaurAFB in Missouri. Andthen four years later the family moved to Georgia, where heworked in HQAFRESwith the Command Post at Robins AFB. Shortly thereafter, God blessed them with the birth oftheir son, MichaelJon. Gene was a proud father and now the family was complete.

A move to Andrews AFB in Northern Virginiaput Gene backin a plane again as he flew as a C-130 navigator in the Reserve. Then it was off to Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs, Colo, in 1980 when Gene was asked to be the Chief Navigator for the C-130s with the 901 st TAG. This was a new group just starting up and Gene was responsible for finding and developing a drop zone and writing the local procedures pertaining to airdrops. Gene logged well over 2,000 hours in the C-130. In 1985 the adventures ofthe militarybrought us back to Robins, AFB Ga. where Gene became the Chief, Operations Division on the AFRES IGTeam.

One of Gene’s most exciting accomplishments and assignments came in 1992. Gene pinned on Colonel and took over the Command of ANG/AFRES Southcom Operations Detachment; Volant Oak at Howard AFB, Panama, or as Gene called it, “Paradise”. He was no stranger to Panama as he hadparticipated in four two-week rotations as a Reserve officer. This assignment had to be his favorite as he was flying in C- 130s again and in his offtime perfectinghis love ofcatchingPeacockBass. Family, Flyingand Fishing were Gene’s components of a Happy Life!

After 31 years of military service Gene retired from the Air Force. This is when the “real” fun began as he took a teaching position at Middle GeorgiaTechnical Institute where he taught aircraft mechanics. He even went back to working Civil Service at RobinsAFB to keep himself busy. He did all this and still made time for his wife of 36 years, his family, flying, fishing and spoiling his grandchildren.

As we look back over Gene’s life we are so proud ofhim andall his accomplishments. He was a successful Military Officer, a teacher, a mentor, a dependable friend, good bass fisher, and a responsible pilot, a Great Husband, an Awesome Dad and an Attentive Papa.

Those who knew and loved Gene will miss him. His memory will live on, and though life will never be the same without him he would

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

want us all to be happy and continue to make him proud as he looks down on us. Knowing Gene is probably giving flying lessons right now, or teaching some hapless angel how to fish, or trying to see what mechanical use he can make ofhis halo. (TamaraJoiner, Gene's daughter)

Richard K. Denault, ’69

Richard K. Denault, age 56, passed away Dec. 1,2003 at his home in Boulder, Colo. He is survived byhis daughters,Ashley L. Denault, 24, ofLos Angeles, Calif.; and Lindsay R Denault, 22, ofChicago, Ill.; his former wife, Kathryn E. Denault of Boulder, Colo.; brother Gary Denault ofGarland, Texas; sisters Andrea Ryno and Carole Tilly of Dallas, Texas; and his dear friend Barbara Allen of Miami, Fla. Funeral services were held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Boulder, Colo. Dec. 12, 2003.

Rick was born inl947 in Lewisville, Texas to Roland and Barbara Denault. The family later moved to Ft. Smith, Ark. where he attended St. Boniface Academy, graduating with honors in 1965. He entered the United StatesAir Force Academy that summer as a member of the class of 1969. After graduation from the Academy, Rick headed to Lubbock, Texas for pilot training at Reese AFB, training on the T-41, the T-37 and T-38. Rick graduated in August of 1970 at the top ofhis class and was assigned to Travis AFB, Calif, as a 2nd Lieutenant. During his tour inVietnam, Rick flew C-14Is and was honorablydischarged in 1973.

In 1973, Rick met Kathryn Denault and they were married in Nov. 1974. In 1978 Rick was offered a job with Continental and he and Kathy moved to El Paso, Texas. Their first child, Ashley, was born in July of 1979 and three years later, in 1982, they were joined by Lindsay. In 1982 Rick was offered a job at United Airlines andthe family moved to Colorado. He started flying 737s and moved up through the companyquickly to become a Standards Captain on the 747-400 at theTraining Center in Denver. In the spring of2001 he moved back to the line, flying the 777 out ofLos Angeles. Rickhad a great love for his job; he always remarked howluckyhe was to be able to do something he enjoyed for a living.

As great as Rick’s love forflyingwas, it paled in comparison to his love for his familyand friends. He was an inspiration to those around him, alwayspushing them to be more than theythoughttheycould be and alwaysstriving to improve himself. To his friends he was compassionate and trustworthy, althoughalwaysready to offerhis opinion! To his daughters he was the most devoted father anyone could askfor, rejoicingin our accomplishments, andofferingcomfortandsupportthrough our defeats. He taught us how to live life well, in every sense. From inspiring a capacity to think critically, to developing a love offinewine, he was a champion and guide in all we have accomplished. Rick’s passion and love oflife touched everyone who knew him and he will be forevermissed. (AshleyL. Denault, Rick’sdaughter)

Joseph R Martin, ’86

Joseph Patrick Martin, 39, was born March 22,1964 in Dover, Del. and died Feb. 26,2004 in Seattle, Wash, after a courageous eight-year

battle against lung cancer. Joe graduated from O’Fallon Township HighSchoolin 1982 and from the U.S. Air ForceAcademyin 1986. He was a veteran ofthe U.S. Air Force, a pilot for Alaska Airlines, and a Majorin theAirForce Reserve. He was a memberofHolyRosaryChurch inWest Seattle.

Joe was a lovinghusband, beloved son andbrother, skilledpilot, gifted athlete anddevoted friend. In a life too short, his accomplishments were many. As an avid long-distance runner, Joe was captain ofthe Academy’s cross country team. Rising to the rank ofMajor in theAir Force, he flewtheT-37, T-38, C-21 and C-141 aircraft. His duties included being the personal pilot for the Air force Chiefof Staff out ofthe Pentagon.

AtAlaskaAirlines, he was an instructor pilot on the MD-80 and developed several industry-standard training programs. Of all his attainments, Joe gained the most satisfaction from being aline pilotforAlaskaAirlines, a job at which he excelled.

Joe’s lofty achievements were equaled onlybe his deep humility and respect for others. He gave generously ofhis time and resources, volunteering as a BigBrother, mentoringyouth, and caringfor animals. One ofJoe’s special loves was being a dedicated uncle, role model, andadvisor to his twenty nieces and nephews. All who were fortunate enough to knowhim will sorelymiss him.

Joe leaves to cherish his memoryhis wife of 11 years, Catherine (nee Lund); his parents, Mike and Helen Martin; and six siblings: David Martin, Phyllis Patten, Sheila Rapp, Margie Martin, Kathleen Martin and TheresaGentle. Also his parents-in-law Dick and Irene Lund, a sister-in-law Ellen Niehus, abrother-in-lawRolfLund, many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends. Finally, he will be missed by the “girls”, his cats Domino, Trigger, Smoochand Orca. A funeral was held at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in O’Fallon, Ill. He was buried in the family plot at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Shiloh, Ill. Amemorial service was held at the BoeingMuseum offlight on March 4,2004. (Condensedfrom a newspaperarticleprovidedby father-in-law Col. [USAF,Ret] RichardLund.)

At press time we had learned of the deaths of the following graduates:

Lt. Col. (Ret) Henry T. Horton, Class of 1963, who died on Jan. 12, 2004 of cancer in Seattle, Wash.

Mr. Berthold R. Reinstein, Class of 1963, who died on Dec. 30, 2003 in Englewood, Colo.

Col. (Ret) JayW. Van Pelt, Class of 1971, who died on March 1, 2004 in Falls Church, Va.

Mr. Thomas L. Hamilton, Class of 1973, who died on Martch 25, 2004 in Nebraska.

Mrs. Lori E. (Plosa) Chestnut, Class of 1983, who died on Aug. 7, 2003 of cancer in Union, Ky.

Capt. Jonathan P. Scheer, Class of 1995, who died on Feb. 25, 2004 in an A-10 aircraft crash near Eielson AFB, Alaska. Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of these graduates.

NEWS

1250 Big Valley Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1015

H: (719) 531-5874 FAX: (719) 531-6697

E-mail: petetodd@aol.com

Jim Reedreports on a brieftripcombiningnostalgiaandfatherlypride. “We went toVanceAFB on Feb 5 forthe Change-of-Command ceremonyinwhich my son Scott (USAFA 1984) took over as the commander ofthe 71st Operational SupportSquadron. He graduatedfrom NationalWarCollegelast summer.Vance iswhere I went to pilottraining, so he’s now a commanderand IP at the base where I used to be a student. We also got a tour of some ofthe facilities his unit is responsiblefor, such as the RAPCON and flight simulator section. (See photo at top ofnext column.)

Jimalso mentionedthathe and Sheilagot some briefbutpublicrecognition forthegazillionhours theyhave spentrenovatingtheir newhome. TheHGTV BeforeandAftershowfeatured theirhome in a recent segmentwith pictures.

By a long and circuitous route (not originatingwith the principal), the following press release on the continuing activities of one of our classmates reached mydesk:

MilitaryLeaderToAdviseWirelessSecurityFirm

SANJOSE, Calif., Sept. 30,2003—CraniteSystems, Inc., a leadingprovider ofcomprehensive securityforwireless networks, has addedformer U.S.Air ForceVice ChiefofStaffGeneral Michael Cams to its Board ofAdvisors. General Cams will advise Cranite as the companycontinues to develop and market industry-leadingwireless security solutions for enterprises and government organizations.

General Cams retired asa four-starAirForce General after serving as vice chiefofstaffofthe U.S. Air Force, as well as director ofthejoint staffduring Operations Desert Shield and DesertStorm. He also served as director of operations for the Rapid DeploymentTask Force and deputy commander-

15-20

2004

LtCol ScottReed on thedayofhis changeofcommand. His wife, Lisa, and theirson Matt (USAFA Classof2018) stand withJim on thesteps ofhissquadron. DaughterJessica is off-frame.

in-chiefofthe United States Pacific Command. Duringhis military career, he flew more than 200 combat missions inVietnam, where he earned the Silver Star and the DistinguishedFlying Cross.

General Cams is an active member ofnumerous boards, includingRockwell Collins, Inc., PrivaSource Inc. and Mission Research Corporation. He holds appointments asa member ofthe board ofadvisors, National SecurityAgency (NSA); National Imageryand MappingAgency (NIMA) Fomm; Threat ReductionAdvisoryCouncil; the Defense Science StudyGroup, Institute for DefenseAnalysis; and as a senior fellow, National DefenseUniversity (NDU). General Cams graduated fromtheAirForceAcademyandearned an M.BA. from Harvard University.

“As governmententitiesincreasinglyapplytechnologyto gainstrategicadvantage, GeneralCams provides an unparalleleddepthofunderstandingaboutrealworld technologydeployment and the government’s operational needs and thoughtprocesses,” saidGregMcNulty, CEO, Cranite Systems, Inc. “Havingthis extraordinaryleader on our boardofadvisorswillproveinvaluable in our efforts to bringCranite’swireless networksecuritysoftware to governmentorganizations. Itis a privilegefor us to beassociatedwith an individualofthis caliber.”

With allthe hyperventilation over this year’s Class gift to the Academy, I thought it might be useful to recall that, at our lastreunion, we decidedwith somewhat less acrimonyto give a “livinggift.” The Class voted to endowthe keynote address at the National Character & LeadershipSymposium (NCLS) hostedbytheAcademyeachyear.The symposiumbrings in students andfacultyfrom all over the country to join cadets in hearing top speakers on the challenge ofprovidingleadership with an ethical and moral basis.

Thisyear’ssymposiumfocused on “Teamwork; HonorablyWorkingTogether To Achieve Excellence.” TheAcademy's choice ofkeynote speaker to set the stageforthreedaysoflecturesanddiscussionscould nothavebeen more appropriate to the occasion or done more honor to our Class. They invited John Wooden, thelegendarycoachof10 nationalchampionship basketballteams at UCLAwhoisuniversallyrespected as agentlemanandteacher, aswell as a coach.

CoachWooden, 93 yearsyoung, spoke at length and without notes on the criticalelements inhislifethatshapedhisvalues andcharacterand, ultimately, resulted in his extraordinary success. His clarity, humility and precision of language were memorable andhis message captivated the diverse audience. Hearingsuch a compellingaddress introduced as the “giftofthe Class of1959” would have made you all proud.

The Class of2004 will graduate in a few days and theyleave with the congratulations andbestwishes ofthe Class of1959. Theyhave survived an enormous amount ofturmoil, controversyand changeduringtheircadetyears, all goodpreparations forthe stresses theywill face inthe difficult and dangerous years ahead. Godspeed and “CheckSix!”Wendyand I lookforward to seeing our friends from near and far at the 45th Reunion. Seeyou soon. Travel safely.

Thoughtforthe Quarter:What shouldyou do ifyou see an endangered animal eating an endangeredplant?

AJ. (Rosie) Cler, Jr.

214 Poppy St.

Golden, CO 80401-5544

H: (303) 238-4973 e-Fax: (509) 463-4700

E-mail: RCtherose@aol.com

Class Web Site: www.usafa.net/1960

God, whatan outfield,”hesays. “Whata leftfield. This mustbe heaven.” “No. It’s Iowa,” I replyautomatically. Ray Kinsella to Joseph Jefferson Jackson in “Shoeless Joe.”

Come with me now as I provide a mosaic ofour classmatesfrom the heavenlyState ofIowa—thatlovelyoasis dubbed byjetsetters as beingthe “UberChicParadiseWhere Cornis King.” All ofthe seven who were appointed to the Academygraduated—GaryCrew, George Elsea, RG Head, JockSchwank, Jerry Stack, Don Wolfswinkel, and Doug Rekenthaler. Doug’s our leadoff hitter—top ofthe first...

DouglasArland Rekenthaler (CrossCountry4,3,2,1,Tennis4,3,Track4) was a SeniorPilotwhoretired as LtColin 1980,becameinvolvedinthepurchase/saleof Europeanaircraft, andiscurrentlyin theJuris Doctorate program atWestVirginiaUniversity.We openthe inning in Italy: “Life in Rome is beautiful. Livingthere in the late 1980s, I was makingfrequenttrips into Moscow, Kiev, andBudapest.Tennis tooktheedgeoff, and one ofmyItaliantennispartnerswanted to develop a business inwomen’sprofessionaltennisplayers. During my next trip insidethe Iron Curtain, I found several candidates forconsideration,including one younggirlwhom the Italians deemed too ‘old’ (ateleven). But I liked her style, heart, and aggressiveness, and elected to sponsorhermyself aftermyItaliancolleaguesturnedherdown. IrinaKharunandherparentssigned acontract: Iwouldtrainher, serve as guardian,bringhertoAmericafordevelopment andmanage her career. Ira’sjob was to improveandwin tennis matches.

Sabre Society Donors

Fast forward a fewyears... Ira having been back and forth to the U.S. several times, livingwith mywife and me in Maryland,VirginiaandWestVirginia. Shetrainedwiththetopteachingpros at RegencyRacquetClub in Falls Church, VA; and, oft-times in Budapest, Prague and Kharkiv. Tom Hawkins, Regency’s longtimeprofessional, said ‘Irais the finestnatural athlete Ihave ever seen, and I have coached well over 2,000 athletes in mydays. She won, or was the runner-up, in scores ofmatches on the Mid-Adantic circuit.When she graduated from Kharkiv’sAthletes’ High School Number One at 16,1 made promotional videos of Ira playing tennis, and (coincidentally) throwing the javelin, her second favorite sport.

“That same year, she played a sectional tennis match at Carmel, IN, which the Indiana Universitytennis coach attended. IU’s tennis coachlikedwhat he saw, and made a scholarship offerfortennis. I had previouslyadvised the IU trackcoach that Ira had made a record-setting 48-meterjavelin throw at the Europeanyouth games the previous summer, so the track coach was also intrigued. IU’s trackcoachwatched20 seconds ofthejavelinvideoand said: ‘I’ve seen enough. I’ll take her.You can’t coach thekind oftalent I saw on thattape.’ Thus commenced Ira’s fouryears in tennis and track at IU.

“This was not easy. When I left Ira, then 17, at IU, she was theyoungest memheroftheIUtennis andtrackteams. She neitherspoke nor understood university-levelEnglish. Ira says it best: ‘In classes, I understood about 10 percent of what myprofessors said. It was verydifficult.’ But, easyisn’t a descriptorofany facet ofIra’s life: training in the Ukraine has always been a five a.m. to eight at nightactivity. On the court, and on the track, life was not so difficult; she was a constantwinner. To compete at the NCAAlevel, she had to be in school, so IU found it necessary to holdher over forthe first summer semester eachyear, and shewenttotheNCAAs everyyear.Although hervarsitytennis did not evolve to the professional level, Ira now holds IU’s all-time women’sjavelin record. In May2003, she won the BigTenChampionship (see photo), then the Regional NCAA Championship, and inJune2003, the NCAA National Championship, setting the ‘all-time women’s collegiatejavelin record of202 feet, 10 inches.’ She also qualified forthe 2004 Olympics inAthens, Greece, and is now training with the Ukrainian national team. Irawill throw in the qualifying round on August 28th and for the championship and gold medal on the 30th “I’ve managed to ‘open a few doors’ for this outstanding athlete. And, this has been enormouslyrewardingfor me, with onlythe pleasure ofsharingher achievement. Ira isthrowingwell enough in practice to medal atAthens.At21, she is theyoungestoftheworld’s top 20javelinthrowers, officiallyranked 11 * in theworld. I am sanguine shewillwin herfirstgoldmedalthis summer, with futureopportunities in2008 and 2012. Bythattime, shehopes to bethrowing for the USA.’’Second inning next issue...

MiniSkiXIVwas held 28 Feb-7 March2004, andUtahgave our PowerHounds “some greatweatherandthebest snow and deepestbases inyears.Anywhere fromfour to eightinches ofchampagnepowder on 125 inchesofbasemadefor excellentskiingwithlittle effort.Weskiedonlyfouroftheeightresorts inthe area, as the snow attheselocations wasjust too good to pass up,”reportedhostAndi Biancur. Attendingwas GregBoyington,daughterTiffany, friendJuneColgan, Michelle and Manoucher (June’sdaughterandfriend),AmandaandJeff(Greg’s daughter and husband), Reef, their son; JerrydelaCruz; Howie Bronson; Jim andJennyGlaza, friendJimBoyle; Deke and SallyJohnson;JimO’Rourke; Earl and Pat Van Inwegen; Vic Yoakum with friend Suzanne; Bruce Mosier; Les Hobgood; George and Diana Pupich;Andi Biancur; also Bob andJan Brickey (’61), Jim and Judy Gallagher (’62), Karel and Carol Coffee. Missing was A1 Johnson, Chairman/CEO oftheA1JohnsonSki and LawnMowerRepairSchool, which producedmmblings ofpossible structural changes in leadership ofthe event (anotherJohnson? Daniel, perhaps?). Next year’s MiniSkiXVwill be the firstweekinMarch2005—“The BestDamned SkiWeekEver.”

In thefront row are VicYoakum, Gerryde la Cruz, HowieBronson, andJim Glaza. BackRow: GeorgePupich,Jim O’Rourke, Les Hobgood, AndiBiancur, Earl Van Inwegen, BruceMosier, GregBoyington, andDekeJohnson.

(R:Although this column normallyrefrains from internecine struggles and turfwars, we did receive subsequent reports ofAl’s presence—during the MiniSki event—at “A1 Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant” in Sister City,WI, and a member ofthe paparazzitook these photographs. Does he, in fact, own the restaurant? Has he been living, God forbid, a Double Life?The eatery’s motto —“Loweryourexpectations—ratchet'emway, waydown! In the meantime, and facedwith this incontrovertible evidence, Deke Johnsonwrestled control ofthe Ski School in a bloodless coup. Murkywaters, indeed. For details, visit: idahovfw@vfw-online.com).

Friendly Fire: In a front-page article appearing in the DenverPostof02/09/ 04: “Wife Suits Up For Pilot’s Dream,” the widow ofJason Dahl, who died Sept. 11,2001 in the crash ofUnited Flight 93 into a Pennsylvaniafield, fulfilled herdream offlyingin an F-16 fighter. She was flown on thatflightbyLtCol Mike Loh (’84, son of our own Jon Michael Loh) ofthe ColoradoANG...TheAFANavyFootball GameWeekend,originallyscheduled forOct 1 -3,2004, has been rescheduled to Sept29-October 1,2004, since the game was moved from Saturday to Thursdayevening... Ifyou’re into sunsets, you’ll love the pictures taken by Les Hobgood in Salt Lake City from this year’s MiniSki e-mail: hobgoodl@flash.net.

Bye from the Rose.

Visit the AOGWeb Site

www.usafa.org

Earl N. “Nelson” O’Rear

50582 Stonington Drive

Granger, IN 46530-8243

H: (574) 273-2597

E-mail: ENOandTJO@ameritech.net

Class Web Site: www.usafal961.info

What follows is an abbreviatedversion ofthe final draft at our classweb site.

On 8-9April, Mark andGingerAnderson attended the Masters GolfToumament at Augusta National. This is a first for them a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.

Over the last several years Jack Bright has had a strong desire to see his navigator, Art Fisher (’67),who flewalmost200 missionswith him inVietnam. Theyfinallygot together. Jackwent to Melbourne, FLwhere Art lives. They spent a greatweekend telling stories and havingfun (even thoughArtwaxed him in their golfouting). Jack admires and respectsArt, perhaps affected by the factthat he savedJack’s life on a divebombing mission theyflewtogether in Laos one night. But more than that,Art, and thewayhehas livedhislife, are a real credit to all of us.

Gordon Clarke sent a short note to let us knowthat in mid-December he joined the ranks of the “retired”. Peggy and Gordon are busy with lots of familyprojects and plan to bein College Stationfortheforeseeable future.

Dick Davis recentlyputhis horse in remedial training for trailerloading. She came out ofit well, and there are many offsite state traillocations forthem to ride, within easyreach. She had become trailer phobic after he moved her from Texas, so it is a new dimension in their ability to do things.

Pete and Patty Lane, their son and his spouse, and their three children received a dose ofBrickeyhospitalityduringthe SpringBreak at theirbeautiful cabin in Soliture, Utah. Bob and Jan were great hosts for the Lane clan, who loved the skiing and the war stories.

Lee andJoanie McCleskeyreturned in late March from a weekin northwest Arkansaswhere they“testflew” their new travel trailer. It was trulywonderful, and they’rereallylookingforward to the time (probablynextyear) when they can use it without regard to leave balance, workhours, etc. It’s hard to beat wakingto the sounds ofducks, geese, and otherwildlifeyou see as you’relooking out over the lake! It’s even better than going to work!

Charlie Moores is still avoidingretirement and still “temporarily” in Michigan. This six-nine monthTDYstinthas now passed 16years with no endfirmly set as yet. Texas is stillhome, andAmericanAirlines is the primarybeneficiary ofthe displacement. Travel around the US, Europe, and sometimesAsia is also part ofthe normal business activity for Charlie. Other travel for Charlie and Maureen includes shuttling their daughter to hermanyactivities, alongwith home-schooling activities.

Hector Negroni, John Kohout, JackMcDonough, andTwyWilliams represented the Class of 1961 at theAir ForceAcademyFoundation’s 50th Anniversary, sponsoredby theAir ForceAcademySocietyofWashington DC. They were votedthe oldest there.

After a great CentennialCelebration at KittyHawk in Decemberwith many friends,LyndaandCharlie Neelstarted outthe NewYearwithCarl and Charlene Granberry inWinona, TX. Theyhad a greatvisit.

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JerryGillwrites thatthisyear’sAnnual USAFA 61 Ski Utah event was the best ever! The snow andweather were spectacularandthecamaraderie was meaningful. Bob andJanice Brickey were their gracious hosts, and their intense planning and preparation made theweek pleasant, busy, and fun. Theystayed in Sam Hardage’s superb Chase Suites, andhis stafftookgreat care ofthem although Samhad to cancel at the last moment because of a familyillness. The highpoint was an incredible 6-course, 15-wine dinner with our own winemaker, Brice Jones. Jerrysaid that he doubts that anyof us have ever had a more splendidmeal, nor that theywill ever forget it. IfBrice ever learns how to entertain, maybe he’ll be successful. Attendees were: Mark and Ginger Anderson, Sam Barazzone, Stu and Marnie Boyd, Bob and Jan Brickey, Clair and MaryKay Carling,Jerryand DorothyGill, Bruce and Pat Hines,Jim Hinkle, Brice Jones, George and KathyMcNulty, and Neal and Gwen Westbrook. Additionally, Bob and Jan’s sons, daughter and their spouses attended.

Lou Hablas saysthe 2004 DefenseAuthorizationActpartially reverses a 100year-oldpolicy oftaking a dollar out ofthe retirement payofeach disabled veteran for each dollarreceived in disability pay. This changeapplies to veterans with 50% or higherdisabilityand is beingphased in over a 10-yearperiod. In addition, each branch oftheArmed Forces is currentlyevaluating disabled veterans who mayhave been disabled bycombat or combat-related activities, which could result in even more disabilitypay on a faster schedule than the systemjust mentioned. Lou thinks what the DOD and theVA are doing to tryto take care ofveterans is big.

Gene Hopp can offer help to anyone researching their family tree. He’s managed to trace most ofhis lines backto well before 1800 buthas had particular success in tracking down present dayrelatives—third through even fifth cousins in Germany. After two trips to Europe, he’s now on a firstname basis, includinggetting some ofthem to visit the USA.

DeanJonessaidthatheistryingto semi-retire so he can competewithWayne ingolf, but not doing averygoodjobofeitherright now. Joandhisfamily are fine.

Lowell and SandyJonesjust returned fromtheirsix-weekFloridatrip. They said that theyhad a great time in “cool” Florida.

WayneJonesjoinedseveral otherUSAFAgrads to watch our amazingbasketball team defeat San Diego State thiswinter. The USAFA team stood in avery straight line at attention during the NationalAnthem until the last note was played: meanwhile, SDSU remained in the dressing room, so that theycould make a big-dealscreamingentrance onto thefloor at the endoftheanthem. It was so gross that even thelocal sportswritersmade specialmention ofit, “The teamwiththe mostclass anddiscipline won thegamelastnight.”Wayneandthe others were surelyproud ofthe greatUSAFAteam thisyear!

Bob Kellock is stillworkingforBoeing and playingbyrunning sailboat regattas aboutsixtimes a year. In February, Bob accepted an invitation (left over fromThanksgiving in LasVegas) andvisitedfriends inAustin, Texas. He now knowswhatHillCountryis, andhelikes it a lot. As hepoints out, the Colorado River startsjust southeastofLubbock (Bob went to ReeseAFB), at the edge of the cap rock, and is dammed to form severallakes in andnorthwestofAustin. He was surprised, amazed, and pleasedwith all the water and boats. And it’s not farfrom Fredericksburg’s museum and SanAntonio’s RiverWalk. He’llbe backand plans to warn the appropriate targets before he goes.

TerryNorris saidthat Sandyhas gone back to work as a civil servant, heading up a team which formulates the $4.5 billionArmyNational Guard budget for presentation to Congress. Now that she is making the money, Terry is still playinglots ofgolf. Anyonevisiting close to the Fredericksburg area should drop in and play one ofthe premiergolf courses inVirginiawith him. Sandy has bought them a nice little getawayin Myrtle Beach, so everyone is also invited to let them knowifyou plan on being in the Myrtle Beach area.

JohnPayne saidthathe has been hunting the past fewmonths. He has also been keeping in touch with classmates at least once a quarter as part of our informal class care system. John’s big news is that in December, after flying solo foralmostsixyears, he askedBettyAnn StringerofLucedale, MS, to marry him. (Theholidays are always a dangeroustime!) Theweddingis on May22nd andall local classmates are invited. Theywill be at home in southern Mississippi. She loves to travel. Their first outingwill probablybe our next Orange Beach rendezvous.

Jimmy Poole says that the October 2004 GrayTag Redneck Riviera Beach Weekend Dates are October 1-4 (FridayafternoonthroughMondaymorning) - 3 nights - at an approximate cost of$335 per couple for the weekend. That price includes lodging and miscellaneous otherthings. As ofMarch 10th they had 15 confirmed names forthe beach homes fortheweekend, plus a fourin other accommodations. The rental homes are the majorplanningfactorfor theweekend.You can contact Jimmyatjpoolejr@knology.net or 334-272-1863 ifyou want to attend.

Sarah and Charlie Stebbins hosted a couple of’61ers at theirWestVirginia retirement home. Sharon and Thom Schutt dropped byfor lunch on their way to Michigan, and John Boesch spent a couple ofnights while on family business in Charleston. Charlie and Sarahasked to pass the word that they enjoyvisitors, and rates are reasonable. Indoorplumbingmightbe a concern, however.

Byron Theurerjustcelebrated in March one ofthe more pleasantdays in his own historyofaviation. He soloed the Grab 103, a big (1,200pound), fast (100 knot), fiberglasssailplane. It was harderthan itlooked.You knowthose nosewheel steeringpedalthings that your feet rest on in militaryairplanes; well, gliderpilots use them to move the rudder, you know, the wigglythingbackof thevertical stabilizer. Ifyou don’twiggle it adroitly, the airplane flies like a very wobblygoblin indeed.Well, you dowhatever ittakes to maintain airsuperiority overTehachapi.

RogerWoodburysaid thathe finishes his second career ofteachingandwill begin his second retirement on April 1 st They are still planning to get to Indiana for our golfgame. Their reservation is waiting.

Gayle saidthat anotherZompahas made his grand entrance. Blake Edward Willert was born March 10 to Ed and Gayle’s daughter Kristen and her husband, Craig, in Boulder, CO. Ofcourse he is the cutest little guyaround. Gayle says thatisjust one more reason to visitColorado, so stayalertforherifyou are also in that area.

More than 70 percent of’61 graduates are now part ofour on-line GrayTag Network. Ifyou are on the Internet and not part ofour group, please contact me at mye-mail address (above). Note thatthis column was submitted at the end ofMarch. Our next quarterlyclass column will be assembled about the timeyou read this one.

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

www.usafa.org

Vj. i :?

HiRedtags,

John W. “Jack” Jamba

4 Judy Court

Satellite Beach, FL 32937

H: (321) 777-5520 0: (321) 861-6279

Cell: (321) 432-1370

E-Mail: jwjamba@aol.com

It’sbeen a busyquarteroftheyear. Had two get-togetherswithRedtags.The first one was in Februarywhen Fred and Helen Hendryxwere in town. Some ofus local Redtags had dinner at a local restaurant and once againhad a ball. It’s funnyhowyou can start talking so much after a couple ofdrinks. Butthey did and I watched it all.

your column faithfully. I decided this time to writeyou due to yourkind invitation and the fact thatI have beenworking on a veryinterestingprojectwhich others may care to knowabout. TheAirForceAcademySocietyofWashington, DC (AFASW) andthe CapitalChapterAOG decided to have a special eventto recognize the 50thAnniversary oftheAFAFounder’s Day. Ivolunteered to undertake the taskofidentifying and providing a special brochure listingofall the “Firsts” during that first 50 years claimed byAFA cadets and Graduates. I was initiallyexpecting to get most ofthelistfromtheAOG.While theywere supportive and provided a few, I was told that their records were incomplete in this matterbecause not everygraduate is a memberoftheAOGand not allmembers ofthe AOG providecomplete records.

“Facedwith this challenge, I got on all oftheAOG Classweb sites and found the Classes’ scribe, secretary, president, etc. and asked fortheirassistance. The response was great, especiallyfrom the older (as you would expect) Classes. I have collected a database ofover 100 “Firsts" for our event on 27 March. Manyofthe claims are ofhistoric value (1stCSAF) and some are justgood clean fun and interesting (1st Cadet to walkthrough a stairwell door).

“I found out that theAOG was not making this 1 April 2004 Founder’s Daythefocus oftheir50thAnniversarycelebration fortheUSAFA, buttheywere focusing more on the summer of 2005 (50Years since the First Cadet Class entered). I am going to keep mylistopen and hope to collect more claims over the next year to provide to theAOG for all graduates to enjoy.We have advertised our Founder’s Day event as a chance to “Stake-your-Claim” and are encouraginggraduates to define andclaimtheir“Firsts” at our eventto stimulate conversation and add to mylist. Please encourage RTB’s to participate and let’s get a broad collection ofclaims, (gmchugh@chesapeake.net)

we

him and

Lyle is still flying for MASCO Contractor Services. He pilots their Falcon 20andFalcon50 outofDaytonaBeach. Hiswife,Susan,worksforNASCAR, reviewing contracts, among other duties. Bunky and Connie had a housewarming for their new retirement home. What a beauty! It’s located on the river on Merritt Island. For our next gathering we plan to do something between Daytona Beach and Melbourne so we can include Ken Fleming and ChuckCheeseman and anyotherRedtags in the area. Ormaybewe’ll entice the Reeves to host it. We’ll see.

I went on a trip to Washington, DC, earlier in March and had dinnerwith nine otherRedtags. Several ofthewives were also able to make it.

“By-the-way-, I live in Port Republic, MD on the Chesapeake Baysouth of Washington, DC. I had four children (includingtwin sons) all grown and on their own. I have five grandsons and a granddaughter. Mylatest grandson is British and lives with his familyin London. I look forward to retiring in a year or so from my current consultingbusiness. Good luck, Jack. Thanks foryears ofgreat reporting.

Thanksforthatemail, Gene. I encourageyou Redtags to contribute as much as possible to Gene’s list. I think we can have a list ofsterlingaccomplishments as well as some uproarious ones. Forexample, I thinkthatGaryForrestwas thefirst AllAmericanthat our fledglingAcademyhad. Gary, isthataccurate? Drop me an email, please. IwouldordinarilycorrespondprivatelywithGarybutI’m doingit thiswayto stireveryoneup. I thinkI was thefirstcadet to have a frill-sizeWurlitzer recordplayerin his room. Ofcourse, Ionlykeptitfor aweekuntilwe couldrepair itand transportit to the CadetClub in theAntlers Hotel. I was also the first Presidentofthe CadetClub andpersuadedNino Baldacci to betheCadetClub Officer Sponsor as indicated in our first-class yearbook. So putyourthinking caps on and start sendingthosefirsts to Gene... anddon’tforgetmyclass column.

And now a word about Sam Dehne. I have a quote from a local Reno, NV newspaperdescribing some go SamDehne’s activities in Reno. “Tom Clarkand Sam Dehne keep ajam-packed schedule playingforhospitals and retirement homes. Sam Dehne is mainlyknown forhis activities as a local politicalgadfly. Foryears he has attended every meeting ofthe Reno CityCouncil, where he invariablyexpresses his opinions, often in songform. He sometimes callshimself‘The SingingEncyclopedia ofReno Government, and has irritated city officials with his topical songs such as ‘The Ballad ofBobbyCashell’ and ‘The Ballad ofReno Toilets.’

“But there are other, lesser-known sides to Dehne. He and retired Reno Police officerTom Clark co-own a gold mine, provide commentaryfor amateur boxing matches, and bill themselves as TooWildYankees, a musical duo that Dehne describes as ‘the singing sensation that’s sweeping the nation.’ Dehne playsguitar and sings. Clarkplays harmonica, kazoo, percussioninstruments and occasionallysings or whisdes. The duo offersits services free to charitable organizations. Theykeep their calendar full, playingfrequently at hospitals and retirement homes.”

BillHaugen,Tom Moore and Art Farrington. I remember that DickSmull is sellingreal estate in his home county andfeelingextremelyfortunatewith thewaythe real estate market is doing. Chetisfinallyretired.Heshwillbe leavinghis currentjob and goingbackto LasVegaslaterthisyear. HeandIwillgettogetheratthebeginning ofSeptemberwhen I go there for aVPP conference. Bill Haugen gave me a demonstration ofhis docent capabilitieswhen he took me around the new Udnar-HazyAir and Space Museum at DullesAirport. We both onlyhad 45 minutes to spare. Hehad a follow-onVIP tour to give and I had a plane to catch. It was stupendous. IfanyofyouareinD.C. andhavethetimebe sure to stopby and see the new museum. Admission is free but parking is $ 12. Some ofthe otherRedtags are stillworking and a couple ofothers are retired. I read some oftheotherclasscolumnsandthescribes seem to have acommon problem: not rememberingwhattheyheardin a two-hour conversation I gotthefollowing email from Gene McHugh. “I am not muchforwriting (in factyoumaynote thatmyname has never appeared in Checkpoints) but I read

For the final item, I am enclosing a picture ofRosemaryand KirkVaughan at the pyramids in Egypt. Theystopped there on one oftheir trips from Oman where Kirk is a professor at Sultan Qaboos University.

Well, that’s it for now. Please send me your news items when you read this sentence. I onlyhave abouttwo-threeweeks to compile the information, translate it into readable English, delete the objectionablewords and send to the AOG. Be a contributor to this column. Go Redtags!

Norman I. (Skip) Lee

17532 N.E. 38th Court

Redmond, WA 98052

W: (425) 237-4118 H: (425) 882-0968

E-mail:54wrs@msn.com

Work e-maiI:norman.i.lee@boeing.com

Fax: (425) 237-5775

This time we must note the passing oftwo ofour classmates. Immediately after theWinter Class News went to press we were notified by the AOG that Henry Horton died Jan 21 st in Pensacola, FL as the result of cancer. Hewas buried on Jan 23rd in the Barrancas National Cemetery. Condolences maybe sent to hiswife: Mrs. Suzanne Horton, 2036 DowningDr, PensacolaFL325051601. Memorial Donations maybe made toThe OrganFund, St Luke’s United Methodist Church 1394 E Nine Mile Rd, Pensacola, FL 32514.

In mid-February Ron McCollum alerted me to the news that Roger Sims died at his home in Everett,WA on 2 Feb 2004. Aftertalkingwith ChuckBush and theAOG it was confirmed Roger died ofcardiac arrest. We were also toldthatRoger’slawyer sent his ashes to Hawaii - in care ofRoger’s friendWilmerMiller (808) 373-2283 -to be scatteredthere. As far as anyone knew, Rogerhad no next of kin.

Ifyou recall in the lastversion ofthe Class News I promised a picture ofthe physicians from our class. Jim Hannam, DickSlowik and Steve Savonen all sent alongphotographs each tookofour Class Docs. Just to remind the Docs theyoffered to buy thewine for the toast at the 45th the photograph ofthose who were at thereunionisrecorded as added evidence. As a bonusthe answer to the quiz from last time asking ifyou can determine which Thud Driver is also a Doc can befound inthispicture. Hint: comparethe photos fromthelast Checkpoints and this issue.

Didyoufind theanswer?

Anotherfollow-up from last time: due to space limitations, I was unable to include a photographfromDoug Powerand Steve Suby. Thepicturebelowwas takenfromthewaterfrontside ofDoug’s andMarian’shome in the FloridaKeys.

Sabre Society Donors

One ofmyfirstthoughtsuponhearingaboutRogerwas the ceremonyconducted attheAcademyduring our reunion in November. Jim Gaston apparentlyhadthe same thought and sent me the following note: “I received an email last week saying that Rog Sims had passed away on February 2nd I wanted to letyou knowthat I have a video recording ofthe ceremonyduring our reunion last November when Roger, Chuck Bush, and Ike Payne were honoredwith Pathfindertilesbythe cadetWayofLife Committee. It was avery niceevent, and itoccurred to me that some ofour classmates might like to have a copy ofthevideo on DVD. Ifso, and ifthey could letyou or me knowabout it, I’ll be glad to burn some copies and send them out.

I was able to speakwithJohn Borling the other dayandhe reported less than satisfactory election results (John uses more colorful words). John sent me the following message: “Classmates: Thanks very much to allwho provided material and moral presence forthe Senate run. Havingyou all in formation with us on the missionmeantalottomeandMyrna. We did notwin and come awaydiminished, not bythe results, but bythe fact that the ‘flightlead’ got it wrong and let down so manywingmen who believedand hung in there. I do regret thatenormously. There is satisfaction in the notion that the gloryofthe nationis found in thehonestefforts ofinvolved citizens who tryto advancethe cause ofthe country. Such was and is our purpose. Again, thankyou. John Borling. The web site at www.borlingforsenate.comchttp:// www.borlingforsenate.com/ has additional words ifthere is interest.

OpinionPollsfromAOG: Manyofyou mayhave received a request to make your opinions known on USAFAissues. The request ofinterest dealtwith the debate over qualification requirements for the position ofAcademy Dean of Faculty. TheAOG Board ofDirectors recently concluded the AOG needed to do a betterjobcommunicatingwiththe graduatecommunityandits constituents. These opinionpolls etc. are part oftheir“do better.”The Dean ofFaculty question received a 45% response, which is prettygood as far as polls go but could be better.

HankHoffman wrote to sayhe was unable to attend the reunion becausehe was in the hospital with a blocked small intestine; a more than acceptable excuse. Check out the photo ofHankand the OV-10 he is ferrying to Columbia for theirAirForce. Theywill move a total ofeightairplanes with the next one scheduled for mid-April. Hank promised to provide the whole storylater.

Great view!

Bill Flynn’s new e-mail address is IAct200l@aol.com. Bill adds that one of the reasons he didn’t make it to the reunion was hiswork. He was involved in two films and he did admit it was a tough choice. Maybe next time! Bill is becoming a well recognized actor winning awards—the December EXPOSURE Showcase “Grand Champion for2003”, being an MC at ceremonies at the DallasProducersAssociation’s Annual Gala and acting in scenes for the HBO feature film, “A KillerWithin.” Bill says he plays Dr. Schulz in the film. The doctoris a German medical examiner,workingwith theleadcharacters to solve a nasty murder.

Gil Merkle sent a long a message from Frank Ralston’s cousinJohnYoung who was hoping to have a stone erected for Frank in the memorial section at Ft. McPherson National Cemeteryin NebraskawhereFrank’s parents and two uncles are interred. John reported that thanks to Frank’s manyfriends and some help from the office oftheirU.S. Representative, a stone is now in place in the memorial section ofthe cemetery. There will be a memorial service for him May 14. For more information, John can be reached at sarayoung 14@cs.com or byphone: (402) 397-7987.

Quicknote fromDickSlowikreportingthatJohn Elfers continues to successfully scale some of the worlds great mountains; this time it was Mount Kilimanjaro. Johnsaysheisaimingforothermountainpeaks aroundtheworld.

By the time you read this I will be within two months ofretirement from Boeing. Our plans are to move to the Tucson, AZ area. We will send out a broadcast change ofaddress and contact numbers as soon as they are firm. For now; however, the bestway to make contact will continue to be through the e-mail address 54wrs@msn.com. Take care and be careful out there.

Bob Hovde

206 Walker Ave.

Huntsville, AL 35801

(256) 532-3923 W: (256) 922-3705

Fax: (256) 895-9222

bob.hovde@earthlink.net

W: bhovde@camber.com

40th Reunion: The best laid plans ofmice and men... are often changedby the Gods ofTelevision - and so our reunion has changed, also. I assume that everyone got the letter that outlines the reunion plans, which have changed due to the Navygamebeing on Thursdaynight. I guess we’lljust have to stayin Colorado an extra day. Darn!We’llprobablyhave to visitwith the grandkids! If

Class of 1964 - 40th Reunion

USAFA vs. Navy

29 Sept. - 3 Oct. 2004

you didn’thappen to gettheletter, go to theAOGWebsite (www.aog-usafa.org) and click on 2004 reunions, follow to ’64 reunion and catch up on the news. That site alsohas a link to the ’64 reunionWebsite (www.wolniewicz.com/ 64reunion/), which is the same as five years ago.

SadNews: AfterJoe Gili died as the resultofa skiingaccident, Hap Burnham, who is partofthe National Ski PatrolinArapahoeBasin, sent out an email that said, “Our recently deceased classmate Joe Gili was both an avid skier and stalwart National Ski Patrolvolunteermember oftheJackson Hole Storm King Ski Patrol. Joe’s interest in ski patrolling service commenced when he was a graduate student at theUniversityofDenverin thelate 1960s he and skiedwith many ofus who were then members ofthe Breckenridge Ski Patrol.

“PleasevisittheJackson Hole Storm KingSki Patrolworldwideweb Internet page at http: //www.snowkingskipatrol.com/JoeGili.htm to view recent photos ofJoe and a thoughtful memorial to him.”

Besidesthememorialwords and pictures ofJoe, the sitesaystheyhave estabfished a memorial scholarship inJoe’s name. The first recipientwill beJoe and Becky’s son Nic.

LastAir Force Flyer: Ed Mechenbier emailed that, “I will finallyretire from theAF Reserve in June. I have come up against all the mandatorystops andwillfill the timebetween now andthenwith as many F-141C, yes “F”, missions as I can in the last five months. Like so many of our gangwho have preceded me down thisdark corridor, I am in denial, but the boogie man calleth andhewillhavehis final victory over the Class of 1964 come theend ofJune.”

That’s too bad, Ed. Now, instead of saying, “Duty calls!” and running offinyourF-141C to all parts oftheworld (read “hot and dry”),you’ll have to takevacation like the rest ofus to get awayfrom the office. (Vacation?What’s a vacation? I’m workingagain and it’s reallycutting into mywoodturning!)

USAFANews: There has been a lot offlame-mail going around about both USAFA’s new training program andtheAOG. At our reunion, it will have been almost a year under the new process. It will be interesting to hear how the program has measured up to expectations. Ifyou haven’t gone to the USAFA Website and read the documentsabout the “Agendafor Change,” I suggestyou do it before the reunion. Theyprovide a wide range oftopics thatwould provide goodquestions forthe Commandant andfortheAOG leadership. Several people have sent emails askingfor a more openAFA andAOG system, in particularthe functioning ofthe Boards ofDirectors. There is a new on-line forum forAFAGrads athttp://www.usafatoday.com/discussion/index.php.Supposedly, “this is a forum for the free exchange ofideas among USAFAGrads.”

Impressions fromJohn: SpeakingofUSAFA, John Cunningham sent a note after the last Sabre Societyweekend at theAcademy. He says, “Ijust returned from a visit toAFAwith the Sabre Society.We received some briefings from the Superintendentand Dean describing the ‘new’ system and we toured the academic and athletic facilities. The academic program was impressive as were the new atfiletic facilities.We also hadthe opportunity to see a hockeygame (we lost) and a basketball game that we won. Overall it was a goodvisit. The bestpartofthe trip was seeingseveral ofour classmates:JayKelly: SteveRitchie; HarryPearce; Fred Malmstrom;A1 Rogers; Tom Morris andWallyWolniewicz. I tried to get a picture but couldn’tgeteverybodytogether at one time.

“We also had a chance to visit with cadets at lunch. Myimpression was not good. It is obvious to me that the new 3-phasesystem withoutrecognition and

without a cadet disciplinarysystem is a much "kinder and gentler” system irrespective ofwords to the contraryfrom the Head Shed. The system that produced Karl Richter, Lance Sijan (’65) and 30 General Officers in the Class of'64 no longer exists. The Cadet chain ofcommand will, in my opinion, be reduced to a reportingorganizationwith little or no authorityto disciplinethe lower classes. The softeningofthe system didn’thappenovernight.We recognized that at our 30th reunion. The latest changes have been too much, too soon andhave onlyhastenedthe demise ofwhat used to be a tough and challengingmilitarytrainingregimen.

“On a fighternote, here’s a picturefrom mytrip to Tanzania aftermylast day ofworkfor Parsons. I’m now unemployed/retired again andlookingfor somethingmeaningful butless stressful. Meanwhile, it’s travel, travel and travel.

I trust that all’s well withyou and hope to see you at the reunion.

See ally’all at the reunion!

Hey’65!

BillMorganwas the EmceeExtraordinaire as over 100 gatheredfortheAtlanta ChapteroftheAOG’s 50th AnniversaryFounder’s DayCelebrationdinner at the Grand Hyattin Buckhead on March 19th 2004. Gary Fausti gave a stirring account ofthe greatvictory over Nebraska from our era and all were treated to a terrificpresentation andvideo byCoachFisherDeBerry. Magnificentjob, Bill!

MyHero Department.Tom OWENS: “The news flashis thatBG Maria Cribbs and I eloped to Amelia Island, FL for our wedding on 6 Nov 03. We were married on the grounds ofthe Ritz CarletonbyMaria’s old friend andAF Catholic chaplain, Fr. Pat Ryan. It was a beautiful setting, indeed. Maria is an AF General, assigned as theJ-l on theJCS.We are bothlookingforward to retirement in 2005 andthen... manywonderful adventures. Life is good.” Heartiest congrats!Tom.

Tom Owens and the General, Amelia Island, FL November2003.

HappyDad RayBevivino: “2003 was a greatyear here for us. To beginwith, afterfiveyears, mycardiologist told me to pretend I’d never had a heartattack. Great load offmy mind. Then in May, Ray III graduated from theAcademy. I could not have beenprouder.Allthe festivities,parades, the swearing-in, and the final hat-toss reallymakeyou realize whatthe place is all about, andhow much desire and courage(!) it takes to go the fouryears.(For me the thrill was especially sweet. Ifyou recall, I’d missed most ofthis stuff38 years ago.)

“The cadets are stillterrific, and his class endured thelatestscandal, much as ours did thehonorscandal. (There are manythoughts I’dlike to sharewithyou on this, but itwould take pages. I had gone out in earlyMay to hook up with some ofthe former POWswho’dbeeninvited to USAFAforHeritageWeekend. The scandal hadjustbroken, andthe media went nuts. More distortion than true perspectiveaccording to most cadets, male and female.)

“Rayis now assigned to Red Flag at Nellis (F-16Sqdn) on casual status awaitinghis pilottrainingslot this summer at Moody. He’s completed IFT andwith it has his civilian pilot’s license. What betterway to show offthan takingyour dadup for an aerial tour ofthe LasVegasstrip—inJanuarythisyear. In Septemher, I hadhad the great privilege to return to USAFA as part ofthe original MISTYFAC group fromVietnam.We were having a reunion in the Springs and fortunatelywere able to convince the hierarchyto allow some oftheMistys to present a forum in conjunctionwith the fall HeritageWeekend. (Something I hadbeenhypingforyears.) The event was inArnold Hallandfor an hourthose on stageregaledthe cadetswith stories ofour exploits and encouragingwords. The eveningculminatedwith a book-signingin the ballroom. Underthe stewardship ofsome and the editorial prowess ofnone other than Don Shepperd

(’65’s first CadetWingCommander) the Mistys hadwritten a bookthatturned out to be outstandingreading, especiallyforanyonewho’s ever flown combat. (I recommend it to anyone.) I had the good fortune to serve as the first intelligence officerofthis outstandinggroup back in 1967, servingwith andworking verycloselywithMedal ofHonorrecipientGeorge “Bud” Day, and some ofthe finestindividuals anyone could ever hope to meet. Classmates JimPerry, Steve Amdor, RoyBridges, andWhiteyThompson allultimatelyserved in thisprestigiousgroup. GuyGruters, ’64, was shotdowntwice as a Mistyand ultimately became Lance Sijan’s roommate in Hanoi. Guy’stestimonyalongwith that of fellowPOWBob Cranerwas the foundationforLance’sreceipt oftheMedal of Honor. Ifyou haven’t gotten a copyofthe Mistybook, let me know, oryou can order it on-line from lstBooks.com.”

RayandDianneBevivino andRayIIIMay2003. TheLongBlueLinegoes on.

Ken McAlear: I never have trouble sleeping. Onlydutyand thebirth ofboth ofmychildren in the 3rd hour aftermidnighthave ever kept me fromgettingmy Zs - until tonight. It is now 0330, but after reading the latest Checkpointslast night, I can’t sleep without responding toWarren Langleyand everyone who might have read his comments in our last class column. I feel a little guilty givinghim another 15 seconds (sic) offame, but since he has chosen to use our column to boast about his lawlessness and desire to overthrow our duly elected ‘regime,’ I feel compelled to use the same forum to reply. Count me amongthose who do nofthinkthatwhat Mr. Langleytouted so proudlyis a signof‘courage.’ Butthat’swhywe all served our country- so that even misguidedex-militarytypes can break the law, express theirviews in front ofthe always eager, usually-biased media (another freedom that we sacrificed for), and have a ‘life-changing’ arrest andjailing-how excitingthat musthave been! Rankedrightbehind mypride in being an Air Force Academygrad is my pride in being a memberofthe Class of 1965.1 feel a special bondwith all of you, even the fewofyou I have never met and/ or wouldn’t recognize ifI passedyou on the street. Butfrom the earliest daysof‘running to the Rock’ and building the picnic area memorial in honor of our fallen BCT classmate, Lawrence Paul; through serving our nation in war and peace; to sponsoringthe greatfilm on the POWs; to the privilege ofhelpinghonor Lance Sijan at the dedication ofhis memorial in Milwaukee lastJune, I havebasked in the glow ofbeing a member ofthe Class of 1965. But now I am dismayed, disappointed, angry, and embarrassed by a classmate braggingabouthis antigovernment activities. I do not have all ofthe degrees or ‘book-learning’ ofDr. Langley. I am just an old retiredcolonelwho served mycountryinAir Force blue to the best ofmyabilityfor 25 years after graduating from what was then one ofthe finest institutions ofhigherlearning in the world. But I would like to boldly offer a suggestion to my activist classmate - there are legal ways to effectchange. MayI also state to him thatprotestingin the streets maygethim the fame and attention he obviously enjoys, but it does a disservice to, and shows disrespect for, those who have and are honorablyserving our elected leaders. I personally would be honored to serve under our current Commander-in-Chief, and I applaud his efforts to protect our nation and our national interests. (Don’t I remember something about our countrybeing attacked a couple ofyears ago by men not wearing easily identified military uniforms or carryingnationality-identifyingIDs?) So,Warren, do your thing - that’s one ofthe reasons we all served - to provide freedomofspeech for all. But please refrain from advertisingwhat service you were in and where you went to school. And iftheyfind out whatyour alma mater is, please don’t let them knowwhat classyou were in. I wouldpreferthat our class not be dishonored byyour betrayal. Ken McAlear.”

Be well, do goodwork, keep in touch and as the ROC would say, Cheers. Rick

Visit the AOG Web Site - Merchandise, Gone But Not Forgotten and More!

www.usafa.org

Ryan Denny

1635 Mary Todd Lane

O’Fallon, IL 62269

H; (618) 624-4255

W: (314) 232-5117

E-mail: ryanden@aol.com

GreetingsRedtags! Although mostofus are prettymuchgrounded now, a few ofour classmates are tryingto gettheSpaceShuttlebackin to the air (orthrough the air and into space). JohnCasper is the deputyforNASA’s retum-to-flightteam. Hisjob is to oversee allthe efforts that NASAis doingto return theShuttle to safe andreliable flight. Johnandwife, Beth, live in Houston near theJohnsonSpace Center. One ofJohn’s recent duties was to host a couple of other classmates, RustyGideon and John Marshall, as they visited NASA in GalvestonTX, to attend the annual summit meeting for the Shuttle’s Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). Rusty andJohn Marshall were recendy selected as membersofNASA’s independentsafetyassessmentteam, the Aerospace SafetyAdvisoryPanel. They were at the summit to observe how safetyupgradeswere consideredduringtheSLEPprocess. Rustywas theformer Air Force ChiefofSafety, and he and Ann are living on the Snake River near Twin Falls, ID. John Marshall is theVP for Corporate Safetyfor DeltaAirlines andhe andJill are livinginAtlanta. In spite ofallthe importantworkthatthese guys are doing, theymanaged to get togetherlongenough to tell a few war stories (“once upon a time....”) and pose for this greatpicture.

36 Sabre Society Donors

RustyGideon,John Casper, andJohn Marshall are surprised when they realized thattheServiceLifeExtension Program wasfortheSpaceShuttle—not them.

Walt KingretiredfromBoeing a year or so ago and seems to be spending a lot oftime posing forpictureswith his new granddaughter, Isabel. His son and daughter-in-law have even started up a web page to post all ofthese pictures on. Here’s a sample thatWalt sent:

WaltKingand newgranddaughterstrike a seriouspose as theyboth wonder who willchange thediaper?

Another year, and another St Patrick’s Dayparty attended by a few of our Southern Illinois classmate. Bill Hudspeth is living in the little town ofNashville,IL. It’s about halfwaybetween O’Fallonand MtVernon (thathelp’s a lot, doesn’t it?). He and Judyspend a lot oftheir time workingwithyoungpeople as part ofthe Officer’s Christian Fellowship. Bill says that the new book for people at our stage of life to read is A Purpose Driven Life. Jim Murphy is workingforARINC at ScottAir Force Base. Jim and Pat live in O’Fallon. When theweatherisgood, he rides his bike to distantandinterestinglocations. When the weather is bad, I see him at the localYMCA, riding a stationarybike and

thinking about distant and interesting locations. Ron Morey and wife, Ann, also live in O’Fallon, but they drive to distant locations. Annjustcompleted her certification as a Master Gardner, which means that she officially has a “greenthumb”. Maybe she’llhelp me figure outwhy even myplasticplants die. Dennie Watson drove in from Kansas City to join in the festivities. He has retired a couple oftimes and now is driving an 18-wheelerforSchneiderTrucking (thebigorange trucks) a fewdays a week. After anAir Force career offlying C- 130s hejust can’t seem to breakthe habit.

Atthegame:Sittingfromleft isPhyllisBliss, B. PaulStansbury,RogerMacur andBob Thomas. Standing are GeorgeBlissIIIandJim Kellenberger

“The main entertainment was two rounds ofgolf, which didn’t do much except prove that each ofus is still working too hard to playenough golfto polish our games. The onlything we were particularlygood at was bashing eachother’s efforts and arguingwho owedwhat to whom. Lots offun, though.

That’s all the news from here. Until next time... HappyLandings!

Larry Wilson

13100 Pinehurst Ave. NE Albuquerque, NM 87111

H: (505) 291-8949

E-mail: Lwilsn628@aol.com

Hola, Amigos - it is springtime in New Mexico. Uncharacteristically, the wind is howling and there is a drivingrain that has lasted almost24 hours. In the mountains about two feet ofnew snow were dumped on thefewski areas stillopen. Myworthless dogs smelllike... wet dogs, much to the dismayofmy long-sufferingwife.Well - no doubt we will soon be parched, andwishingfor precipitation, in anyform.

The Seagram’s Seven crew is planning their next getaway, and the electrons have been flying thick and fast. As I understand it now, the plan is to assemble in September, in die Pacific Northwest, probablyatWhisderMountain, BritishColumbia, about 120 kmnorth ofVancouver. Thosewho have skiedtheredescribe it as beinggreat, and the apresski seems prettyfriendly too. Since theywill miss ski season, this description seems apt: “Summertime up there oughtto be great.Take a high-speed quad to the top ofthe mountain, ride a trail bike down the dirt road—stop at the mid-hill lodge (massive logbeams, hugelogmobileshangingfrom the ceiling. Fantastic alpine views.” Tom Grieserhas been there too, and recalls shots ofGoldschlager as a part ofthe ambience. Tom and others apparentlyhave regularplanning sessions at O’Malley’s in Palmer Lake.

In the course ofallthe planning came some grandparentalbragging: Dianne andVenHammonds stakedtheclaim: “.. .1 thinkwe must be the newestgrandparents. Youngest son, Eric (our Fort BelvoirVirginia born one), and fellow Air Force brat daughter-in-lawTracey on 5 March brought us identical twin boys, DylanVeneble andJustin David Hammonds, Class of’26! (Can you believe that?) Boys were each6 poundsplus, are as good-looking as theirgrandpa and all are doingverywell.

From Bob Thomas: “Over the weekend of3/20 and 21, five ’67 graduates from22nd Squadron metin Phoenixfor a weekend ofgolf, eating andcatching up, plus attending a Cubs/Padres spring baseball game. Phoenix is where George Bliss grewup and also lives today (specificallyMesa), so he was our host. The picture I am sending was takenwithhis mother, PhyllisBliss, at her home as she hosted us for a steakcook-out one night.

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“George, throughcharityworkthathe does, has an importantrolewith the stadium personnel at all ofthe Cubs’ spring games in Mesa, so he arranged with a couple ofthe Mesapolicemen on dutyto ‘arrest’ JimKellenberger. They were especiallyhappy to do so when theylearned thatJim is a criminal defense attorneyin northern California. And, theirpremise became easywhen as George was pointing out to themwhich one ofus Jim was, theyobserved him throwing a salted peanut at George’s wife, Shielah.Voila! Offhe went undertheir custody... He tookitwell, allhad a goodlaugh, and a funweekend was capped offappropriately.”

ChuckBeattiehas takenhisfiniflight: “Goodfriends, yes, I am finally retired —officiallyApril 1—but mylastflight was Mar26th... I am now finallyfree to alphabetize Paula’s spice rack and rearrange her closet bycolor, size or season. I knowshe’ll appreciate my efforts.”

Then, recallingmywife’s description ofmywonderful sixmonths ofretirement, Chuck reflected he had learnedvaluable lessons: “Larry, I am taking youradvice to heart andgettingreadywithmybigTVchairandmultiplebeepers. Unfortunately, since (son) Markwired the stereo, TV cable boxandVCR together there is rarely a time that I am able to actually turn it on. I think it is some conspiracybetweenPaulaandMark to have me sent away...” Enjoythat retirement, Chuck!

Enlighteningpersonaland familyinfo fromJoe Holbrook: “Ken (Sproul) is in the outback ofEthiopia, and Eldene and I are now'just outback’! We followed theYellowBrickRoad to Dubuque (Iowa), as I have reported, and my work as a milkmanis getting more excitingeveryday...Mynew bossis only two or threeyearswiththe companyon the cheese side ofthebusinessand 25years with Land O Lakes.We’re still doingthe get-acquainted dance to see ifwe are going to have an ongoingrelationship. Hehas come to me foradvice given my Retail/DSD experience. Could end up being OK for me—we’ll see. Eldene came back to Dubuque following Brandon’sweddingin Portland. I raced up to SeattlewhileI was outthere andplayedSahalee twice - greatfun! Given that I have played all offour rounds in the 17 years, I mayjust have to give up my connection. I have plenty offriends that I can playwith and pay guest fees. Cannon andfamily are now, todayin Grenoble, France. He and the two granddaughters talked to Eldenefromthe skihillyesterday. He putthem in skischool so that he could head out forthe bigmountain. To saythe least, given his two years inFrance as a Mormon missionaryand hisfluencywith the languagehe is in Seventh Heaven! Holli and Mike, in Sacramento, will have our fourth grandchild the end of March. To be a little girl named Michaela. Boy is

Grandma excited about this! Brandon’s bride moreor less finished up her undergrad at BYU in Dec and Brandonlanded ajob in Lake Oswego next to her parents. He has joined a group oflawyers and finance analysts who do securitieswork. As I understand it, theydo ClassActionworkfor us stockholders against the Boards and Operating Officers ofcompanies... Mygolfhas improved. Back to a 14 on the card and ready to break into single digits this year!”

Lots ofAOG action, as you allwell know. I will not attempt to recapture the goings on. Suffice it to saythatTed Legacy, Jim Shaw, Gil Mook, Bill Boisture and the others have theirwork cut out forthem.

I spokewith a youngAF physician lastweek—he described Iraq as turning into hisgeneration’sViet Nam. I praythathe is wrong, andthat our militaryand our government find the right combination to extract our military men and women, and to leave behind a stable government and free people.

God bless our troops. Vaya con Dios!

Tim Davidson

9712 Hidden Valley Road Vienna, VA 22181-6094 (703) 255-5313

Fax: (703) 255-5377

E-mail: timd@erols.com

WELCOMEABOARD! To the Class of2004, USAFA’s 10th GraduatingClass of 1968 congratulatesyou on becoming the newest members ofthe Long Blue Line. Do us proud and don’t forget to payyour Social SecurityandMedicare taxes!

HELLO ’68! Greetings from our nation’s capital where politicos delight in reinterpretinghistoryusingthe sagacityof20-20 hindsightand the rest ofus try to figure outhowto payforthe gas in our cars withouthavingto take outhome equityloans.

HOLIDAY MAILBAG DEPT: Thanks to all ofyou who contributed to your scribe’s holidaymailbagin 2003 (and 2004, in some cases). News from farand wide appears below.

Asyou travel hitherandyon, be on the look out for a pairofSouthwest pilots who are also known as the “Mrosla Boys.” During our 35th reunion, I was fortunate enough to do some catching up to see how life was treatingthem. Don andwife, Pearl, are doing fine and are living in Fairfield, CA. Duey and Margie are living inArvada, CO where Margie is still teaching 1 st Grade; son, Brad, is living in Denver and should be graduating from University ofColorado, Denver Campus; and daughter, Mandy, has beenjobhunting to pursue her career in radio broadcasting in either NewYork or L.A. Both Don and Dueywill be retiringfrom Southwest inAugust.

Many thanks to Lawson Barclay for providing me with info about Bob Macaluso, Mike Karaffa, Bob Stier, and himself. Lawson and Cheri Barclay live in Macomb, ILwhere Lawson flies theAirbus 320 for USAirways, is aparttime corn and bean farmer, is a proud parent ofJenny (who is married to Jim andwho graduated fromWestern Illinois Universityin Food/Restaurant Management in May2003), and is greatlyenjoyingtherole ofGrandpa to Jenny’s and Jim’s son Jordan.

Bob and Irene Macaluso hangtheirhats in Houston, TX. Bob is finishinghis career with ContinentalAirlines in 2005 and wife, Irene, is fighting a courageous battle against a recurrence ofbreast cancer. Their son Brenden graduated from the UniversityofTexas in the School ofBusiness in May 2003 and is seekingemployment; and their other son, Marc, will be finishing hisjunior year at Texas Tech as a biochemistrymajor. Bob and Irene have a getaway house in Oklahoma near LakeTenkiller and hope to see more ofit as Irene gets strongerfrom herchemotherapytreatment and as things slowdown forboth ofthem.

Mike andJenniferEve Karaffa reside inVacaville, CAwhere they are involved in a Christian evangelical outreach ministry. Bob and Sandy Stier live in

Papillion, NE (nearOmaha). Afterretiring as an AF colonel, Bob went to work for First Data and is in product development. Meanwhile, Sandy serves as nannyto a number ofgrandchildren andboth ofthem are active in theirlocal church. Bob is also with the Knights ofColumbus andthe Lions Club. They celebrated their 35th anniversarywith along awaitedAlaskan cruise.

Tom Taverneyis currendy our senior-rankingclassmate in the Air Force Reserve and holds the rank ofmajorgeneral. His lettertells ofan extremelyrewarding career in the “Space Business, working in virtually every mission area over the past 35 yearsincludingISR, Navigation,Weather, Communications, and Launch. After 10 years on active duty, hejoined the Reservesandbegan a civilian career in space systemswith Rockwell and then helped get a small technologystart-up company on track, where he served as COO and eventually realized revenues of$110 millionbeforebeingpurchasedby Titan. He now serves as theMobilizationAugmentee to the Commander ofAF Space Command and works for SAIC in his civilianjob. Tom and wife, Kathi (aformer Marine), have been married for 30 years and have two sons: Ryan, who graduatedfrom Cal State Fullerton; andJason, whoworks forAerospace Corporation in the Space Materials Lab. He and Kathi have two grandsons, NickandJarred. Tom mayverywellbe thelast ’68erin uniform when all is said and done.

Sabre Society Donors

JimTerry sent the 35th Reunion photo featured here thatbegs for a classic ’68 or“DoDo-like” caption. Please send me yourbest shot(s) bye-mail. The most witty and non-censorable entries will be posted in the summer Checkpoints column.

HEADLINE NEWS DEPT: Charles Price marries Kate in 2003 after meeting her on a blind date in 2002. Blendedfamily now boasts offourchildren: Ethan, Ryan, Cody, and Liv.

Jim and Brinda Thompson move to Fairfield Glade, TN. Jim claims he can fish in lake while sitting on his porch.

Jackand FredWebb still at sea aboardthe Denali Rose. Theyplan to write a bookaboutJack’s parents, Richard and MittyWebb, in 2004.

Tom and Pam O’Beirne head forwedding in Ireland in May.

Vic Bonfiglio finishes three-yearPACAF tour and is now Commandantofthe Moanalua High School Junior ROTC program in Hawaii.

Carl and Susan McPherson are alive and well in sunnyNiceville, FL. They enjoyedmajorvacations toVal Gardens in Italyand Maui, Hawaii in 2003.

Garryand Tina Dudleyplan to sell their Indiana home and take up permanent residence in C-Springs. Garry still feeling superior after winning 35th Reunionhandstand contest.

Bill Begert’s retirement announced. PACAF unitsin mourning. Bill andJody may set up shop in D.C. area.

Tom and KathyZyroll move to Huffman, TX. Tom recovering from prostate surgeryand enjoys summer vacation with family in Destin, FL.

Mike Navarro checked in from Elk River, MN where is still flyingfor United and is based out ofChicago.

Another pilot on United’s payroll, Phil Pignataro, is also flying out ofthe WindyCity, while Marty Cole flies for Southwest out ofthe same locale, but prefersspendingquality time in his new abode in Henderson, NV.

Brooke Baileyspent a coupleofnights inD.C. area on layovers in2004. Brooke enjoys home-cooking courtesy ofThuyJohnston. Bob J. and Scribe enjoy Thuy’s cooking on Brooke’s visits, too. Brooke says wife, Cathy, is on mend from accidental fall while at 35th Reunion.

’68 Practice Reunions Planned. East Coast Reunion on 22 May at Clyde’s of Tyson’sCorner,VAandColorado Reunion at Ed and Karen Eberhart’s home on 4 June.

THAT’SAWRAP: Please send me some ofyour reunion or familyphotos for future columns. Stay tuned for more classmate activities contained in the holidaynewslettersin the Summer04 Checkpoints. In themeantime, mindthe flak; keep 'emflying, andkeep those cards, letters, e-mails, and photoscoming in. Ciao for now. Tim

Lindsey Parris

616 King’s Cloister Circle

Alexandria, VA 22302

Home: (703) 836-3604

E-mail:

102177.1033@compuserve.com

Greetings all. The end ofSeptemberis not faroff, and reunion planswill not be completewithoutyou. Please knowthe Navygame has been moved from Saturdayafternoon to Thursdaynight, so please make plansaccordinglyifyou plan to see the Falcons exact the appropriate revenge on the Midshipmen for last year’s narrow defeat. Looking forward to a big turnout. We’re 10 years fartherfrom ‘Nam now than we were fromWWII when we were cadets. What a thought. 35 years never went so quickly.

Nonetheless, we can take greatpride in knowingthe longline of’69ers in top positionskeepsgrowing. Charlie Baldwin is our newest majorgeneral and is now serving as the Chiefofthe Chaplain Service, Office ofthe Vice ChiefofStaff. Nice to knowhis steadying hand is at the readyforthe spiritual nourishmentof our men and women in blue. Huge congrats to Charlie.

tradition, son Mike graduated from Purdue inAero &Astro engineering, and Dick, who was pleased his uniform fit after all these years, was honored to commission Mike on Dec 22. Mike is enthusiasticallytacklinghisAF career, starting as a developmentalengineer at Nellis in aTest and Evaluation Squadron. I understandthatStan (myman) Rosen, longtime stalwart engineer, was one ofMike’s inspirations.

Chipofftheoldblock: DickandNatyDownes commission son Mike.

67 Sabre Society Donors

Jim Hoskins lives in NorthernVirginiaand is the Executive Vice Presidentand Director of Government Services for WirthlinWorldwide, a strategicmarketingresearch firm (and consultingpartner to the Fleishman-Hillard firm on Homeland Security and other matters). He also leadsWirthlin’s Marketing and Communications team, and has conducted more than 200 studies on productpositioning, corporate image and branding, advertisingdesign and testing, employee studies, and customer satisfaction. As co-principalinvestigator for theAmerican Plastics Council’s national industryimage campaign, he received theAdvertising Research Foundation’s 1998 David OgilvyResearchAwardfor “researchexcellence insupportofereative and successful advertisingcampaigns.” ForJim, a longwayremoved from the halls ofDCS/Personnel.

In the “Haven’t I SeenYou Somewhere Before?” Department, Cancun was a busyplace lastChristmas. On NewYear’s Eve, as Chuck and MartyJackson steppedoffthe escalator attheMoon Palace Resort, a coupleapproachedthem inquiringabout Chuck’s class ring. A shortdiscussionled to therevelationthat the inquiringcouple was DaveWagnerandwife, Marti. Go figurethe oddsthat two ’69ers married to ladieswith phoneticallyidentical names would run into each other quitebyaccident in Cancun; then, and even less believable, factor in the odds the four ofthem could be there and not run intoWildcat Phillips and clan—also there at the time (seeprevious Checkpoints). (The ‘Cat is still on the prowl, by the way, moving Team Phillips north from Cancun up to Toronto recently, where he and Lynn met Gobi and Jo Ellen Dessert for some revelry). The four amigos rang in the NewYear eating, drinking, reliving the days ofyore, and closing down one ofCancun’s finest restaurants. David and Marti live in Denver, where he practices law. Chuck and Marty live inWild Dunes on the Isle ofPalms near Charleston, SC. Not retired fullyyet, Chuck was recently elected Commander ofthe Low CountryChapter ofAmerican Ex-Prisoners ofWar.

Mike and MarilynGuyote are heading to the idyllic isle now inhabited by Tom and Karen Fleming—thatislewould be Hawaii. Mike, whose Boeing email address remains operative, will be working with the radar on top of Halekalafor 1-2 years. Marilynfigureslongworkingdays, butweekendsfree for exploring Hawaii’s treasures from their condo homebase in Kihei.

DaveYost is keepingAmerisourceBergenrollingalong. Thelatestcompany brochure has a full-page shot ofour CEO on page 3. Nice results again, with revenues up and costs as a percentage ofincome down; even more impressive is that earnings per share rose 23%, after increasing50% in 2002. Sweet.

Thanks to Jerry Ball (working AF personnel and manpower matters at Randolph AFB in SanAntonio) for the information that Bob Rue, with SRA, will be leading a team working a keypiece ofthe new National Security Personnel System, planned to supercede the current Civil Service System in the Department ofDefense. Bob’s team will be providingbranding, marketing, training, implementation, and evaluation support. He expects a wild ride.

Dinedwith ChipWood and Mike Rose in Februaryand March, respectively. Chip is doing executive coaching and teaching effective leadership skills to a varietyofclients, recentlyincluding Freddie Mac. In later summer or early fall, he andBarbara are sailingthe goodship SweetPea downthe east coast and backhome to itshomeberth in Punta Gorda, FL. Chip is always on thelookout for crew, so ifyou’re looking to raid a couple dart parlors and brewhouses alongthe coast a la Master and Commander this year, here’s an opportunity. Mike continues his workwith Excel, forwhom he is a national officer, does legalwork ofmanyvarieties, and keeps his hand in South Carolina politics. While in D.C. he had meetingswith ex-Governor ofVirginiaJim Gilmore and with staffers for SenatorWarner regarding his clientwork. Mike saidVivian continues her recovery apace, and both thank all thosewho offered support to them at such a tryingtime.

Chatted at length one eveningwithJoe Hasek, who lives still in Mississippi, drives his original "cadet-issue” GTO as standard transportation, and is nearingcompletion ofa majorworkthat assesses the comparativecontributions of civilizations to the betterment ofthe human condition.After careful evaluation, hehas concludedthat no other comes even remotelyclose to ourWestern civilization in havingenhancedthe lot ofmankind, politically correct themes ofthe daynotwithstanding. Will let you know when Joe is published. (His conclusionholds even ifthe NewYorkYankees are permitted to continuespendingfreely. Jeterand Rodriguez on the same side ofthe infield? Come on. That’s like having Mumme and Dyer in yourbackfield, or Goode and Bench inyour foursome, or Baldwin and Bottomly in the pulpit. What next? Sue Grafton runs out ofletters?)

Glenn Schlabs, reunion gum and plannernon-pareil, suggested that some squadrons did not have a volunteer to rally as many squadron-mates as possible to the reunion festivities. Give him a ring ifyou’d like to help.

That’s it for now. Hope to see you all in September.

Cheers, Lindsey

Martyand ChuckJackson, DaveandMarti Wagnerring in theNew Year in Cancun.

Also comfortable south ofthe border, DickDownes continues to workLatin American telecom issues, presentlywith DeutscheTelekom’s consulting company, Detecon. He travels throughoutthe region, especiallyBrazil, and is contemplating doing some free-lance work to allowfor more selective engagement, both within and external to the telecom sector. In the long blue line

Dick Rauschkolb

14640 RiverOaks Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

H: (719) 487-0887

W: (719) 472-0300/DSN: 333-2067

E-mail: Dick.Rauschkolb@usafa.af.mil

Howabout them Falcons!! Never thought Iwould bewriting about Falcon basketballbeingin the NCAAs, buttheboys diditthisyear. Picked to finishlast in the conference, theybeatthe class oftheleague—BYU andUtah in three of fourgames andWONtheMWC Championship.TheFalcons actuallyledNorth

Carolina in the NCAA tournament at the halfand could have won the game exceptfor some uncharacteristic turnovers and a cold shootingspell. Kudos to Joe Scottandhisstaffforturningthings around. It was awesome to see Clune Arena filled to capacityandcadets going to the gamesbecausetheywanted to be there. The best news—we are averyyoung team and we can expect more NCAAbids in the future. GreggPopovich also deserves some big credit he donated a significant amount ofthe funds that allowedthe team to travel to Europelast summer. Thetrippaidbigbenefits as theboys came together while playing some goodEuropean teams. Hope Popo’sSpurs are still in the runningforanother NBAChampionship whenyou read this.

Sabre Society Donors

Let’s see, lasttime I wrote this columninJanuary, I hadjust finished shovelingmy driveway out.Well, itis 12 April and I am sitting herewatchingthe Masters while the snow falls. Is there something wrongwiththispicture or what? So much forspringtime in the Rockies. Haven’t playedgolfin 18 days—willneedlotsofstrokesthis summer. Seems RichMandas has some new clubs andisthreateningto kickmybutt. Ofcourse, talkis cheap.

TheAcademykicked offits 50thAnniversaryCelebrationlastweek. Itwasrecognized as a National Historic Site andthe Postal Service issued a stamp in its honor. SawRogerHill, LarryandMarleenBush, and BJ andCathyBjorklund at a ceremony. See thepicture belowand note thestamp inthebackround. BJ and Cathyhave purchased a part-time residencehere—we are lookingforward to seeing them this summer. Hopefully, you received the nice 50th Anniversary magazine that FaircountPublishingdid. Ifyou have anygreatstories/pranks/ memoriesfrom our days as cadets,pleasesend themin and Iwill tryto getthem in Checkpoints or on our website. HopeyoureadthestoryaboutthegreatF-105 flybyinthelastissue.Seems thereis more to thestoryandJohnDisoswayisgoing to give us anotherglimpse into the events ofthatday in this issue or the next.

50yearsand Counting C3CRobertKurpiel, LarryBush, and “TheBird”at 50"'Anniversary Celebration on 1 April.

Had a supertime at the Founders Daydinner. Marilyn and I got to share the eveningwith Scott and Joanie Barker and Larry Bush. It was great to catch up on oldtimeswith Scott.Weserved at beautifulNKPinThailand in 1974. George Keys was there too. That’s two Rhodes Scholars and me—myparticipationin conversations was verylimited. Larryand Marleen Bush were bigFalcon supporters this basketball season. Larry stood in line at 0630 to get some ofthe limited tickets to our NCAAgame against North Carolina. Scott also attended the game withhis son.

Speaking ofFounders Day, GeorgeKeys and GregWoodhead were the emcees at a Founders Day dinner in D.C. Byall accounts they did a superbjob. There were 18 classmatespresent, but nobodygave me the names. Ron Kelly praisedGeorge andWildWood for their performance.WildWood also introduced Speedy Martin at a function in D.C. I saw Speedy in March when he came out to talk to the cadets. Hehas beenback to USAFA twicein less than six months—a testament to his dedication and commitment to our alma mater. Have engaged in some good email exchanges with Scott Hoversten, Ken Hudacsko, Tim Kinnan, and Ed Cole regarding some ofthe changestaking place here.

The CountyofSanta Clarapassed a resolutionhonoringtheAcademy on its 50th Anniversary and gave it to Chuck Reed and some othergrads in a special ceremony.Verythoughtful gesture.

SawTooeyand Carol Emery at the premierof“Expect GreatThings”—avery nice historical documentary about theAcademy.Tooeywas on crutches bemoaning some poppedligaments in his leg—claimed it was a skiinginjury, but GaryDahlen said he tweaked it at his Mondaynightbowlingleague. Only kidding!

In February, I saw several Seventy folks at a Sabre Societyfunction. It was great to see RickSine—hadn’t seen him inyears. He and Edithlive inWashington Statewhere Rickis the president ofan aerospace executive support company. Otherattendees were Jack and Margie Mueller, Rich and Nanci Downing, Rogerand Sharon Hill, and BJ and CathyBjorklund. Rickwas kindenough to get someone to take this picture offour shadylookingguys!

men enjoyingafewadultbeverages at theSupt’s house. From leftare RickSine, BJBjorklund,

Here are some short notes. Looks like Ken and Patti Greene have moved to Boston.A1 andJane Swaim are moving to SanAntoniowhereA1 is taking ajob with USAA—free car insurance for Seventy! Joe Burke was in Guangzhou, China, presenting an honorarydegree to some “powerfulguy.” Joe was met at the airportby a stretch limo and police escort. DidTonySoprano move to China? Hopefully, Joeand DianewillbeinColorado this summer. JohnMitchel is runningforthe U.S. Senate in Ohio as the Reform Partycandidate. John Hale is on the national committee for the Bush/Cheneyveterans’ coalition. He is looking for support from grads whose military or private sector experience might offer stature, expertise, and commitment to help the coalition in their respective states. John’s email is HALEJS@aol.comifyou are interested. Got a nice letter from KirkBoyenga—should be in the Letters to the Editor section ofthis issue. Dave Perron asked forthe literal translation ofour class motto— EnsePetitPlacidam. The ForeignLanguage Departmentexperts confirmed my recollection Peace through the Sword, or Bythe Sword comes Peace. Ray Barleben and Ken Noble got together for lunch in January—told war stories about our prep school days. MarkEwigwent to Lithuania—the land of his mother’s parents, in March. Am waiting for a full report Mark. Dan McFadden checked inwith avoice mailfrom San Diego—he saidhe is tuning up his golfgame for the Reunion.

Ifyou want some swampland on Pawleys Island, SC contact Hugger and Allison Peteet. Actuallythey are in the real estate business there and offering some prettyclassyplaces from about $74Kto $2.2M. HeckI’ll take a lean-to if you can get me on some ofthose golf courses down there. Mike and Melissa Hubercontinue to lookfor everyopportunity to get to South Korea to see their beautiful granddaughter.

Our projectedstartingQB for next year’s team went downwith a tornAchilles tendon in spring practice. He will be out forfour to six months.That prompted an exchange ofemails among some ofour former football players recallingthat Ed Eppingexperienced a similar injury that sidelinedhim virtuallythewhole season. Everyone remembered the hardworkEd did to getback on the field for a fewplays at Falcon Stadium one last time in our final home game. Can’thelp but thinkwhatmighthavebeen ifEd had played that season. Below is a picture ofJohn and Melissa Soltis’ daughter’swedding that was mentioned in the last column. DaughterKristen, ’97 obviously gets her great looks from Melissa, but John does look prettyspiffyin his mess dress!

John andMelissa Soltis enjoy the marriageofdaughterKristen, ’97.

Received a nice note fromJoe McClelland’s wife, Missy. She thanked all the classmates for their love and concern when Joe passed away. She said Joe is going to be buried at theAcademyCemetery on 9 July. There will be a Catholic Service at 1000 followed by a graveside service. Men, let’s have a good turnout for one ofSeventy’s finest.

Well it’s time to put a Reunion Committee together. We need to start getting serious about our nextget-together. Iwilltryto do some arm twisting to get one

ofour men to head the committee. I thinkTooeyEmery did a greatjob last time, but I won’t repeat what he said when I asked him to do it again. Let me knowifyou want to be on the committee.

Hope everyone has a great summer. Ifyou getthis way, let’s gettogether. As Wild Bill Stealey says, “Swing easy and hit’em straight and far.”

Paul D. Knott

5565 Lantana Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80920

H: (719) 570-9162

W: (719) 594-0100

E-mail: pknott@acninc.net

Welcome to the beginningoftheAir ForceAcademy’s second half-century! I thinkthatwhen the 50th class reports inJune, I will feeljust a little bitancient.

One ofthehighspots for our class of2003 was the induction ofErnieJennings into the Colorado Sports Hall ofFame in November. Cass Casada and CharleyLucyattendedthe ceremony. As many ofyou know, Ernie still holds quite a few gridiron records fromhis cadet days. His speech shouldbe reprinted and ineluded with every college and professional trainingpackage as an example ofhow a trulyclassyperson accepts an award.

In January, our local chapter ofthe AOG held its annual meeting.Yours trulyfinallybroke a three-yeardrought and actually won a door prize! Cass left earlyfor the basketball game and missed when his ticket also won.

Bob Daleysent ashortnote on BobBillings retirementfromWright-Patterson’s CrewSystems Branch: “DickReynolds and I helped Bob and Barb and family andfriends celebratehisretirementathis retirementluncheontodayatWPAFB after36years ofgovernment service. Bob had a reputation asa steadfast defenderofpilotsafetyand an international expertin crewescape systems. It was obvious from the presentations and giftsthatthepeople heworkedwith really appreciated his leadership. One ofthe really neat gifts was a rocking chair fashioned from an ejection seat. There were two gifts from pilots that were testimonials and thanks for theirlives being saved byejection seats.

“As part of the program, we sawsome pretty dramatic film clips of the Thunderbird pilotejection from his aircraft at Mountain Home last summer. TheACES II ejection seat that Bob pioneered is in service in over 25 countries worldwide and there have been over 520 lives saved, manyattributed to improvements that Bob soughtthroughouthis career. In Dick’s remarks to the group, he thanked Bob on behalfofall the pilots that have benefited from his work and pointed out that Bob’s career definitely was ‘Second to None.’ Bob is goingto be missedbytheAir Force Crew SystemsEngineeringCommunity, butheis goingto keep hishand in ejection seatworkbydoing some consulting with GoodyearAerospaceduringhis retirement.”

As manyofyouheard,JayVan Pelt was takenby a heart attack March 1 st Jay was probably one ofthe first guys I met as we were cominginto theColorado SpringsAirport for Basic Summer. We were in different flights in “Jammer” Squadron.Aftergraduation, he and FrankMorgan were at Udorn together in Phantoms. Our paths crossed at Seymour in the late ’70s, and when we saw each other, he’dalways referto me as “youngKnott. WhentheAOGpassed the word ofhis death, I heard hisvoice again. Ifyou don’thaveTeresa’s address or wish to contribute to the “AllisonVan Pelt EducationFund,” let me know.We’ll missya, big guy.

One last note: our local paperfeatured a “Salute” to USAFA’sfirst 50 years on the SundaybeforeApril 1 st Our class was representedby a photo ofSamWilson on 3rd LieutenantinVietNam, and a quote fromTom Berry as “anAcademy graduatewho teaches character at the school: “This is the foundation ofmy entire life... This is myvery fiber." Could there be a better way to close this column?

Bob Bell

13 Pacific Ave.

Sinking Spring, PA 19608

(610) 678-3182/Fax: 678-4513

E-mail: rabell767@aol.com

Hello again Class of’72 - this is another one ofthose short news columns in light ofthe fact that not much news has been coming in for me to pass on. I guessyou knowafterall theseyears that a good newsletterrequiresinputfrom you, and I realize that a lotofus getbusyand don’tgetthe chance to drop a line. So this isjust a gentlepleafor more and continuing news fromyouinthefuture which will then result in a longer read.

It does seem appropriate that I make mention ofone thingthat involves a more personal dimension which I think manyofyou might relate to as you read on. This is in regard to my own USAFA Liaison Officer from wayback in

’67 - ’68, one ofthe peoplewho was instrumental in mybeing allowed the opportunityof a lifetime at beingappointed to theAcademy.

Manyofyou hadthe same experiencewith yourL.O. as I did, in that he was part ofthat earlyhistory, never to be forgotten as we went on with our own careers, wherevertheyled us. In mycase, the man was a partofhistorybefore I even met him. His name is FredJ. Olivi and he passed awayin his sleep on HolyThursday after a long and difficult illness.

Fred Olivihadbeen a pilotduringWWII, as were manyothers ofhis generation, buthis part to playwas as ayounglieutenant inthe role ofcopilot on the crew ofthe “Bock’s Car,” known throughout the last 60years as the aircraft that dropped the second atomic bomb on Nagasakiultimatelyending the war. Fred spent many more years affiliated with the Air Force at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, andintheAF Liaison OfficerProgramwhich is my connection to him.

Spendingthe post waryears awayfromfull-time flying, but participatingwith the Guard/Reserve, he was widelyknown as the ChiefBridgeEngineerforthe CityofChicago whilehis special wartime role remained controversial foryears. This is what led him to make the effort to get out theword ofthe real storybehind Nagasaki from the perspective ofone who was there.

As I recall, it was during our 3rd Lieutenant tour in 1969 on a trip to theAir Force Museumwhere I found the first evidence ofFred’s place in history. On the displayboardforthe Hiroshima/Nagasakievents, there were items ofcrew equipment with the names ofthe crewmembers attached, and one ofthese was the dark goggles and dog tags worn by one lLt Fred J. Olivi during the historic mission. That was the first time I knewofwho he was to history, but I never gotback in touchwith him again until the latteryears ofthe 1990s.

Justbychance, “afriend ofa friend” knewofFred’s efforts to make right some ofthemistakennotions regardingthe atomic missions. He gave me some news clippingsandphotos ofColOlivi duringhis manypresentations and speeches, and was able to put us in touch again. I was able to thenrekindle a too-brief friendship with a man who played an important role in my own life as well as in the defense ofthe nationyears before.

I was able to share some special time with “Col. Olivi” duringWWII air show events in Reading, PAand one verymemorable visit to theAir Force Museum with him and a few ofhis close friends. There we were all able to be near him as he climbed back into the cockpit of“Bock’s Car” for a fewquiet moments alone withhis thoughts ofthat distant past time.

WhenJiis belovedwife, Carol, passed awayin 1999, Fred never really recovered from the loss. He finishedwritinghis memoirs and published the book which set downhis personalhistoryin the events whichshaped so much ofthe future, buthe started to showsigns ofslowing down in his effort to keep edueatingthe public. Suffering a stroke last LaborDayweekend, Fred was in and out ofthehospital several times andwent into hospice care beforejustquietly fading away. This is mytribute to him, meaningful in this forum onlyifsomeone out there relates to it, and ponders for even a briefmoment therole of someone who made an impact on theirlives. Belated thoughitis, Ijustwanted to thank personally one ofthe many people who shaped my life - maybe he alreadyknows. Rest in peace, LtCol Fred J. Olivi.

That is all I have this time, classmates—Fortitudo PerAspera.

Bob Munson

19245 Lincoln Green Lane Monument, CO 80132 (719) 487-1464 munson@adelphia.net

ADIOS, DAN; SAY HELLO TO THE NEW GUY: After five years Dan O’ Hollaren is passing on his pen; he deserves our sincere thanks for regularly keepingall ofus up to speed on 73 doings. Dan’s communications workwas vitallyimportant to the success ofour reunion. Thanks, Dan.

REUNIONADDENDUM: TigerTen Tom Butler provided a photo oftheir reunion attendees; Tom resides in Potomac, MD, and flies as a CheckAirman in the B-747-400 forAtlasAir based out ofJFK in NewYork. Ivan Karnezis is living in the Sacramento, area andworks forthe California state aviation authority. Charlie Felton is flyingthe Cessna CitationXfor Netjets, and recently moved to the C-Springs area. Bill Rothwell (Claudette) worked on CS-34 for the months leading up to the reunion andwas rewardedwhen 16 ofthe notoriouslyreunion-shyshowed up.

RandyFotinakes, MikeMosier, NortySchwartz,JohnRabins, andSkip Sanders. Top:BobMunson, DickHalfast, BillRothwell, CarlFoerster,Jim Western, BobFrohlich, RonScott, andMikeFarrell.

The Loose Hawgs were pleased that the squadronnickname, purged in another politically correct time, had been re-instated. Photographic evidence shows that the Hawgs could still be loose after 30 years... well, maybe it was their belts that were beingloosened. The wives, on the other hand, were too trim, lithe, and young-looking to be pictured with their hubbies. Some personal notes: Mike and Sandra Mosier packed son Drew offto Marine Corps trainingandwill attendhis graduationbypresstime. RandyFotinakes (Sherry) returned to USAFA still amazed that the government once entrusted himwith nukes; yep, andthe trust continues as he designs all the fuel cells we have in our Air Force aircraft.

Carl Foerster (Mary), who never met an electricalgadget he couldn’t improve, impressed MITRE Corporationenough that they made him “Lead Scientist”. Ron and Mary Scott will move to Colorado afterhe defendshis PhD thesis out of Arizona State University; heck, afterdefendingthe country for30years, defending a thesis can’tbe too hard. John Rabins (Nancy) is now a doctor ofoptometryand absolutelyloves it. Mike Farrell came in from southern France, happy that Ramadan coincided with the reunion, which allowed him time offfrom flying his wealthy Middle Eastern employeraroundtheworld. Ron Taylormade a side trip to his Aspenboyhood home and ruefullynoted it was up for sale at about 100 times the price his folks sold it for. Skip (Joanne) Sanders came a week early to ski (uh, in October?) and help prepare for the get-together. He’ll be giving away his daughter Melissa in San Francisco as this goes to press. JerryCook, Carl Dofelmier (Diane), andNorty Schwartz (Suzi) can onlybe described as lean from too much exercise; in Nort’s case it’s probably from the daily 12+ hour treadmill on theJointStaff. Bob Frohlich (Margie) provided most ofthe music, all Cadet Store vintage. Kirkand BettySamelson hosted CS-35 to lasagnauntil almost2 a.m. Judge Kirk is still amazedthatthe voters kept himin office in the lastelection. Bettycontinues to workhertwin strengths ofcaring andempathy as a hospice nurse.

Sabre Society Donors

surprisingthatthebonds stillbind. IknowofRolfeTessem (ofMilitary 15) who flew in from New York City where he produces shows with partner Linda Ellerbee.Bob Pineiro couldn’t accept his squadron’s invitation as he was in Iraqwith SpecialOps; he had come backfromAfghanistanwith a Bronze Star. RexMiller, who fell out ofthe USAF Dean’s good graces and left“just afterprop and wings”, none the less found an academic dean somewhere to bless him and went on to fly for the Marines. He’s in email contact with grunt Rowe Stayton and last heard from him in Kuwait en-route to unknown final destination.

SQUADRON NOTES: I had great chatswithJohn andDebbyRegniandMike and Renee Harmon of28th Squadron. John and Debby are lovinglife at Biloxi, MS where he’s stretching out his time as 2nd AirForce Commander. Mike and Renee missed the reunion as daughterJessica was takingher vows asa nun; other son Michael (USAFA ’99) flies F-16s out ofShawandtakes his simsfrom uncle GregRenko. What’s impressiveabouttheirsquadron mates from CS-28 is their obvious love for aviation: Mike and ‘Smilin Jack’ Hower commute to the FedExhub at Memphis from theirNevadahomes; Mike Tillman andJoe Peluso fly for Southwest, Duncan Keirnes and Dan Handlin are Capts for Northwest, Tony Derosa iswith Delta, Mike Dendinger commutes up to DCA for US Air as does Pete Underwood to hisAmericanAirlines gig, and Doug Anderson flies for United.

Guests included Steve and SherryHansel (Continentalpilot out ofNJ), Steve and Nancy Dretar (FedEx pilot out ofMemphis), MGen Jim and Candace Soligan (ChiefofStaff, Joint Forces Command, Norfolk), Vance Lineberger (Deputy for Safety and Occupational Health, Office ofSecretary ofthe Air Force), Chuck Smith (Northrop Grumman inVA), and Larry Stone (US Air pilot out ofPA). Doug Richter (Ruth) is an engineer out ofFredericksburgTX set amongst groves ofHill Countrypeach and pecan trees north ofSanAntonio. Kirk noted that Mike Patton now worked for wife, Cynthia, in the publishingfield; I thought we all did, butmaybe Kirkthoughtit remarkable thathe got paid for it. Phil Olson came despite being in a wheelchair and ill from cancer; sadly, he died the next month. The squadronwill place a paverwith Phil’s name on it in front ofthe Pegasus statue in view oftheAcademy and Front Range inApril. Tom Hamilton passed away25 Mar and has been placed to rest in the USAFAcemetery; I can provide contact informationforthose that wish to send condolences to his wife, Laurie.

CLASS STARTERS or ABGs: There were a number of‘All But Graduated’ classmates at the 30th reunion, friends who tradedthe SummerofLove forBCT and Jack’sValley. Most of our bonding occurred in that first year so it’s not

Playboy done good: with LtGen Don Wetekam are Steve McCauley, Chris Black, Dave Hanson, Bob Glitz.

PENTAGON PATRIOTS: It seems fitting to give mention to our classmates who have leftthe profession ofarms and positions at the ‘tip ofthe spear’, but who continue to serve in supporting roles (perhaps as the ‘the shaft ofthe spear’?). So I called Paul Freund and Fred Knowles to get the scoop. Paul was justbackfrom a Founders Dayluncheon sponsoredbytheAirForceAcademy SocietyofWashington (http://www.afasw.org/); heworks for SCITOR in supportoftheDeputyAssistant SecretaryforInstallations and Environment. Steve Lorenz (DeputyAssistant Secretaryfor Budget) reports that SCITOR’s John Pretz and Sam Torrey were in his office looking for support for the Global Hawk/Predatorprograms. Ideaforclass gift: a Hellfirewith the name “Osama” stenciled on the nose as a program add. George Tota and SpencerWaywork ‘other’ programs which will be better explained in the classified Checkpoints issue to follow.

Fred Knowles works for BoozAllen Hamilton inAir Force Plans and Programs where he sorts out who getswhat in theAir Force budgetrequest. Also with BoozAllen are Dennis Rensel, Dean Haylett, with Installations and Logistics, andErikAndersonwho runs spacesystemsprograms fromtheirMcLean campus. Both Fred and Dean won TeamAppreciation awards for the excellence oftheir support work. JimAllgood took a government service position to become a deputy division chiefworkingAir Force combat forces policy. I knowthere are other classmates who have crackedthe code on howto make ‘the Building’ work (Steve Cristiani, Drew Smith, Bob Stratton, etc) butwill give further details later.

CLASS COUNCIL NOTE. For all ofyou that have already donated to the class gift: Bravo! You’ve alreadymarched us forward to meeting and exceeding the $250,000 that one ofour classmates haspledged as a challenge to the rest of us. The Class of 1973 established a permanentClass Council and a networkof 40 squadronrepresentatives to control and executeyourendowment, so all of you will continue to have a voice (throughyour reps) in the administration of yourgift. Ifyouhaven’t given, or ifyoujust didn’t want to respond to theAOG’s phone solicitor, then call CheryFlores at theAOG, 719 472-0300 ext 115.

Joe Brezovic

1209 Bayou Oaks Drive Friendswood, TX 77546

H: (281) 482-6860

0: (281) 244-8325/Fax: (281) 244-8909

E-mail: jbrezovicl@bigplanet.com

joseph.brezovicl@jsc.nasa.gov

Hello Classmates around theworld! Some ofyou alreadyknowthatthe30th reunion is coming up this fall! Date is theweekend ofOct 23,2004 whenAFA

plays BYU. Whenthis letterwas beingsubmitted to theAOG, the vote had not yet been tallied as to whether or not we were staying at the Broadmoor—or the Wyndham. Ifyou have not checked the webpage, https://www.aogusafa.org/yet, please do so! Wouldn’t we want to gettogetherand see what we looklike now?And exchange oldand newwar stories?TedRoth,JamesBoone, and Dino Schweitzer, all in Colorado Springs, would probablywelcome help in planningthe gathering!

Notes coming in include three-star Duncan McNabb fromAF/XP as being excited about the reunion and drinking a fewbeers and telling stories. New two-star Norman Seip ofAF/XOO offered hiscondolences. Norm is happy he doesn’thave to putthatLatinAmerican Historydegree to use; however, he is inA1 udeid, Qatar as DeputyCFACC and Deputy9thAETF for the CENTAF CC. Lots ofletters meaninghe’llbe inthe sand awhile. Dave Daleyin D.C. also gave me the note thatanother new two-star isTom Kane,workingin Korea.

Congratulations to these new stars! One note came infromthe sands, andthat is from Mark Gehri. Mark sent in this picture with a note about being the commanderofthe451 AEG at Kandahar, Afghanistan. This is the fifth andlast ‘Hooah.’ Apprently, he’sbeenwiththeArmy. This greatdeploymenthasgiven him a tent inthe desert. Andhere’s one forRipley’s... Markconfessed to bringing the red blanket! “One last mission for it, and me,” he wrote. The picture is where the JDAM came through the roofofthe building called the TLS Taliban’s LastStand. Mark closed with “Feels good to see air power at work.

Paul Guzowski wrote in as stillworkingforCubic DefenseApplications, Inc. as a Senior MilitaryAnalyst with a team advising the Hungarian Ministry of Defense and HungarianDefense Forces inBudapestand aroundHungary on modernization. Paul has been there since Sep 01 and expects to be for a bit longer. Challenging but rewarding work. Paul gets home to Pennsylvania two-three times a yearfor a month. I getbacktwice a yearfor two weeks. So far itworks for us!

Tom Baldy,AF/DP in D.C. area, is completinghis life in the military as many ofus stillwearingthe blue must close thatpart ofour bookof life. Ijustre-learnedthatTomhassixchildrenrangingfrom317. Tomwill be able to workwith the familyfull time as well as with SAIC as a division manager. JJ Romano is also still working SAIC, but in SanAntonio. R. CraigAnderson from CS-12 is lookingforward to coming“ifthe goodLord’swilling and the creek don’t rise!” [SinceCraigis a practicinglawyer, maybe that’s alawyerphrase to keep allbases covered?] Mark Sheprow sent in an email fromtheAFNSEP arena. He, too, is hangingthespursup attheendofJune. Ron Segaisfurthering the applicationofscience out ofD.C. as the Director, Defense Research & Engineeringin the DoD. Ron recentlyspoke at the20thNationalSpaceSymposium in Colorado Springs thisApril. Ron came withhiswife,Ann.

As you can see, there was a gathering of a few of us. Joe Brezovic serving Reserve duty atthe Symposium for DLAMissile Fuels advertising“Weputyour payloads in orbit or on target, yourchoice. SalALFANO settingup the Center

Class of 1974 - 30th Reunion USAFA vs. BYU 20-24 October 2004

for Space Standards & Innovation out ofColorado Springs, for example so software can talkwith each other to reduce having different programs do the same thingfor two difference DoD agencies! Charlie Bryant, also in Colorado Springs, iswith Northrop Grumman Missile Defense systems. Also at theSymposium, butunable to be found forthe picture was Don McMonagle who is still in Florida and now working for Pratt andWhitney.

SteveWallingford is in the Boston area. His family is getting used to being in the States. The oldest boy, 10 year old, has been closelywatching the Mars expeditionreports. I’m sure manywould agree that itis great to see science in action. Did StarTrekget anyofyou all thinking about Space?And what to do inyourlife? RickPilling wrote in from Hawaii. Rick wrote thathe flies forAloha and is stillsearchingforthe perfectmai-tai! He plans to be averyjuniorcaptain bythe time ofthe reunion, buthopes to make it anyway. All ofus recognize the orderofchoice going to those ahead ofus! Rick sent in the picturebelow...the 1st Lt promotion part in Riverside.

lLts in Riverside.

Howmany do you recognize? The toughquestionwill be this coming fall whenyoutryto recognizepals fromyesteryear! In fact, Shoe, er, Rick, gave me an ideawith this photo. Wouldyou classmates bring a copy ofa captain and younger picture(s) you may have in your files to pin up? I’ll work with Ted Roth to have a place to place these pictures, no names attached, so we can guess away as to who looks like what now! Oh, please bringyour business cards to trade around, and have one to put on a board. Some ofus are always lookingfor a better deal. And some mayjusthave to looksince the 30 years of militarylife is up ifyou’re under a BG, or doctor, or a chaplain. I thinkthat’s the wayit is! Where ever you are andwhateveryou’redoing, we hopeyou set aside some time for this fall. Mayyoulive long and prosper.

Jeff Hackett

2610 E. Stottler Drive

Gilbert, AZ 85296-8825

Home/Mobile: (602) 318-6152

E-mail: jhackett75@cox.net

“FEATURE CURRENTLYDISABLED”. Believewe’ll see that’s descriptive of both theAOG send-an-e-mail-to-the-whole-classoption and the Scribe witand-wisdom capabilities. Don’tknowwhat’s up with theAOGwebsite but can attribute mygeneral incapacitation to a longday ofplanting trees and shrubs in the backyard and a hellish convergence ofwork and USAFRactivity. So I’m not reallytoo disappointedthat, without a reminder note to the masses, inputs for this column were scant - sit backand relax, this won’t take long.

CONSOLIDATION. BendeyRayburnbegan his late Februaryletterwith the greeting“Happy/MerryChristmasNewYearsMartinLutherKingGroundhog ValentinesPresidents Day! He was quick to point out that there was a very good reason forhis tardiness - birth offirst grandchild. And asserted that this event does not mean he nor Debra are old, onlythat they’re now “seasoned”. The two ofthem are enjoying a thirdyear at Maxwellwhile lookingforward to aprobablyPCS this summer.

Speaking ofstars, Duane Lodrige got one and PerryLamygot a second. As Commander ofthe District ofColumbiaANG, Duane was bound to get promoted to BG and by-gollythat’sjustwhat happened at the end ofFebruary. All

accounts were thatitwas a first-classceremonyand one thateight ofour classmates (left to right in photo: Don Henney,A1 Colley, Bud Calloway, Dean Cox, Dave Wallace, Bill Lyerly, Jim Carlson, and John Charlton) attended. I don’t have anyofthe gorydetails on Perry’spromotion (yet?); only saw the MG announcement with his name on it and identifyinghim as AFMC/DO.

GeneralLodrigeandsupporting 75 crew.

HAVINGFUN HEREANDTHERE. Seems manyofyou are traveling / enjoying life and gettingpictures to prove it. Didn’t get many details with this first picture, but I thinkwe get the ideathat being a FedEx 1 st Officer allowsyou to fly to some interestingplaces.

Wayne Willis sent along a picturefromBlackjack2 l’s Mini-Reunion and Ski weekend. Left to right in this picture we find Dennis Fomash (American MD80 Captain),Wayne (Delta737 out ofSaltlake), Scott Hammond (GeorgiaANG General and Northwest SafetyChief) and Steve Hussey, (head ofa large Consuiting firm near San Francisco).

BlackjackBoys on some mightymeager-lookingslopes.

Jim Burling sent along several news items and pictures but the best photo was this next one taken during Falcon FootballAlumni weekend; that’s Jim, LarryFariss, TerryYoung, and Bruce Fritzsche on the field after the annual “GeezerGame”! “It was a greattimeinteractingwithpastand present coaches and players...plus no pulledmuscles!We also enjoyed a tour ofthe new Falcon Sports Hall ofFame, footballlockerroom/offices, andthenewbeautifulweight room. This is a fantastic, state ofthe art facility!”

Jimalso attended a Change-of-CommandCeremonywhereBG DickWebber took over as new 21st SpaceWingCommander. Col GaryShugart was Commander oftroops forthe ceremony and BG Doug Fraser (AFSPC/XO), Bruce Fritzsche, Bruce Mitchell, and Scott Hente (representingthe CityofColorado Springs), were also on hand.

FAMILIARNAME. Whilebreezingthroughe-mail atworklastmonth I came across company (Orbital Sciences) pressreleaseannouncingthatDavid Anhalt

On the OldFields ofFriendlyStrife!

hadjoined the company as Senior Director ofSpecialPrograms in our AdvancedProgramsGroup (Dulles,VA). Dave officiallyretired in February. We’ve exchanged e-mails and lookforward to his tripWest or me getting backthere - hopefully another photo op.

And then there was this unfamiliar acronym -1 got a note from Chuck Nystromsayingthat he had, “enjoyed myshort six-week retirementfrom 1 Jul to 14Aug03 backpackingand canoeingin Alaskaandreturned back to active duty on 15Aug03 forthree additionalyears through 2006 in the RetiredAviator Return Program (RARP). Still assigned to SOUTHAF in Tucson but currentlyTDYfor90 dayswithAEF 7/8 at A1Udeid, Qatar as the Chief, MasterAirAttack Planning for OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM inAfghanistan.”

Finally, Jim Carlson wrote to fill us in on the 50th USAFA Founders DayCelebration that was held atTyson’s Comer on Saturday, 27 March. Scott Smith, Bill Lyerly, Kevin Lanzit, A1 Bready, Phil Benjamin, Gene Schempp, andJohn Quattrocki (non-graduateclassmate) were also in attendance (we fell one short ofbeingthe most represented class at the festivities).

MYTIMEIS UP. We’llhave to gettogetherand do this again not-too-soon! In case theAOGweb mail thing is still honked up, set your alarm clockforJune 21 st or so and make me write a longer column (atjust over 800 words, I don’t feel like I reallyearned mypaythis time). Be careful out there - it’s laterthan youthink!

Dan Beatty

12196 Stanley Canyon Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

H: (719) 488-1962 W: (719) 554-6160

E-Mail: whrlybrd76@aol.com or

Daniel.Beatty@Peterson.af.mil

Class Website:http://www.AFAcademy.com/76

Fellow76’ers, 28years ago thisJun 2nd we all made thewalk! And againthisyear, 2 Jun is the date. Allthecadets I know are gettingreadytograd ormove up. Funtimes! And then summer programs.

Again this issue, no sad news that I am aware ofto report. Good deal!

Several ofus are doingthe retirementthing soon. GregBoomgaardwillhave his ceremonyweekof 19 April at HillAFB, and Carl Rebarchakwillhave his 30 Jun at Davis-Monthan (nothinglike going to the VERYend Carl!), and Chuck McHenrywill retire at USAFAthis summer. Gregsays he has no specificplans, Carlwill be goingback as a contract academic/sim instmctor for Hog drivers, and no word from Chuck. Ifyou are intheir areas tryto stopbyandcongratulate them on theirUSAF careers. I too will makethejoumeyinto ‘USAF (Ret) life on 11 Jun at Doolittle Hallwith a dinnerthat night, also on USAFA. Ifyou are or can be in the area, Iwould behonored to haveanyandallofyouattend. Justlet me know.

Congrats to JackCatton andTonyPrzybyslawski on their second star! Jack is Joint Staffat the Pentagon andTony is runningtheAEF center at Langley. And Ben “Boats” Bartlett gotpicked up for BG on the lastAFRC board. Good on ya guys! Nice to see ’76ers continuing to move up. Mike Fricano wrote to tell me he went TDYto Langley a couple ofweeks ago. SawTonyPrzybyslawski andMGDave Robinson (MAto theACC/DO). Stayed the nightwith brother-in-law Dave Berg, his wife, Chris (Mike’s sister), and kidsJacob andElizabeth. Mike sayshe sees several classmates in Hawaii regularly. Rob Preissingerworks in theHQ, Col BmceNelsonworks at Camp Smith PACOM HQ/J-373, RandyChang is retired there, working for CoxAviation. Also says he just heard from Col Kevin Henabray that Col Wade “McBob” McRoberts has moved on to ajob as SeniorAir Force Liaison at JFCOM, and HenryKelly a few months ago under unfortunate circumstances when the

brother ofMike’swife, Debby, and Henry’swife, Gale, brother passed away. Bob Oleksye-mailedthathe managed to trackdown a ’76erwho hasbeen on the “Lost Souls” list for a while - Rick Fonorow. ApparentlyRick runs his own Internetpublishing business. Bob says theyexchanged a fewemails and Rick is doingwell. Curt Turner hollered to tell me hejust sent in his lifetime membership to theAOG, and that he likes the articles. Thanks Curt.

Greg Lewis reports “Life ain’t all bad on this side” meaningpost-Blue-suit. Says he went deerhuntinginAlabamawith Marc FrithAlabamabutthey“did not kill much but a lot ofwhiskey and some goodcigars”. Marc is with Delta, and Greg is still at Southwest.

KimWebertells me “everythingin the garliccapitol is goinggreat” (abitofan insidejoke) and thatit’s been a realteamworkexercisehelpingUnited getback on track. Also says Laurie and he have been the ultimate familyteam raising little Katie.

Pat Burbankwanted to knowifI receivedthe photo ofhim and BobNorman. I did Pat and here it is.

Pat Burbankand Bob Norman

Willie Shelton tells me he’s run into several classmates. lack Catton just completed CAPSTONE. Doug Loverro is at the NRO, where he is running a huge program called the Future ImageryArchitecture. Mike Gould isAF/XOX at Pentagon and in the middle oflots ofbigAF issues. Willie says he sees and talks to Harrison Freer, who works for Boeing, andTom Muckenthaler, who works for Northrop Gmmman here in the Springs. Tomjustgot a bigpromotion—runningthe Colorado Springs-based contracts for the company.

Bruce Nelson says heis retiringeffective Oct 1. He and Cherylwill be moving toWisconsinwhere he isworking on a teachingjob. “What are we thinking— trading Hawaii forWisconsin?” Is that a rhetorical question Bruce?

Ben “Boats” Bartlett gave me a ‘small input’ thatincluded his move to HQ XOO, or Current Ops andTraining, as theMAto MG(s) MarnePeterson, married to Kevin Peterson, who is withAmerican. Says Kevin was in his UPT class 28 years ago. Also says “five sided puzzlepalace” is a smallworldwith Mike Gould across the hall and Dave Clarycloseby, andthatKevin Chiltonis down thehall. Bensays its a hard commute as a Reservistdoingairline duty(Flyingthe 747-400 outofDetroitforNorthwest) andliving in Colorado (Evergreen) buthe sees lots of’76ersaroundnowandthenlikeDanNorman,TedDetrick, Bruce Rasmussen, and Mike Madsen, all in one night at our layoverhotel inTokyo.

Bruce Swezeye-mailed thathe retired 31 Dec 99 and is now inWisconsin. I think he andTracey mayhave the class record foryoungest kiddo. Here is a photo ofBruce and familywith theirnewborn daughter. And I thoughtdealing with teenage daughter’s boyfriends in my mid 50s was gonna be sporting. Congrats Bruce.

sity ofJacksonville (Florida), and grandkids Chase (5) and Shelby (11) are growing like weeds.

Also heard from Enrique Saa. We will try to linkup soon for some preliminarybrainstormingfor our 30th

Chuck McHenry sent a picture ofMG KathyThomas (MAto USAFASup) presentinghim the 2003 USAFAAdmissions Liaison OfficeroftheYear award at the recent Jan 04Awards Banquet. Says USAFA maygive him the opportunityto attendAM 490 (freefall parachuting) this summer as a reward. Good luckChuck!

Tracey,LydiaNoelle, Gracie,Jonathan,Abbie and Bruce Swezey AL Grijalva sent a note that everyone is fine. Saystheywere the onlyClass of ’76representativesthisyear at the St. Louis RegionAcademyGrads and Parents Christmas Ball, since Lance andJulie Christian have returned to the Pentagon and the Fricanos are now in Hawaii. A1 says they still haveyoungest daughter, Danielle, living at home, middle daughter, Cari, is now starting at the Univer

Still thinkingtoward our 30th reunion injust two years. Send me yourideas ofwhat youwould like to see/do/etc and we’ll get the planningball rolling. And ifyou’d like to be on the committee, let me know.

Will wrap this up for now. Amjust about at myword count limit. Still super input from all y’all bubbas! Keep it up with cards, letters, e-mails, or calls aboutyourselfor anyoneyouknowabout. All mycontact data is in theheader. Ifyou are headed to the Springs, let me or anyofthe otherlocals knowandwe’ll see ifwe can’tjoin up for a fewstories and updates. Keepflyingyourflags and let our deployed troops knowyou have them in your thoughts and prayers. The Spirit of’76 is STILL alive andwell! Until next time... Beatty

John J “Lou” Michels, Jr.

4107 Harvey

Western Springs, IL 60558

Voice: (312) 849-8150

Fax: (312) 849-8151

E-Mail: jmichels@mcguirewoods.com

Greetings fromwhatwill be, bythe timeyou read this, a fullythawed Chicago. The Michels clan, havingweathered its secondfullwinter in the upper Midwest, is now fullyengaged in springtimepursuits. That means college huntfor myjunior andlacrossepractice formyfreshman. At least it getsthem out ofthe house.

I’m in the process oftrying to restart the Chicago area AOG, since I don’t seem to have enough to do these days. Anyofyouwithin the sound ofmyvoice here in Chicagopleaseget a hold ofme as we try to restartwhat should be a thrivingoperation.

As you can tellfrom the lastfewcolumns, inputforthe old scribehas notbeengreat. I don’twant to have to start making things up again, like I didwhen we were captains, so please startwriting or e-mailing soon. Preferablywith entertainingstories, and pictures.

Finally, I want to make a pitch here forincreasing our involvementin theAOG andtheAcademygenerally. Ifyou are not aware ofthe radical changes takingplace in the operation of our alma mater, get on theAOGweb site, www.usafa.org, for an update. I also encourage all ofyou to reviewthe postings on a gradweb site,www.usafatoday.org. You’ll find interesting articles concerningtheAcademy, and have access to a grad-onlyweb sitewith a varietyofdiscussion threads concerningthe currentAcademysituation, theAOG, and some generalreminiscing. It seems to me that theAOG can use support now more than ever, especially in terms of grad involvement and comment. Enough said.

MAXWELL’S SILVER HAMMER. I got a verynice e-mail from Ron Ladnier (Pam), who is doingthe commandantthingthatAir Command andStaffCollege. Ron is settingup his own little 77AOG Chapter and had everyone over to his residence on general’s row at the beginning ofApril. He provided me with the followinginformation: JimMoschgat (Becky) is now backstopping Ron as the vice commandant atACSC. Jim is now an 0-6, and finallyback from Prince SultanAir Base, where he finished as the lastwing commander before closing the facility. He and Beckygot married in June, so congratulations are in order all around on a safe return and on the change in marital status. I suspect Jim is one of a few people that will actually appreciate

Montgomery’shumidity after his desert tour. JerryHust (Sharon) is running the International Officers School, dealingwith all the foreign students coming in to Maxwell for PME. Jerry and Sharon also have to get these guys ready to live inAlabama. I guess myquestionis whythe rest oftheAir Force that spent time there wasn’tafforded similar trainingopportunities; it was just as foreign to us. Col Steve Schwalbe (Ingrid) runs the regional studies tripsfortheAirWar College, I suspect the frequentflyer miles are starting to build prettyrapidly now. George Earnhart ; Dave Lawton (Susan) and Rick Cosby (Charlotte) are all on theAirWar CollegefacultyalongwithSteve. Dave andSusan’s oldestjust graduated fromWest Point lastyear, while Rickyand Charlotte are tentatively slated for a moved to the NATO Defense College. Bob Gaston (Barbara) just moved from hisjob at ROTC over to the International Officers School to work withJerry. And BobbyWilkes (Cathy) is the commanderofCADRE, where he’s been forwhile. Ron and Pam figure to be a Maxwell for anotheryear. Thanks forall theupdates, Ron and allthe bestforthe remainderofthe academicyear.

PRIMINGTHE PUMP. JohnVisser (Marianne) updated the news from the Liaison Officer front. Alongwith a number ofother grads, John attended a Liaison Officer Director conference earlier this year. He ran into a group of people, some ofwhom are pictured here:

John was recentlyfrocked as an 0-6, which explains the cardboard eagle on the shoulder. WithJohn are Bill Hejl, the North Dakota LOD, and Phil Smith, the Missouri LOD. Bill is a farmer and lobbyist in North Dakota and Phil flies forAmerican out ofSt. Louis. John is aFokker 100 pilot, but notes thatAmerican will be gettingrid ofthe Dutch planes soon. Too bad, sinceJohn and the Dutchhave a familial relationship. John also notedthat Chip Lamb (Patricia) andRockyVillafane (Janet) gotpicked up forColonel on thelast Reserve selection board. Bigcongrats to all three ofyou.

NRO NEWS. I keep readingAviation Week in the expectation that once or twice a month I’ll see interesting news about someone I knowwell. January did not disappoint—our own Irv Halter (Judith), who has been a BG for some time, gotplentyofinkin hisjob as the DeputyDirectorforMilitarySupport at the National Reconnaissance Office. Irv talked about the challengesfacing NRO as it seeks to meet the increasing demands forsatellite intelligence from various military users. Irv did a nicejobkeeping the article informativewhile at the same time tip-toeingaround the minefield ofclassified information that is NRO’s stock in trade. In doing so, Irv showed offwhyhe is a spookgeneral, tossing outwordslike “ubiquitous” and “quipping” that complaints fromboth sides ofthe signalsintelligenceworld about NRO’s priorities probably means it’s got a balanced approach to its clientbase. The most surprisingthingabout this article was seeing Irvusing 50-centwords and quipping in the same paragraph. Who knew?

MORE UPDATES. Finally, Paul Music (Debra) dropped me a lengthy email. Paul’s been getting around and it shows. He and Debra have one son who is a ’01 grad nowin F-16 upgradetraining (afterearningjust about every award there was in his UPT class), and anotherwho is a sophomore at the Zoo. The lieutenant is a product of77 schooling since he had simulator rides at Moodywith Mike Hainsey (Brenda) in UPT, whileTom Quelly (Susan) was his wing commander. Tom, BTW, is now at Randolph.

Paulalso ran into Dave Edgington (Siobhan) who is now at Seymour, Dave Podolny (Cecelia) who is flying for Southwest, and Louie LeBlanc (Diana), who is an emergency room physician in Rock Hill, SC. While Paul was “passingthrough” LasVegas (I didn’t thinkthelocal ordnances allowed such things; everyone must walkby at least 30 slot machines or gaming tableswithin five minutes ofleaving their bus, plane, or car) he ran into StuWilliams (Julie), who also flies for Southwest. Theyhad a good time “swapping lies”before Paul was on his way again. Sounds like what I do in thiscolumn.

In closing Paulsaid that he “remade contact” with a long-lostfriendfrom our doolieyear, Lane Hallenbeck. Lane left our class after our doolieyearbut made quite an impression on manypeople. He is now aVPwith a companyin D.C. Ifanyonewouldlike to get backinto contactwith Lane, they can contact Paul for information (or me, since I have Paul’s e-mail).

SHUTDOWN. That’s it from the slushy North. Hope Spring has sprung whereveryou are, and that the summer is full ofwarm days and cool drinks. Wearwhite, takeyourvitamins, drinkfluids, writeyour scribe—in that order. Be seeingyou.

Greetings ’78ers...

Bob Kay

40411 Tesoro Lane

Palmdale, CA 93551

Home:(661) 274-2201

Work: (661) 824-6426

Email: Robert.kay@baesystems.com

Starting off on a somber note is an update on Ron Rosepink. Thanks to A1 Wallace ’80 and the AOG for publishingAl’s article in last quarter’s Checkpoints. A coworker used to flywith gliders with Ron regularly and has been letting me knowthelatest. A countysheriff’s deputy/pilotin thelocal area has been assigned to the case and plans to thoroughlypursue it, to include more search activity. Therehave been severalwitnesses that saw Ron near ridge level in different areas up to 5:30 or so on the dayhe disappeared. The deputyhas been askingfor anyinfo from local pilots. He’s also planning on more searches. I’ve been told that this guy is very sincere, and even plans on coming out on weekends to watch and studyparagliders. I’ll keep you all posted.

Special thanks to our own Kais Kaiser who made last quarter’s article happen. As always, Kais wrote with style and aplomb that are trulyunique... manythanks there ‘ol buddy... great reporting on the reunion.

Well, retirement was the thrill of a lifetime back in December. Steve Slick did, in fact, make it out and did a wonderfuljob runningthe ceremony. He’s the 512th Mission SupportGroup Commander at Dover air patch and really hasn’t changed much over the years (looked pretty trim in that flight suit he did). It was a blessing that I’ll never forget... no matter how senile I get. All seven kids were there to include my son-in-law. Belowis a shot ofthe Slicker himself (to the left ofmy lovelybride)... havingjust “gonged” me. Thanks again myfriend!

Ifyouhave a fewminutes,you must check out CliffHuff’s creation ofourweb site (http://homepage.mac.com/c2huff/usafal978/)... youwon’t believe it. Cliffhas done nothingshort ofspectacularworkgettingthis thing up and ranning. Ifyouwould be interested in runningthe home page foryoursquadron, please e-mail Cliffat: cch@sei.cmu.edu or just thank him for all the hours of workhe’s put in on this. Thanks Cliff!

Since I haven’tbeen receiving much info fromyouguys, I had to scrounge as much info as possible. The notable exception was RickSerefosswho was kind enough to send me an e-mailtoday as amatteroffact. RickstilllivesinTehachapi, which is about 50 miles from here, andworks as a motivational speaker and aerospace/space consultant. He says he travels enough to paythe bills (that and retired 0-6 payhelps) and recentlypartneredwith Bob “Waldo”Waldman ’90, who was featured in last quarters Checkpoints. Also, Rickwasjust selected as chiefjudge for theX Prize competition. The competition will award $10 million to the first team that puts three people 62.5 miles up (akaspace), safely returns them to earth and repeats the feat two weeks later in the same ship. I personallyhave seen Burt Rutan’s entry atworkin Mojave CA. Thanks forthe message Rickand bestwishes on your endeavors.

Well, 78 continues to be more than great. Forgive me ifthis is old news but the two-star list came out a while back and four ofour classmates were on it! Congrats to RogerBurg, Directorfor Nuclear PolicyandArms Control forthe National SecurityCouncil; GoldyGoldfein, Director ofOperationalCapabilityRequirements forAF/XO; Ed Rice, OSD staff, and Steve Sargeant, C-5 in lovelyBaghdad.

Further, the newest one-star listhad no less than six (out of35) guys on it... prettyamazing. More congrats to: DonAlston, 31 s1 SpaceWingCommander at Malmstrom; Hawk Carlisle, also on theAF/XO staffas ChiefProgram Integration; Punch Moulton,Vice Director ofOperations for NORAD; Joe Mudd, 36th Air BaseWingCommander, Guam; Joe Reheiser, 314th AirliftWingCom-

mander; andJoeReynes, GenAbazaid’s exec at CENTCOM. Congratsagain to all ofyou! With this latest group, we now have 34 78 flag officers. I still think thathas got to be a record for anyUSAFAclass... wish I had time to researchit. Think 78 could turn out to be the modern “class that the stars fell on"... we’ll see, just a hunch.

Only a few moves to report: Mike Snodgrass took over the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf, Bob Steel became the commander ofthe USAFE TheaterAir and SpaceOps Center, JayLindell is also at HQ USAFE as the DirectorofLogistics, Kevin Kennedyis STRATCOM DeputyDirector for Ops and Logistics, and Key Sabol isAMC Deputy Director for Plans and Programs at Scott afterhiswing kingjob at Grand Forks.

Well gents, I haven’treally run out ofspace buthave run out ofnews. Consider this a moderate plea (complete with minorwhimpering) for news and info. Phone, e-mail, carrier pigeon... whatever. Please let me hear from you or you’re stuck with whatever drivel I can come up with along with several pictures ofmyfamily (think I threatened thatbefore). Mayyou have a blessed summer and we’ll “talk” to you all next time.

’78 is great

John “J.R.” Dallas

1612 Rannoch Trace Fort Smith, AR 72908 (479) 648-0433/DSN: 778-5188

E-mail: John.Dallas@arftsm.ang.af.mil

Greetings, bestclass ever. Number25 ishere. Makeplans to seeyourbrothers theweekend of20-24 October. Thisyear, more than ever, theAcademyneeds US! Tryto getthere. Thereunionwillbefantastic. PassthewordlUSAFAvsBYU.

I saw Mike Watson andWalt Wright (OG/CC) at Luke for a golf match in March. I soon discoveredthat Mike is getting some practice out on the links. Walt and I were schooled! Beware ofhis open invitation. The money he saves having Lance at the Zoo goes to golflessons!Walt’s 10 flyingsquadrons are keeping him “slightlybusy”. RandyMeyers (Luke/IG) was smart enough to decline the invite that day. Other news that I have gleaned from letters and emails: Steve Deaux (FedExA300) is stillinMemphis. OtherFedEx-types around the systemwithhim are ScottJensen, Keith Davis, Mitch Davitte, Leo Lundy, JerryMasonis, and Ron Horton. Paul Besson is the Chiefofthe Ground Integration Division (AF/XICC) after two years at Offutt. KeithAbbott retired in Oct 03 after retiring in spirit that June (Stop Loss victim). Kids and granddaughter (!) are doinggreat. Mark Stearns (12AF/CV) isinTucson. Says his 12AF/CCkeepshimbusyand engaged. Mark, tellthe Bossyou need a roadtrip to visit thoseANG units of 12th - come see mine in Ft Smith.

Joe andBeth Barron

Doug Robb writes that he is the hospital CC atAFA; that Carl Hawkins (DAL furlough) is an aero instructor atAFA; thatRhuettAthertonworks atAFAinthe Comm Sqdn; Neil Schoonworks forBoeing as the GPS Satellite OpsManager; Ben Osieris in Korea as theAsst ChiefforC4 Systems; Rob Dunphy (AALORD) lives in Michigan and maybe runningfor mayor soon; JeffLiederbach (NWA) still flying out ofDetroit; Steve Watkins is a defense contractor in D.C.; Tru Eyre(DAL) is the OG/CC at Buckley; and that Ron Machado works for Ryder IntegratedLogistics in S.C. Thanks, Doug. JimmyRodgers wrote to tell allthat he and family are in Stuttgart, Germanywhere he’s the Division ChiefofInfo Ops at EUCOM. Says that he’s intimately aware ofAfrica and all CENTCOM responsibilities there. Daughterjust married; son is atAFA. Thanks, J.R.

Mike and BonnieWatson andboys.

RandyHelmswrites that he’s now the Division Chieffor Strategic Initiatives for the U.S. TransportationCommand. Handles alllegislative issues between his boss and Congress. Steve Lepperwrites thatJoe Dent is in Georgiawhere he’s now theAFRC/SJA. Steve’s gettingcloser to the U.S. as hewent fromJapan to Hawaii as the PACAF/SJA. Wife’s now into sailing: daughterJennyis graduatingthisyearfromAFA. GregBrundidge is also at Hickam as he’s the Director ofCommunications and Information. Joe Barron wrote to say that he departed Maxwell and is now the DeputyIG forAETC at Randolph. Moved into the house he andBeth built lOyrs ago. Became a grandparent in Dec 03. Still has hiscadet Z-car. Kids are waiting for the inheritance.

TheRogersWedding

Rob Gaylord (AAL737CA) sent an update: in 2003, he met and married lisa; son graduatedAFA, and made 0-6. Works as a PoliticalAnalyst (IMA) at the Joint Staffworkingfor ’79ersTom McCarthyand Burt Field. Also, he andTom Lockie started a business development, business andsecurityconsulting company. Nowthat’sbusy! ScottVanValkenburgwrites that he’s stillatLangleyas theChiefofMedicalOperationsbutis moving soon to a Group CCjob this summer. Mark Neice (23 years with Leslie - what a saint she is!) is in his second year as the Chiefofthe Laserdivision at Kirtland. Says he should’ve listened more to those physics lectures atAFA! He coaches high school rugby and referees most weekends. He relays that Neil McCasland is the Phillips Research site commander there; Mike Booen is aVP for Raytheon EnergySystems in Tucson; Don McChesney and Mike Beil both are nowA320 Captainswith NWA;JeffRoberson isthe OG/CC at MarchAFRB; Paul Swanson is a 767 F/O withAAL; Joe Falzone is a helo IP at Kirtland and runs the F-22 simulatorthere; Pete Withers is a contractor at the KirtlandTACCSF facility— a premier simulation group according to Horse. Thanks Mark.

9 Sabre Society Donors

Ken Barkerwrote to saythathe, Debi andfourkids are atWright-Pat; theboys are great and their sophomore daughter will soon be off to a girl’s boarding school inAlaska until turning 30 - smart man! He’s still enjoying the AF and havingfun. ChuckSmileysent in this‘record’ from Dover—thinkshe’s thelast ’79er to have a child. #7 (agirl) arrived 22 Dec 03. Anytakers? Congrats, Chuck. Passes alongthatBill Rewis the DO at9AF/USCENTAF; FrankGorencistheWG/ CC at Langley; ScottGrunwald is atSAF/AQ as the chiefofC2 andCombatSupport; DonJurewicz (FW/CV) at Seymour-Johnson; and Bruce BusieristheWG/ CC atDover. Thanks, Chuck. Bill Milotwritesthathe’s now retiredafter‘extending’ for a five-month deployment to PSAB as theJ3 forthe GulfWar. Sayshehas ‘accumulated’ sixkids; same wife; residingin the tidewater area ofLangley.

Bill Doyle sent a great update - he’s now the ChiefofAnalysis Division at AFSPC where he has some 30+ brainiacs answeringto him. Kathyand sixkids doinggreat - getting oldest married soon; he’s a yellowbelt in Tae Kwan Do now - watch out, Jackie Chan! Bruce Rember has departed Keflavik for HQEUCOMJ5 inStuttgart. Enjoy! TomYanniisnowatMisawaastheMSG/CC. Two oldest are atWestVirginia Univ. Curt Bottesch retired lastDecember out at Nellis. Says he’s the Director ofStafffor the 57WG/CC. Jan Jouas is loving

Alaska as theWG/CC at Eielson. Even got some nice salmon fishing in with friends Mike Englebrecht (DAL), KenKraak (SWA) andJohnDuhamel. Dewey is an entrepreneurgovernment contractor inAlaska. Juice pins on 0-7 sometime in 2004. Congrats, Juice! Jim Shumate wrote to say that he worked in BaghdadintheCoalitionProvisionalAuthorityfromAug03 to Dec03 as thechief ofstafffortheprivate sector development directorate. Wasexcitingandrewarding; nowbackinCOS atPetersonin SpaceCommand. Retiring summer of2004.

Steve Spencebecame the 100ARW/CV (Mildenhall) this pastJuly. Steve reportsthatDonLustigwentfromtheARW/CC toJ5staff. KeithTrouwborstwrote from RAFWycombe (NATO/CAOC) reportingthathe’s the DO there. Says the UK beer is great, the folks friendly, buttheweatheris lousy. Oldestdaughteris nowin college. Didn’t saywhere. Bill Gregoryis still in PHXwith Honeywell. Still doingHalf-Ironmen competitions - Bill, most ofus ride golfcarts! It’s not thatbad. GregSveska’s (AAL/777) bridehad child#2 in 2003. LovingColorado andthe mountains. Mike Leggett is doingthatACC/DRZ-behind-the-vaultdoor thing at Langley. Was keynotespeaker at an unmanned combat aircraft symposium in London—knewhe never liked us stickoperators!

That’s itfor me. I’m in the bookinFt Smith,ARifever close by. Willshowyou tirebestANG baseknown to man! Seeyouall in October. Remember—mighty fine,’79! Be there! Be proud!! Stayin touch! J.R.

Don Myers

401 Chambray Hill

Peachtree City, GA 30269-4247 (770) 631-1429

E-mail: DMyers80@hotmail.com

Class Home Page: http://usafa80.tripod.com

I rememberhowthe instructorfor one ofthe BehaviorScience core courses showed us aweightedlist ofstressors andhad us take a surveyto see what our individual score totaled. Lots ofpositive events were included, since they are also stressors. Well, as I write this I’m starting myfourthjob since beingfurloughedby Delta two years ago—the fact that I’ll get to fly once in a while (a definite positive) is coupledwith not having flown in two years andworkingfor a smallcompanynearly an hour commute fromthe house. And, forthose ofyouwho knowwhat it’s like to lose a parent, I joined the club onValentine’s Day. So, allowme to relaxwithyouforthese minutes and recount all your good news.

13 Sabre Society Donors

Still More Holiday News. I have a short pile left from Christmastime. Doug (Teresa+2) Owens says, “We’re on our third tour intheWashington, DC area and,beingthegreat explorerswe are, we live inthe same general areawe didthefirst two times.” Theirtwo boys are bothatU.Term. “Thehouse is sure quietwithout themhereduringtheyear. We’vegotten overthatthoughanddiscoveredwhatit’s like to date allthetime again. The emptynest syndrome is definitelyoverrated, especiallywhenbothboys haul a month’sworthofdirtylaundryhome.” Oldest son, John, willgraduatewithAF butterbars inJune, head to Randolphwith his newbride.andstartnavtraining. “DougworksontheJointStaffintheOperations Directorate...longhoursbutinthethickofthings once more.”

MaryDaley is back in Colorado, spending a short stint at Peterson before heading to the DepartmentofBehavioral Sciences and Leadership at theZoo. “Theviewfrom myoffice (southwestlooking out to the RampartRangeMts.) sure beats the ‘view’ I had atmyformerofficein thebasementofHQAF Space Command! Marybeganbyteaching the core psych courses and hopes to become “a leadership ‘coach’ in a program run bythe department for all of USAFAcalled LEAD (Leadership Enrichment and Development). It’s a oneon-one opportunitywith cadets whovolunteerforthe program, usually one semester in duration, with several assessments of a cadet’s leadershipstyle, strengths/weaknesses, then development ofan action plan for targeted areas.” Since, like most ofus, she was likely too busy to use the USAFA hospital much when she was a cadet, Mary decided to go back and get her money’s worth, includinghavingtheincreasinglypopularPRKeyesurgery. Ifanybody’s thinkingabout it, 20/15 and 20/20 were the results.

Ricki (Smith) and Paul Selva sent another informative and picture-filled card theyhad made. One photo shows Paul in front of a BG flag (one star on a field ofblue) the dayhe tookcommand oftheTankerAirlift Control Center at Scott. “Part ofthe process ofbecoming a general officer is a course called Capstone. Duringthis six-weekclass, Paulandhis classmates traveledall over the U.S., then theworld.” I didn’tknowbecoming a general was a process, but getting to go to Afghanistan, Australia, Korea, Hawaii, and Mongolia doesn’t seem too painful. As Paul was settlinginto the new environs, Ricki was doing somethingprettyspecial she also traveled to Mongolia, butwith a team from Habitat for Humanity- GlobalVillage to build a community ofhomes outside ofUlaan Bataar. I didn’trealize generals were allowed to have time off, but theyalso tookvacations to London and Belize.

The onlypictures in Peggy (Dennis) (Bob) Carnahan’s missive were ofBob’s new tractor, some cows, a new barn, and a couple ofcats. (Just to remind all ofyou, to use a picturehereyou must bein it and itshouldbe a high-resdigital

attachment or a good print.) Peggy rescued the cats from one ofthe barns when theywere kittens. “Hmmm...Let’s see... Bob gets a barn, a tractor and some cows, and Peggygets two kittens... prettylopsided, don’tyou think?” They are now up to 63 BlackAngus cows and bulls, plus almost 50 calves!

A lot ofus had some stress. Larry (Cindie+1) DePatis got a dog, lost a dog, had son Nickgraduate fromhigh schooland start college; then Larrywas told ofa deploymentfor OpIraqiFreedom, thentold no, thenyes, thenno, thenyes and he finallywent. Once in Qatar, Nickhad a car accident (only the car lost). “Then,just to raisethe stress level, Hurricane Isabel raisedheruglyhead directly at our [Yorktown,VA] house. All I could do was watch CNN and check the storm’s path on the Internet.” When he finallymade contact, all were safe andthe manydowned trees missed theirproperty; however,just as Larrywas to come home, he was ordered to Kuwait for more fun and games. He did make itbackjustbefore Christmas, likelymaking it more special this year.

Steve was sleeping, so Allene (Dowden) Saleck keyed their letter. Steve’s “stillflyingforSouthwest, stilllaughing, andstillputtingupwithAllene.” Allene says she’s, “Queen oflaundry, carpooling, etc. same as allmothers ofthe world. Trying to stay sane as the hormones go insane, having about a 50% success rate. Prayingallthe timeforthe children.” Theyonlyhave one oftheir six remaining to homeschool. I guess time really is flyingbyus!

Maureen Tritle “transferred to a newposition as ReserveAdvisor to the 11 * WingCommander, BollingAFB, DC. I also dual hat as the Program Manager (responsible forthe manpower, funding, andtraining) forallAF Reserve members assigned to the National Capitol Region (State Dept., SecretaryofDefense, Pentagon, JointChiefs ofStaff, etc.). It’s a challengingpositionwith lots to learn.” It should keep her in the D.C. area until her 2010 retirement.

Just the Facts. Mike Syiekfound a minute to respond to myrequest for an update: “Dot com bomb took place. No job. So I started my own business. www.andovercg.com. We have 14,000 sq footwarehouse and move about $5 million peryear ofexcess corporatecomputer assets. We are one ofthe major sellers on eBay. Gotmarried—finallyhave one two-year-old.” PaulaThornhill is now the SpecialAssistant to CJCS, “in otherwords, a factotum.” (I looked it up: a generalservant.) AMC announced thatBobAllardice is getting a star as he commands the wing at McChord, Frank Kisner is putting on a star as he serves as wing commander at Pope, andJanet Therianos is also getting a star while seniormilitaryassistant to the SECAF.

Talon Takeoff. Seems the producer ofour class painting (Dan Felix ’74 dan@red74.com) found some prints. Lethim knowifinterested.

Re theAOG Board. I thoughtyou’d like to read somethingfrom one ofour own. Susan Helms penned: “Becoming a Board Memberwasn’t quite like I expected, butbetter. I’mtellingyou, when some ofthose 50-poundbrains in theboardmeetingspeak, Ifeelcompelled to throwmyselfintheI’m notworthy position. Ourdiscussions on what’s in thebestinterestoftheAOG are some of the richest I’ve seen. Absolutely not a rubber stamp. Cheers! PS. I guess I should update you on life... have been at HQ AFSPC for almost two years, trying to prove thatformer astros are still worth more to the AF than as PR machines. It’s beenworking out beautifully, and I gotpicked forWing Command inAFSPC, as did DanAdams. Folks, keepyouremail current with the AOG so they can keepyou abreast ofstuffand giveyou a chance to participate in the occasional poll, etc.

That’s all I can fit for this time around. You’re a great group. Don

Rich Trentman

11102 Asbee St.

Falcon, CO 80831-8170

Home: (719) 494-8438

Work: (719) 532-9011

E-mail: trentman@usafa81.com

Class Website: www.usafa81.com

Springtime in the Rockies is rollingalong! I heard from manyofyou during the record-settingmen’s basketball season. Itwas absolutelyfantastic to go to a sold-out, earsplitting CluneArena andwatch the Falconswin. I can hardly wait for next season (hopefully we can keep Joe Scott). Spring football is underwaywith a fresh excitingcrop offootballplayersreplacingthe seniorladen squad of2003. Even our lacrosse team opened the season with a bigwin over #1 Virginia. Falcon athletics is rolling.

Onthe '81 front, congratulations go to BobYates and BrooksBash forbeing thefirstBrigadierGenerals in our class. Fantastic andwelldeserved. Rememherthatthere were no BGAcademygradswhenwe showedup in 1977because the school was so young. In other good news, astronaut Mike Bloomfield (Bloomer) has been named the new Athletic Director and rumor has him showingatUSAFAthis summer. Whilethis isallgreatnews, doesthis also mean we are getting older?

Visit the AOG Web Site - Merchandise, Gone But Not Forgotten and More!

www.usafa.org

JakeJakobi came out ofhibernation to email me about an addresschange at theAOG!...afterI informedJake that I was no longerthere, he gave me a good update. Jake moved back to Cincinnati and he has quitdoingthe tournament teams and coacJiingmen’s elite teams... doctor’s orders. Itwas too muchstress, so nowJakejustplaysfortheCincinnati team and the Graybirds. DannyCrews had a heart attackthis Springandis doingmuchbetter now. Pleasekeep himin yourthoughts andprayers as he recovers. We are getting to that age now, unfortunately, that we are no longer invincible.

MarkRollingemailed me thathis daughterKatherine receivedappointments to USNA and USAFA. Being an extremelyintelligentyoungwoman, she chose USAFA. Markis doingwellwith SouthwestAirlines andlooks forward to seeing some other ’81ers at Parent’sWeekend. Also, Michelle CiccliiniAlbert sent me averyniceemail. Herson BillAlbert (2007) isfinishinghis Doolieyear. Michelle’s husband, John, is from the Class of78. Michelle didn’t attend either ofour two reunions, but is looking forward to our 25th Michelle was an Intel Officer on active dutyandin the Reserves. She went to Germanlanguage schoolwithher husbandwhichled to two assignments as an exchangefamilyinGermany, and spent 10 years home schooling her sons. The Alberts now live in Olympia, Washington and Michelle is preparing to run herfirst marathon.

TheAlbertfamilyat USAFA.

What is itwith the Colonels in our class? MaryRuelil, Steve’swife, sent me an update. Steve pinned on Colonel in December nearWashington, DC. The familymoved to Davis-MonthanAFB,AZ and Steve assumed command ofthe 355th OpsGroup inJanuary. I loved the updatefromMary, butSteve, come on... can’tyou spare a minute to zip an email?? Marty France emailed that he could be out here in the Springs area soon... will the Colonels assignment group be kind? It is also possible that Jay Santee could be back in Colorado at goodold PetersonAFB. Staytuned. TerrySzanto emailed that Mike Silasworks forhim as a contractor at Langley. I saw Blane Hook at a basketball game this past season. I run into him around town or at ’81 lunches.

9

On to more serious class business, Class Officers... Randy Worrall, our classVP and only active officer, placed a long explanation on USAFAtoday.com under the 1981 section about our situation. In a nutshell, Randyhas been acting as the onlyactive class officer. As he stated, the duties are not overwhelming, buthewantsto act in our best interest. Our 25th is not too faroff and we need an active slate ofclass officers to not onlyassistwiththateffort, but to represent the class on other matters. Please contact Randy (rworrall@mindspring.com) or me (info above) withyour feelings on having new class elections or ifinterested in running. The elections could be donevia mail or possiblyelectronically. Our class is being asked questions from the AcademyandAOG and we need an active slate! Thanks.

DennisWardhonored me with an email. Whyis itex-scribes are so hard to get info from? Just kidding. Dennis followed and was excited by our Falcon basketball team this season. He was recentlytravelingthrough Europereviewing military construction projects at Ramstein AB, Spangdahlem AB, RAF Lakenheath, and RAF Mildenhall. Dennis said he ran into manygrads, but no ’81ers. He was goingto go to Kosovo, butwith all theviolence, he was asked to defer. The trip sounded pretty nice, though.

I once again thank all ofyou foryour emails and phone calls. I love to hear from all ofyou and I’m countingthe days until our 25th I did swingbytheAOG a fewweeks ago to beginaskingabout timelines and options for our reunion. Let me know any ideas. I would like to put in our wishes for weekends and hotels laterthisyear.

Jim Ratti 6329 Pheasant Valley Road

Dayton, OH 45424-7100

H: (937) 236-9306

DSN: 785-8695 ext. 3444 (work) rattijm@mindspring.com http://usafa82.org

ingdoveswho insist on building a nest in my rain gutters. Perhaps I should justgive up and wait for the first hard rain...

But at least I have some good (ifa bitdated...) news this time! Mylast deadline was just a bit too early to include a list of our most recent 0-6 selects. I perused the list and extracted the following names: PaulAckerman, Delane Aguilar, Mark Baker, Eric Best, Darryl Blan, Damon Booth, Phil Bossert, Ed Cabrera, Brendan Clare, Mark Crews, Tom Cristler, Godfred Demandante, Liz Durham-Ruiz, Bill Erikson, CarlaGammon, JohnGomez, Mike Graham, Bill Harding, Brett Haswell, JeffHosken, Rick Ingalsbe, LarryJones, Chris Kapellas, Michael Korcheck, and Harry Leach. Also, Tim Lindemann,Vic Lofton,A1 Lowry, EddieMcallister, JeffMoragne,JohnNorton, Cave Omeara, GaryPackard, Steve Pluntze, Jim Ratti, RockyReiners, Ken Robinson, Stu Rodgers, Gene Rohl, Jan Rosko, Scott Rumph, Rich Schiano,James E Smith, Jeffrey B Smith, Jeffrey S Smith, John R Smith, William C Smith, Preston Thompson, RickTurner, RonWarner, BillWatkins, SteveWills, andAlZelenak. I found these names bysortingbyline number, as USAFAgrads are generally lumpedtogether. So ifI missed anyone, please let me know. Our line numbers range from 83 tol35, so ifcurrent promotion rates continue I’d expect most ofus will be pinned on byJan or Feb ofnextyear. MarkCrews probably summed feelings up best bysaying, “Colonel select is a real privilege and it justbegins to bring home what was planted in us at USAFA so manyyears before. All the core values were sown in us before we even knewwhat labels to put on them: integrity, service before self, and commitment to excellence. I’mglad to callyoumy classmates andwishyouallthebest. Just as I’dwishthoseall thebestwhose rankacceleratedfasterthan ours, I’d also ask that we proudlyrepresent the remainder.” Congrats to all!

GreetingsRedtags!

Springhasfinallyarrived inDayton, andthe avian rutting season has begun! I’mwritingthisduring a time outfrommybattlewith some CE-major mourn

As you’d expect, the release ofthe promotion list generated a small flurry of e-mails passing congratulations around, and from those I gleaned a few tidbits. Rives Duncan is a Protestantchaplain at RAF Croughton, andCol Sharon (Greiman) Dunbar is the commander ofthe 737th TrainingGroup at Lackland. Steve Pluntze is teaching out at USAFA (Aero dept, I think...), and HarryLeach is the Deputy Commander ofthe 89th Ops Group atAndrews. MikeRoberts isin theOhioGuard, andisViceCommanderofthe 178th Fighter Wing at Springfield, a stone’s throwfrom us here in Dayton. Alan Goard is stationed at Langley, and plans to retire in the northernVirginia area inAugust. Col (S) Kim Corcoran is the 3rd Mission SupportGroup DeputyCommander at Elmendorf, but is expecting a move south this summer.

17 Sabre Society Donors

Peggy (Sherman) Ball sent an e-mailfrom Ramstein, where she’s serving as the political advisor to the USAFE Commander. Peggysaid she’s enjoyingthe company ofclassmates, to include Col Mike Isherwood (AirForces Europe Vice Commander) andCol (S) Phil Bossert (deployable CombinedAir Ops Center ChiefofTraining). She told me that Lt ColTheresa (Stevens) Tittle is workinglogistics forAIRNORTH, andwill be retiring in June. Peggyalso said thatColBobOttowillarrivethis summerto serve as the435AirBaseWingVice Commander. Finally, she said she recentlyspokewith F. Carter Pilcher, who is running a short films companyin London.

SpeakingofCarter, I received an e-mail fromhim a fewdays before Peggy’s, andhe passedalongword that Congresswoman HeatherWilson was having a mid-April fundraiser in Denver to help boost her re-election war chest. Heatherhadthe opportunityto accompanyPresident Bush on AirForce One when hevisited NewMexico in January. She had a marvelous time, andhad someverycomplimentarythings to sayaboutMr. Bush. She made sure to take him to one ofRoswell’s most authentic restaurants, “Nuthin’ Fancy”, for some ribs and cornbread. Byall accounts it was a great time for everybody.

Col Mike and Gloria (Montoya) Ryan sent offtheir “AnnualWee Epistle”, a St. Patty’sDayversion oftheirChristmas letter. You can read thewhole thing (complete with pictures and Mike’s uniquely humorous quips) at http:/ / www.freewebs.com/ryans_in_belgium/index.htm. Trust me, it’s worth the trip! But some ofthe pertinentpoints are that they’ve PCSd all thewayfrom Paris to Brussels, have had more vacationin a yearthan should be allowed by law (Oberammergau, London, LasVegas, the Grand Canyon, familyin Pennsylvania, QEII from NewYork to London, etc.), andhave two great kids. Mike is currentlythe DefenseAdvisor to the U.S. Mission to the EuropeanUnion, butwill be headed back to Paris in the summer of’05 to be theAirAttache.

GaryWebertook ajob with ITT and is one ofthree systems administrators (or as he says, “computernetworkweenies”) working on anArmycontract in Afghanistan. He says he has the pleasureofworking 10-hour days in a very dustyenvironmentsubjectto rocketattacksfromstubbornTaliban remnants. Gary sent a number ofpictures which I’ll post on the ’82 website. I got a kick

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY! YOUR MONEYHELPS FUND CADETWING PROGRAMS THAT IULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUND]

CALL THE AOG FOR INFO.

out ofthe pictures he sent ofhis “spacious, luxurious workdesk and sleeping quarters”, completewithAFCW-reg-compliant closetsetup! It’s amazingwhat you can do with plywood, blankets, and folding chairs... Gary had a short layoverin Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and especiallyenjoyed the ironyofbeingphotographed next to a monument to Lenin.

GaryandVladimir in Bishkek

Lt Col BryanBranby sent me a poignante-mailrelatinghis experience transportingtheremainsoffiveU.S. soldiers out ofBaghdad. Bryan is aUSAFRC-130 navigator and has been busyferryingtroops and supplies all over Southwest Asia. His storyis too long to printhere, but please go to thewebsite and read it, as itreallyputs a personalface on ouryoung soldiers’ sacrifices over there.

Chris Broyhill retired in December 2001 and started his own business jet chartercompanycalledAndareAir-Lease, Inc. He operates out ofNewcastle CountyAirport,just south ofWilmington, DE, and as ofthiswriting was workingto purchase a fleetofthreeLear31s, fourHawker800s, andthree Gulfstream IVs. He’shopingthat thislocation is the first ofmanynationwide. You can read more abouthis company atwww.andareair-lease.com. He extended an open invitation to classmates interested in flyingjobs with a real future to contact him at chris@andareair-lease.com. Chris also sent a picture ofhis fourgreatlookingkids, which you can view on the website.

Andwith that, I’m about out ofspace once again! So I’ll sayfarewell for now, and best wishes to all ofyou for a safe and enjoyable summer. Ratman

Jon Duresky

207 Knob Hill Drive

Warner Robins, GA 31088

Home: (478) 953-3141

DSN: 497-4478

E-mail: DureskyJB@aol.com

Some things are timeless. Amongthem are, when facedwith a deadline of a paper, project, Powerpointpresentation, etc., the irresistible urge to take a nap. So now that mynap is complete, I’ll try to destroythe demon ofwriter’s block, which has me bythe throat, and once again present foryour review, a briefaccount ofthe activities ofthe Class of’83 as seen through myeyes and yourcards and letters, sincelasttime we chatted, when the Ramp still hadthe dreaded word “Men” on it, and marching, demerits, and Forms 10 still existed. Andyou actuallythought some things were timeless!

Classmates, I never use this column to editorialize, but after 15 years on the job, allow me an indulgence, as I state my opinion on the direction in which ourAcademy is moving. I embrace change forthe better. Ongoingchanges at USAFAto eliminate a mindset (actual or perceived) that allowed assaults and other lawless behavior are fantastic. I also revere tradition. Someofthetraditions thatwill be eliminatedunderthe “new” USAFA are designed to make the USAFAmore likethe USAF. Pardon me, but the USAFA never was or ever will be the USAF. It is a unique environment, a transitional environment, andyes, a world-class college and leadership lab, where boys and girls become men and women, Air Force officers and leaders. Tradition is also part of the mentoringprocess and common bond ofUSAFAgraduates. As we pare away at tradition, what we incrementallygain iftheUSAFAlooks more liketheUSAF we lose in big chunks as the “Long Blue Line” gets a definite point of"before and after.” And finally, since I am on mysoapbox, to sacrifice on the altar of political correctness thewords “Bring Me Men” from our Ramp was a leadership sellout in the worstway. To thinkthatthewords to a poem could foster a sexuallypermissive or discriminatory culture makes no sense to me. Obviously, it made sense to someone with much more rank on his/her shoulders than I could ever dream ofhaving. Nonetheless, I still vehementlydisagree with the “newlook” the Ramp projects. Okay, I’m done now. Next editorial after another 15 years on thejob, but thanks for letting me get this offofmy chest.

Let’s talk HappyTimes! The 20-Year Reunion was unbelievable. I know Dave Ruffleyand RayBlust alreadywrote aboutit, butthis article is myrendi

tion, and ifyou had as good a time as I had duringthatwhirlwind96-hourslice oflife, you’re not quitereadyto put those memories in the archived files on the mentalhard drive.

I think Billy “Scales” Walker has theWorld’s Greatest Job. Col Billy is a Permanent Professor ofAthletics, which I assume has ajobdescription. Whathe really does for a livingiswalkaround and say “Hi” to people. He gave me the grand tour ofhis domain, and he kneweverybody on the vast athletic staffby first name. And his office has a nice bigwindow. And bythe way, he was also a co-chairofthe Reunion Committee. Since I wouldforget someone ifI tried to listallofthekeyplayers on the Committee, I’ll use Billy as the rep, and saythat from all ofus in ’83, many thanks for all ofthe hard work, and don’t you love itwhen a plan comes together? And now thatyou havebeenpraisedin a publicforum, youcan’tbackoutwhen asked to plan the 25th! We, the proletariat, expectnothingbut thebest!

I thinkQuinnNewhall and FrankCurryhave the MostAromaficJobs. Quinn owns a chain ofpizzarestaurants inTexas, andwas heavyinto thenetworking scene atthevariousReunioneat-and-drinkfests, discussingplans to expand to Denver. “KingQuinn,” ifyouneed a pilot to flyyouhitherandyon, let me know, and myapplicationwill be on yourfaxmachine quickerthanyou can say“large double cheesewith theworks.” Frank’s employment adventures take on a differenteffervescence. Yes, he stillfliesforAmerican as hisdayjob, but hisheart iswhere the homeis, and his home is a chicken ranch (no, not outside ofNellis) inWisconsin. Yep, Frankthe Chicken Farmer. He cleaned up realwell at the Embassy Suites parties. Nowwhenyou get the contract to flychicken wings for the companythat specializes in them, what a flight crew we would make!

As I satin F-1 listeningto speeches on the State oftheAcademy, I noticedwhat appeared to be afledglingconspiracy. John Hesterman andJohnZazworsky were sittingtogether, at least three seats empty all around, engaged in deep conversation. Were theydiscussing the future oftheAF when theytook control? Perhaps. I had to know. So I low-crawled, unnoticed, to a seat behind them andheardthe following: “Canyou believe the NERVE ofour classmates who are STILL0-4s and 0-5s? Not one ofthemhas called me ‘Sir’ yet!” Then, a consensus between the Johns: “Maybe we should call Charlie Garcia ‘Sir.’ Hejust donated (i.e., wrote offon’03 taxes) $100,000 to theAOG!” Waytogo, Charlie! And it’s all in fun, needlingyou 0-6s out there. We’re all anxious for ’83ers to start wearing Stars.

Another Reunion memoryto share: the class picture at the Chapel, the place to see and be seen. Everyone is decked out in his or her Sundaybest, or dress blues, complete with war hero medals. Pictures ofgrads only. Pictures of grads and spouses. Pictures of preppies. Pictures of full colonels. HEY, I wanted to scream! Howabout getting active dutymajors and LtCs together, under the caption, “Grads at the Pinnacle ofMediocre Careers?” Take the picture!! Yeah, it could happen...

The golftournament, Thursdayand Fridaynightparties at the Embassy, tailgatingbeforethe game, getting snowed on at the game, gettingtogetherwith your close friends on Saturdaynight—just closeyour eyes, let the here-andnowretreatfor a fewminutes, andre-liveyour own personalmemories. Makes me feel as warm as runningtheAssaultCourse on a sunnydayinJuly 1979; how aboutyou?

You know, I have a stackofcards and letters from Holidaycorrespondence, butI’m approaching myword count limit, so theydon’t make the cut. I’ll sum them all up—all children ofgraduates are straightA students, athletic prodigies, never get traffic tickets, and never give their parents any lip. All grad families take excitingvacations in exotic locales. Everyone teaches Sunday school. Nary a wart, blemish, or raised voice. Yeah, it could happen...

Some things are timeless. Add these to the list: friendshipsforged during BCT and throughout the fouryears at our Academy; friendshipsupdated for currency every 10 years or so; looking forward fondly to the next meeting.

Now ifyou didn’t make it to the Reunion, I hope I didn’t bore you with this column, butthose Septemberdays were the defining moments ofthisyearfor our class. Andfor everyone, put it down in stone September2008, the 25year celebration! ScalesWalker and his crew are alreadyplanning the party. One quickadmin note: In Ray’s article in the lastissue ofCheckpointshe had a small mistake in the scribe info. I write the articlewith thelate March deadline, and StuPopewritesthe articlewiththefune deadline. Rayhaditthe other way around. Guess he buys the first round ofbottled water at the 25th As I signoff, remember... Geardown, checksix, makebackupfiles, do a good deed today. Nice chattingwith y’all, as always. JonDuresky

Mike Jensen

12035 Milam Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80908

(800) G0-AFA-G0

E-mail: mdjensen21@yahoo.com

www.goafago.com/84

(Six Sabre SocietyMembers)

Freespeech! With allthe talkoffree speech, how come I have to begforyour inputs? I guess there is reallyonly one message to get across to you, the great classof1984! There are lessthanthreemonths until our 20th reunion. Sowhether it’sAtkins or South Beach, Propecia or Rogaine, body-for-life or yoga, it is time to getreadyto bringyourbest game to the show! Tellyourfriends, familyand classmatesyou are going to be at USAFASeptember8-11,2004! Information can be seen atwww.usafa.org or feel free to call or email me! See you there! Jens

Class of 1984 20th Reunion/Homecoming

USAFA vs. Eastern Washington

3-11 September 2004

Quintel Williams

6410 Katherine Ann Lane Springfield, VA 22150

E-mail: USAFA1985@aol.com

Happy50th USAFA!

Congrats to our newest 0-6 selectsJohn Sells and EliseVanderVennet! Way to go!

I’m PCSing to ajoint USSTRATCOM Mission Directorposition at Cheyenne Mountainthis summer. I’m enclosing a picture ofmycurrent office (HQUSAF/ XOR Space & C4ISR CONOPS). From left are MajVeronicaCruz, Lt Col

to VandenbergAFB, CAbythe end ofMarch to becomethe DO in new space test organization. And I sawJim Lovell at the Pentagon and Mike Black in Rosslyn in February. Jim should be going to school this summer at Ft McNairfor ICAF. Mike was selected to command the 1 st Communications Squadron at Langley AFB. I also sawAl Fragalain February too, but I saw him when I was visiting someone else at his new office at the NRO/DDSE in Chantilly,VA. I spoke to RandyPagan, 76 SPCS/DO on the telephone and

forArmySenior Service School/Air Force Senior Developmental Educationthis summer.

Mike Challman contacted theAOG to see ifanyone from our class had alreadyvolunteered to chair our 20th Reunion. Ofcourse, no one had. And we haven’tbeenable to contact our class officers due to changeinaddresses. Please help find our classpresident ScottVipond andvice president JamesVogtandhavethem contact theAOG. Class officers are needed in reunion activities in order to expend class funds.

Mrs LaniWang,AlumniRelations Consultant, told Mike that shewouldhelp us with our reunionbut we need to round up severalvolunteers to help: Laniwill help coordinate all the events on theAcademy (openhouse, memorial ceremony, golf, Mitchell Hall lunch, etc); she will also help in working the details at the hotel (sleepingandmeeting rooms, menus, etc). TheAOG does still sign all contracts unlessyou have a classmate who would like to commit his/her monies to payforthe reunion. Additionally, theAOGwill be help find lost classmates for a $5 per person fee. TheAOG recommends getting startedwith reunion committees about one year out (August/September 2004) and that a local person serves as chair for the event. Volunteers?

The class/committee chooses thehotelandthensubcommittees need to be formedforthefollowing (this can be one to threepeople as desired): (1) Squadron Coordinator locates individual squadron POCs and passes information betweenclass andAOG. (2) GolfCoordinator-puts teams togetherand comes up with anyrules. (3) Hotel/Menu Coordinator acts as troubleshooter duringthe reunion/choosesthe menus forthe events. (4) Entertainment Coordinator finds the DJ or local band, ifdesired. (5) Merchandise Coordinator- choose the reunion merchandise to be offered to classmates. And (6) Class Gift Coordinator workswith Development on the class gift to theAcademy.

JeffGose isworking on theAir Staff. Jeffwas kind enough to send a fewlines and a picturefrom a ChesapeakeBaytrollingexpedition near LongPoint. The 50" Stripped Bass tookabout 45 minutes to land.

Tom Connellywrote to sayhowmuchhe enjoysreadingCheckpoints, espedally now that he’s deployed for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF). Tom is currentlydeployed in Baghdad as a partofCJTF-07workingin the IraqiAssistance Center (IAC) with the Coalition ProvisionalAuthority (CPA) as the Director, Air Movements Operations Cell. Tom is responsible for approving all Humanitarian Assistance (HA) flights into Iraq for the CPA through the RegionalAir Movement Control Center (RAMCC), with emphasis on operations at Baghdad InternationalAirport (BLAP). Tom’s “normal” job is as the Ops officer for the 91ARS at MacDillAFB but hevolunteered for this deployment because hiswife,Amy, is a Majorin the U.S. Army reserves and was mobilized on 7 Dec 2003 for 547 dayswith a deploymentto CJTF-07 in Baghdad. Rather than not see herfor almost 18 monthsTom tried to getin the same AOR as his wife. As it turns out the USAF always leads the way and Tom beat Amy to Baghdad. Tom reported on 16 Jan 04 and as ofMarch, Amy was still stuck in Kuwait at Camp Udairi when Tom wrote. WhenAmydoes make it there, her office will be upstairs fromTom’s. Tom works in the Iraqi convention center across from the infamousAl Rashid hotel andAmywill beworking in the Coalition Press Information Center (CPIC). Amyis the commander ofthe 204th MPAD (Mobile PublicAffairs Detachment) andis swapping outwith the 319th MPAD who have been in-countryfor almost a year.

Fred Frederick was surfingthe Internet, found our classweb site, and decided to checkin. Fred said he and his family (wife, Safira)just moved to the Washington DC area following a three-year tour at KadenaAB in Okinawa, Japan. Fred movedhis familyinto a house in Centreville,VA so he can attend languagetraining en route to becometheAirAttachein Burma. Fred saidthey should be in the D.C. area until aboutAugust2005, so ifanyonepasses through the area theyshouldbe sure to lookhim up. As is customary, Fred was waiting on hishousehold goodsshipmentbut old man winterwasn’t done and a snow storm delayedhis shipment. Fred saidhe spentthe last threeyears as a navigator on MC-130Hs and as a squadronADO and group ChiefofSafety. Fred said after he had been “passed over” for DO a fewtimes he got the hint and decided to try something different. Fred has spent most ofhis timein the Pacific, met hiswife in the Philippines, anddecided they’dtry it out. Fred said he’s concerned that the languagetraining is going to kickhis butt, but we all knowbetter!

AlanMackeyofoldCS40provided an update to the status RickBritgave us on him a fewmonths ago. Alan saidthe storywe provided was too watered down; he went blind about threeyears ago due to a boutwith a nasty disease called Bacterial Meningitis. It is a longandtryingstory, butkeepingitfairlyshortfor now... he didseparate in 1992, andgothiredbyAmericanAirlines. Afterbeing furloughed, and survivingAmerican eagle, he was back on atAmerican, flying 757-767swhenallthishappened to him. Alanused to flyB-52sfromCarswellin Ft.Worth, TX Kate andhis two boys, KevinandBrian, are doingprettywell.Alan sayshehonestlyfeelsGodhasbeenfaithfulthroughallthis. Alanis notworking, buthe’sinterestedingettingbacktoworkat some point. Alanwouldlike toknow ifthere are othergradswho have also metwithblindness?

Until the next time... Quintel.

Gary Burg

PSC 41, Box 5423

APO, AE 09464-5201

Email: lce492FS@aol.com

Greetingforthe last time from MerryOlde England. Just to put this article in context, I’mwriting this on the 23rd ofMarch as myWing (the 48 FW - RAF Lakenheath) is starting a week-longexercise to prepare for a NATO OPEVAL we will be having in July. As soon as our wing’s OPEVAL is over I’ll be packing up myhousehold one lasttime and moving myfamily to Anchorage,Alaska. Unfortunately, I do not have an assignment to Alaska but theAir Force has “promised” me a follow-on assignment thereafter my one-year remote to CampCasey, South Korea. I’mgoingto Koreato be a DetachmentCommander forthe604ASOS. MyRNLT date is 10 August so I’ll have some time with the family in Alaska before going to Korea. The goodthing is I don’t have to go throughALO training at NellisAFB becauseofmyprevioustraining as anALO. LasVegas isJulyisn’tthe place to be! Thiswill be mysecondALO tourin Korea. Enough about me. On to the fewemails I received. Unfortunately I haven’t receivedthelatestcopyofCheckpointsyet so don’tknowwhatBob wrote in the last column.

Scribe infrontoftheLondonEye.

Myfirst email came from KirkLear. Kirkwrote, “Forwhatit’sworth... I only emailed you brieflyfrom Elmo... I got moved over here short-notice in Novemberfrom30SS/DO duties at Elmendorf—a great team I hated to leave, but sheesh, here I am with anotherblessing atYokota. Myops officeris none other than classmate and old friend Cecil Medina. Two militaryhistorymajors running a squadron... don’t expect memorable results. Seriously, two old Here dudes are having a great time despite the grind ofthings we’d rather not be doing—plus a little flying to keep us sane. Didjust hit our squadron with a ‘fitness challenge’ if 10 pairs offolks can better our (Cecil’s and mine) collectiveAF fitness tests scores, we’llthrow out some bucks to thewinners... and shave our heads. That’ll be a greatpicturefortheAOG magazine... OK, let me rethinkthis. No other ’86 grads here atYokota that I know of but there is a great bunch of’85 guys (I know—I find it hard to believe I even typedthat). Cecil’s married to Melanie, and she hasn’t thrown him out yet... she’s a saint. Susan and I are pluggingalonghappilywith our son Trev, now 10, and daughter Reagan, 1... one happysnowboarding/skiingfamily, even here in Japan. Still in contact with some fellowBarnstormers—hard to believe we’re only a fewyears from anotherreunion. Hugh (Traci)Vestjust moved back to Luke in theViperafter an ACC/IG (flying) stint—his daughterDelaneyis reallyfavoring mom as she grows older, and I thank God for that daily.

“Tish (Mooney) Wodetzki is up to her ears in Global Hawk at Edwards as 31TES/DO with a pastorhubby, John, and three beautiful kids. RickChancellor (Carla) is atAFIT, with a new baby, and a wife who marriedway down the food chain. I hear from Mark (Noel) Crosby now and then he’s some big

guru with the Port ofPortland, OR—but across the river in theWashington ANG is an overtasked squadron commander (withthree children). JeffSmith (Sheryl) is up at FEWarren as the ChiefofSafety, also with two kids. I saw Mike Pietryga (Susan) at a convention in LA. backin November—three awesome kids (one son verymuch like Mike was 20years ago - ‘vengeance is mine, says the Lord’) and a good acquisitionsjob atWright-Pat, which is familiar territoryforhim. Mike mentioned that Curtis Green (Shellie), our otheracquisitions guru, gotmarried lastyear (andfailed to tellanyofus—I willkickhisbutt when I see him again), and I thinkG-man’s at USSOUTHCOM after a number ofyears at OSD inWashington. Ed Chavez (Kelliey) is back on his beloved home turfin Idaho as a Deltapilot, with a son and daughter.

TomWillard (Linda) is in Florida, also an airline pilot, with two teenagedaughters. Last I knew, longtime roommateJim (Mary) Hawkins live where Ed and Kelliey used to live... DFWarea... andthey’redoingverywellforthemselves, too.

That’s my cut although I’m sure I left someone out. Been flyingtoday, it’s late, early start in the morning. Mike “Trigger” Pietrygajust wrote me back to mention an upcoming move. Take care. - Kirk.”

2

Sabre Society Donors

Mikewrote: “Kirk-san! Ko-nichi-wa Ogenkidesuka? Thanks for theemail update and forkeeping ’86 somewhat cohesive. I betTrev is the snowboarder in the family. Eric, now 14, never wants to ski with his ol’ man anymore—just snowboard. I’vetriedboardingbutstilllike skiingmuchbetter. And itprobablydoesn’thelp thatI’m an uncoordinateddweeb. Wejustgot an assignmenttotheAFRLSpaceLabatKirtland. Wewantedtobeinwarmerweather andcloserto Susan’sfamilyso we’reprettyexcited. I’mexcited,too, aboutworking with some prettywacky, far-outtechnology. Take care oldfriend, Mike.”

JeffFrankhouser, a fellowTroll, dropped me an email stating, “Here’s the latest... Currently commander of 341st Maintenance Operations Sq at Malmstrom in Montana. Have 260 folks who support ICBM maintenance mission for 200 Minuteman missiles. Includes wingjob control, training, vehicles, equipment,backshopmaintenance, electronicslabs, aircraftground equipment,helicoptermaintenance and an assortment ofotherdogs and cats. PCSing to Pentagon in lateJuly. Newjob will be atAirStaff/XONC... will be in counterproliferation arena as chiefofC-CBRNE (counter-chem, bio, radiological, nuclear and highexplosive threats). Essentially, I’ll be developing CONOPS and trainingfor counter-WMD. Still married to Elaine 18 years in August. Kids oldest boy, Dane, is eight. Twin boys Grant and Paul are five, and mydaughterAveryis three. I started losing myhairlike a bigdog so now I shave myhead... I like to thinkI’ve got theYule Brenner look going on... my co-workers thinkI look more likeUncle Festerfrom theAddams Family. What do theyknow! Gave up myHarleyriding... bulging disk in thebackmakes it hard to ride these days. Sold all mybikes. Now I’m into turningwrenches on Jeeps, old and new. Jeff.”

ToddBeerwrote me a shortemailfromhisPresidentialPilotduties atAndrews AFB. Toddwrote, “Hey, Gary. Still stationed atAndrews and looking forward to retirement in ’06. Ayear ago we added a little girl to our twin boys to completethecycle. IfI had known howmuchfunkids were Iwouldhavehadthem whenI was youngenough to keep upwiththem. Take care and goodluckwith the column. Todd”

The one ofthelastemails I receivedwas fromJeffHenry. Hewrites, “Alliswell with me—I’mtheA5 (DirectorofPlans) fortheAF’sfirstwarfightingHQ,‘AFEUR’. As a result, I’ve been doing a lot ofcreating (pullingthings outta mybutt) for severalmonths. Inthemidstofworkingnormaldailyops, we’retryingto remake theAir Forces in Europe into Gen Jumper’s and Gen Foglesong’svision. Ugh. Kerryand IwillbeleavinginJun05 fortheU.S. (Kerryhas a battalioncommand slot at eitherAberdeen ProvingGround or FtJackson, SC.”

Thelastemailwas fromMikeTherianoswhoisthecommanderofFlyingSquadron 1 (NATOAWACS) atGeilenkirchenAB, Germany. Moosewas lookingforme to arrangeanF-15fly-byforamemorialserviceon the 13* ofApril. Unfortunately I couldn’thelphimbut I pointedhim to someone thathopefullycould.

Sharon (Hullinger) Giletti

500 Lunalilo Home Road, ID

Honolulu, HI 96825

Phone and Fax: (808) 394-6397

E-mail: sharongiletti@aol.com

(Nine Sabre SocietyMembers)

Alohafellowclassmates! Unfortunately, there were no emails this go-around. Good news though... I hope to have our class page up and running soon to makeit even easierforyou to getyour news to me. I have connectionsthrough ourAlohaChapteroftheAOGand am excited to bring us into the21st Century.

Also, as a celebration oftheAcademy’s 50thAnniversaryanditsheritage, I’ve been asked to identifythose 1987 graduateswho exemplifyexcellence. Ifyou wouldlike to share a storyofnotable achievement or success ofa fellowgraduate, whether in business, military, or other areas oftheirlife, please email it to me. Until next time - Sharon.

2437 Bedford Circle

Bedford, TX 76021-1823

(817) 937-9696

E-mail: pylt@comcast.net

Hi ’88! Lots ofClass news to report so let’s dive in. In the last issue I had to leave out much ofKrisALDEN’s (CS-29) material. He had included a copyof hisPantherPress thatlistednearlyeveryone’shistorysincegraduation. At eight pages I’llhavematerial forquite some time—Thanks Kris! I’ll start with one or two Panthers percolumn so as to leave spacefor other news. Not surprisingly, some ofthis might be a bit dated bythe time ithitsyourmail box.

“Adam Nyenhuis: LeftUSAFAforpilottraining atWilly,whichwas followedby an assignmentto ElmendorfflyingC-12FsintheAlaskanBushfrom 89-92. Went to Dover (92-96) to flyC-5s; moved outtoAltus (96-99) as a schoolhouseinstructor, then to ScottfortwoyearsintheTACCwith apromotion to AMCstaffforthelastyear. Projectedto move backto Doverthe endofJuly2003. Marriedto Karen—we were engagedMarch ofour senioryear—andhave fourbeautifulkids: David (11), Katherine (8), Jonathan (4), and Kristin (2 mo).”

Sabre Society Donors

“Cindy Stephens: AFSC 33S3 (Comm O). Assignments: GrifFissAFB, NY, 88-92; 485th Engr and Installation Group; RamsteinAB, 92-95,1856 CSGPand786 CS; Pentagon95-98, AF Pentagon Comm Agency; Peterson AFB, CO, 98-02, NORAD/J3; HillAFB, UT, 02-Current, 729ACS/SC; Squadron deployed to AliAl SalemAB, Kuwait, Nov02 - Jun03. Timejust seems to fly. Currently the ChiefofMaintenance for theAir Control Squadron at Hill. Sort oflikecombat comm, except we also have air battle managers.” Jim Cardoso’s email missed mylast deadline, buthereis hisupdate from late January: “Just setded in afterPCSing and thought I’d fire you a quickupdate. No Christmas letter as you alluded to in the last Checkpoints, butwhen you move in December those things kind offall bythewayside! Currentlocation: KirtlandAFB, NM. Just moved here after a stint as the aide-de-camp to the Commander, US Special Operations Command at MacDillAFB. Unit: 551st Special Operations Squadron. We’re the training unit for allAFSOC MH-53 Pave Lowaircrew. Job/Rank: Operations Officer/Lt Col. Family:Going on 14 years married to Lori. Three kids: Mac 10, Alexis 5, and Dusty5 (yes, girl-boy twins. I listAlexis first as she was bom two minutes before Dusty). ’88-ersI’ve seen or know about (or got Christmas cards from): Scott Downey, living in Denverwith his wife, Emily, and three children (theyjust had a set oftwins as well). Mike Stapleton is atTyndallAFB as the Ops Officerforthe new F/A-22 squadron (he was aide-de-camp to GenJumper). Tim Bush is at McConnell AFB as commander ofa KC-135 squadron. (He was aide-de-camp to Commander, Joint Forces Command. Yes, he, Stapes, and I, the three aides, spent time togetherscurrying aroundfor our bosses atvariousconferencesandftinctions.) KurtMillermoved toWarner-Robbins inMay03. Hiswife is active duty andhe’sflyingwithAtlantic CoastAirlines. Vince Logsdonlives inVirginiaand works at the Pentagon. Last time I saw him his hair was alreadyreallygray, so I'm guessingby nowhe’s completely a distinguishedwhite!

I pressed Jim for more ofhis personal info and here’s his addendum: “We came here from MacDillAFB, where I was Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, U.S. SpecialOperations Command. Interestingjob, butverytime consuming andgladto bedone! BeforethatI attendedtheWesternHemisphereInstitutefor SecurityCooperation (WHINSEC, formerlythe School oftheAmericas), at Ft Benning, GA. Lived on postatBenningfortheyear, andfascinatingto beamong the infantry training, airborne training, Ranger training, and the bigArmy lifestyle in general. WHINSEC is basicallyCGSC in Spanish; we bringup officers from almost all the countries in South and CentralAmerica to study US Armystaffofficertraining. There were 40 Latin officers, 21 USArmyofficers, and2 USAFofficers (meand an intelguy). BeforeWHINSEC attendedlanguage school at the Presidio (Monterey) for sixmonths to ensure mySpanish was up to speed forthe school! Before that, I spent31/2 years at Hurlburt Field as an MH-53 pilot forAFSOC. Before Hurlburt I was at Osan flyingMH-53s for another one ofour squadrons. No ideawhere I’m going next—Ijustgot settled here. However, AFSOC’s a pretty small community; I’m sure I’ll return to Hurlburt Field someday. Due to its awfullocation on the GulfCoast ofFlorida, that’s prettydistressing. Igotmarriedin 1990whileaT-38FAIP (Vance) to Lori. Goingstrongwith three great kids to showforit since!

JOIN

THE SABRE SOCIETY!

YOUR MONEYHELPS FUND

CADETWING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED.

CALL THE AOG FOR INFO.

Kip Turain dropped aline in February: “I’ve been the 18AFAide since Dec 03 andhavehadtheopportunityto see orhearofsome ofour classmates doing greatthings! I knowI’llprobablyforget someone I saw alongtheway, so apologies to whomever I forget! Tried to connect with my Bull Six roomie, Dave Argyle, during a recent McGuireAFB visit. We playedphonetag, butlearned through messages that theArgyle foursome is doingwell. Dave had an early showfor a KC-10 simulator mission, so I’m sure a cup ofcoffee was not needed for the ‘O-darkugly show’ for the ‘dial-a-death’! Tom Nelson replaced me as the USTRANSCOM J5 Executive Officer in Nov03. He’s sure to elevate thejob to the next level and amendmy erroneous ways! He was theAide forthe 15th Air Force Commander in 1994, so when he got tired oflistening to me talk about theJ5 Executive Officerjob, he told me aboutwhat it was like to be the NumberedAirForceAide! John Steele is a heavy-haulerinUSTRANSCOM J5, working in the Policyand Doctrine Branch. His quickwithas gained notoriety, too, as he moonlights as emcee and resident ‘funnyguy’, making a staff assignmentlightforallaroundhim! JimRegenoris at Charleston as the Operations SupportSquadron DirectorofOperations (OSS/DO), which inmyopinionhas to be one ofthe most challengingtype ofsquadronsin theAirForce. He showcasedthe Base Operations setup to us. Had a nice chat on thephonewith John Chapman, who is livinglarge at Robins as the OSS/DO and flyingKC135s. Steve Dion is in charge ofairfield operations atTravisAFB. He gave us a great tour ofthe air traffic control tower andthe base, from the 11th floor— what a room with a view! Tim Bush gave me some tips as he left his job as USJFCOM Aide this past summer and is now moldingminds as the 384 Air RefuelingSquadron Commander at McConnellAFB. JohnPayne tookgreat care ofme while we were atTravisAFB. He was recentlymarried and is muscling the C-5 around the system. Nodded quickly across the room to Ricky Murphybefore I had to run out ofthe meeting room. He is theAircraft Maintenance SquadronCommander atTravis.” Kip can be found atDSN 779-0486, Comm (618) 229-0486, orkip.turain@scott.af.mil.

Lastly, a quick email from David DeBorger included a reallycoolpicture, so we’lljusthave to putit in. “I was furloughed fromAmericanAirlinesalmost as soon as we lost our second airplanebackin September2001. I’vebeen a proud Guard Bum ever since, flyingtheC-130JwiththeMarylandAirNational Guard. Having flown the C-130 since graduating from pilot training I know some people who know some people and I managed to find a way to augment the NewYorkAir Guard in theirAntarctic mission last December. Theydidn’tlet me flythe airplane, buttheylet me hopalong on a ride to the SouthPole.Here’s proof. Yes, it was cold.

“I covered a lot ofmiles in 2003.1 made it as farnorth as Barrow,Alaska, and as far south as you can go.

And that’s as far as we can go too since I’m over the size limit. Thanks to all who wrote; your efforts make this Checkpoints column possible.

Paul W. Tibbets, IV

854 Westover Road

Whiteman AFB, MO 65305

Home: (660) 563-3095

E-mail: p2a2@charter.net

(EightSabre SocietyMembers)

Hello classmates! Hard to believe, but 2004 is half over and is has been 15 years since we graduated. I had the privilege to pin on lieutenant colonel 31 March in the presence ofthose that matter most to memyfamily, parents, grandfather, and numerous friends.God states in 1 Samuel 2:30, “Thosewho honor me I willhonor.” Not onlydid God honor me with this promotion, but it is truly the result ofsuperb senior mentorship, unequalled support from peers and friends, and steadfast love and encouragement from my family. Thanks!

Don Simpson and wife, Kirsten, were blessed with the birth of son Tucker William Simpson on 8 Jan! Everyone is doingwonderful!

Don andTucker Simpson

Rondall Rice and family, Annette, Kathleen (7) and Rachel Carolina (5), will be on the move this summer after two years at Misawa, where he has been the IntelligenceFlight Commander. Due to theAcademypayingforhis Carolina PhD, Rondall will head back to USAFA and teach in DFH tough duty! Although Misawahas been a busyand rewardingtour, the Rice familyis happyto be returning to the U.S. and to Colorado Springs.

Rondall ran into Maureen Donahue duringExercise Keen Edge atYokotaAB. She was doing her two-week IMA stint. JeffLouiejoined the group - he had gotten out inthe mid-1990sbutstayedin the Reserves and came back on active dutyrecently. He is an intel officer at US Forces Japan.

Bestwishes to you andyourfamilies. Pleasekeep those updatescoming! Take care and God bless.

James Sanchez

8301 Emerald Circle

North Richland Hills, TX 76180

H: (817) 881-6357

Web: WWW.USAFAT0DAY.COM/1990

E-Mail: editor@usafatoday.com

Hello everybody! I onlygot one picture fromyouguys (remember, theAOG won’tpublish a picturewithout a grad in it) so you have to see me andmykids again:

AMC/A37V(Stan/Eval). IfanyoneisintheSt. Louis area they can have a place to crash.

RayLuevanos (3/1/04): No, notMayoryet. Buttheydid make myposition permanent after I came backfrom mydeploymentfrom Qatar (myposition here was originally a two-yearprojectposition). Still pluggingalongwith the Reserves. Still not flyinganymore. Still an exec fortheWmgCommander. Still trying to finish myACSCthroughcorrespondence—somehow PME now is even more boring now than it was during M-5 right afterlunch.

Lee Newton (3/1/04): I will be moving to MalmstromAFB in May, mywife andyoungest daughter to follow in September. Will be the DO for the 40th RQF (H-ls).

Steve Kiser (3/28/04): Am wrappingup myAFIT-sponsored PhD program at the RAND Corporationright now, writing mydissertation on terroristfinancialnetworks. Interestingstuff thosebastards are beyond creative when it comes to ways to raise moneyforthemselves. Fortunately, I gotselected to be a DO at the 614th Space Intel Squadron up atVandenbergAFB, andwillbeheadingup there in aboutfive more months. I'm definitelylookingforward to gettingbackintherealAirForce again—neverknewhowmuchI’dmiss itbybeingin school.

Paul Lambertson (3/28/04): Michelle and Ijust sold our house and will move to Ohio in midApril tostart my MS in SpaceSystems (AFIT/IDE). Michellewillgo to Ohio StateforherMS inAtmospheric Science. Gotta like beingcollege kids together!

Lou Seliquini (3/29/04): Susan, the kids, and I are PCSingJune 11th to Luke AFB, AZ to the 56th FighterTrainingWing (AETC). I willbe takingcommand ofthe 56th LRS there. Ijust returned home from a deployment in support of Operation JOINT GUARDIAN. I was deployed as the NATO HQs Skopje MacedoniaJ-4 ChiefofAir Operations. For41/2 months I lived andworked in the Gazela Shoe factoryin downtown Skopje.

Jay Lowell (3/29/04): I am currently assigned to DARPA the Defense AdvancedResearchProjectsAgency. Thishas to be one ofthe most interesting jobs in the entire government! DARPA’s charter is to prevent technological surprisebycreating new technology. Forthose ofyouwho don’tknow, DARPA was the drivingforce behindtechnologyadvancements forthe development ofthe Internet and stealth aircraft; it also created unmanned aircraft such as Global Hawk and Predator. Ijustgotthrough DARPATech2004, our systems and technologysymposium, where I gave a speech to 2,000people on efforts to develop new defense capabilitiesbyexploiting the strange properties of quantum mechanics. I ran intoAdam Mortensen there. He’s at SMC/TD in Los Angeles. DARPA also sponsored the DARPA Grand Challenge, which entailed a $1M prize forthe autonomous robotic groundvehicle that could travelbetween Barstow, CA and Primm, NV None ofthe 15 roboticvehicles made the trip, butit was reallyinterestingbeing ajudge out on the course and interactingwith the development teams. Since there was no winner, there will be another Grand Challenge event in about 18 months, and it looks like the prize moneywill be doubled to $2M forthewinning team. In other class news, I have heard from Kelly Kratochvil Greene, who is now in Orlando at theAirForceAgencyforModelingand Simulation. Paul LambertsonisleavingforWPAFB inJune, and Shan Kruse is gettingreadyfor SAASS at Maxwell AFB afterfinishingACSC.

James Sanchez and his boys.

Ben Davis (1/26/04): I enjoyed seeing the article inAF Times about eDoDo and USAFA. Glad theyfinally came around to the idea that cadets will act like adults when theyget treated like adults. I enjoythe eDoDo everyfewmonths. Granted, some ofthe content is a littlebeyondhumorous, but most ofitis funny in a silly sort ofway. Whycan’t I get mywife to thinkit’s funny!

Pat Flood (1 /30/04): I PCSd to Korealast month tostart myISS at the ROKAF Command & StaffCollege as the USAF exchange officer. I’m only the second Americanto ever attend. Wordhasitthatthere’s aUSMarinewhojustarrivedhere on base, but aside fromhim, I’mtheonlyYankaround formiles. Ifyouplan in be in the hills north ofDaejeon, South Koreain the next 12 months, look me up!

PhilWielhouwer (1/31/04): I’m at Ft Leavenworth forArmyCGSC, about41/ 2 months to go, then where? I’m not sure.

Joel Milton (2/7/04): I’m an AGR in the USAFR, and I’m stationed at Lackland AFB, TX. I was flying for United from Jan 2000 until June 2002 when I took MilitaryLeave. I signed a five-year contract to do flight testworkwith the 313th FlightTest Flight, and we fly out ofold KellyAFB, now called KellyUSA. I was furloughed from United inApril 2003.

SkipVanderbach (2/9/04): I’m currently atAir Command and StaffCollege at MaxwellAFB.

Paul Pepe (2/29/04): I just PCSd to Scott AFB where I’ll be working in HQ

Hello, friends!

I willjust be honest withyou; havingdeployed backfrom Bosnia duringthe time this column was due, havingmy two weeks nowwith myfamily, and not having a ton ofnews, I am deliberatelykeeping this one very short. I heard fromMike Lawrence who’s still atACSC (but not bythe time y’all readthis! Congratulations to all on graduating!). He is planning on PCSingto this part oftheworld-Japan - inJune. Buthewillbe at Kadenainstead ofjoining me here atYokota. As Mike has said, we’rejustgoing to have to hookupwith our families! (I thinkI mentioned last time thathe rediscovered JohnWainaina.)

3 Sabre Society Donors

Some good news for our class fromtheAir Force Personnel Center. “Maj. James P. Dutton ofEdwardsAFB, Calif., is the onlyAir Force officer among 11 military and civilians to be acceptedbythe NationalAeronautics andSpaceAdministrationthisyearto be an astronaut forthe space shuttle program. Two hundred eightAir Force offleers’ applications met the initial board ofwhich 125 were forwardedto NASA after medical screening and 12 ofthose were interviewed with only Dutton selected. Duttonwillreport to theJohnson Space CenterAstronaut Office in Houston later this year for a one-year candidacyprogram. Upon successful completion oftraining and indoctrination, he will be certified byNASA as a shuttle crewmember.” Congratulations to Jim!

BackinJanuaryI got a little news and a picture fromCJiris Mann. “Tilings are goinggreat on the familyfront as well. Mywonderfulwife, Isabel, and I celebrated our 1Othweddinganniversarylast October, and our daughterNatalie is takingallthe military moves instride andexcellingin thirdgrade. Finally, we were blessed by the birth of our son, Alexander, on 2 Sep. He’s doing great (getting lots ofsleep can’t saythe same forus)!

More news from Shawn and Shari (Fox) Silverman; theyhad Trystan Fox Silverman on 6 Nov03. He has his Dad’s looks andhis Mom’s temperament— poor child! Shawn has already banned Shari from runningduring the next pregnancy. MomandDad are not gettingmuchsleepthesedaysbutwho needs sleep to work at the Pentagon? Shari passes on the news that Kent Landreth, Lance Cook, Michael Martindale, Brian Delamater, Frank Figg, and Blake Brewer allwork in the National CapitalRegion. Kent Landreth and his wife, Cheryl, are expecting their second child. Frank Figg and his wife, Teresa, are expectingtheirfirst child. Brian Delamaterandhiswife, MaryIrene, hadtheir second child, JackRyanDelamater, five months ago. Amazing the number of children bom on staffjobs! Blake Breweris planningto temporarilyresignhis commission to go to Dental School in the fall of2004.

Finally, allow me to keepyouup to speedwithTony“Travelin’ Man” Mitchell, who has beenjetting around the Pacific like a crazed typhoon. Two (multiweek) trips to Australia in less than eight months, several small excursions elsewhere andmanytimes back to the states to boot. Tonytold me thatduring one ofhis trips to the states he attended Bob Kraus’ wedding! What excellent news; congratulations, Bob! Pictures, please, anyone!

Well, at the start ofthis assignment, I was planning on having funwith the Mitchells (Siri and daughterKaiya are not exactlylost in translation inTokyo) but so farhave had mostlyto waitforTonyto getbackfrom one trip or another. ButTony assures me that the time inAustralia is all aboutthework. Nowthat he’s backwe’ll have to hook up for sushianyone want to join us?

Drop me a line... Tav.

James S. Mehta

PSC 94, Box 1472

APO AE 09824

DSN: 314-676-6488

Home: jamesmehta@incirlik.net

Work: james.mehta@ogn.af.mil

Welcome to another 1992 Column! As always it is great to hear from all of youand Iknoweveryoneis as interested about one another as you are. Iknow this is the firstthingyou readwhenyou get Checkpoints, so take a minute and drop me a note.

From theInbox. Just aftersendingin thelast column, SuzyStreeter sent me an e-mail updatingherlatestlife events. Suzy’s most recent assignmentshave been to England forthree years followed by two years at Misawa and finally to the Pentagon since 2000 as a program element monitor in the intelligence directorate, an exec, and is now in the C4SIR slot in the legislative liaison division. Suzyenjoyedthis lastjob, “In my currentjob, IserveastheAFPOC

for all intell/C2 type Congressional inquiries it has been quite the eyeopenerfor me andhas been a greatopportunityforprofessionalgrowth. She is nowheaded to one ofthebestAF assignments... attendingNavalPostgraduate School as part ofthe new IDE.

Alwaysgoodfor some info. Mike Rokawwrote me a fewmonthsbackand reported that GaryJenkins got married last year (May 03) and it was a big reunion ofBlackjacks: Dave Rademacher,JaySchueler, Art Primas, andJohn Bostwick. There were other ’92ers like “Slim” Thompson, Randy Coltrain andAndyKloekner. Mikesummeditup saying, “Weallhad alittlelesshair, but the laughs were all the same.”

Leaving LasVegas. Dave “Kumo” Kumashiro is headed from LasVegas to ACSC this summer. Unfortunately, heleaves a fewweeks afterMichelle and I arrive. He had some Checkpointsfodder: Rod Ricard isworkingforGeneral Atomics (Predator contractor) in San Diego; Slim Thompson is flyingT-6s at Moody; Ben Bradleyis Gen Cook’s (AETC/CC) aide—Ithink; Lance Landrum is the CSAF’s aid... (James’ note: Lancewillbehere at Incirlik withGenJumpertomorrow on a tripthroughTurkey—hope to be able to see him, but those General’s aides are quite busy)...Kumo saw Lance in NYC at the Predator display at RockefellerCenter in celebration ofthe CentennialofFlight; Brad Ward, “the all-knowingPredator guru”, left LasVegas early in the year to go to Altus for KC-135 training before heading to FairchildAFB.

9 Sabre Society Donors

Firsttimecaller. MannySaenzwrote me a nicelonge-mail. Mannyandhiswife,Hilda, havebeenmarriedfor sevenyears andjusthad theirfirstchild, BrianaEloisa on 9 Feb 04. Mannymarveled at the wayhislifehas changed so much since Brianaarrivedandhowmuchhe’sloving being a dad. HisassignmentatWright-Pattersonwhere hehasbeenworkingfor theAF ResearchLab sinceNovOO iscomingto an end. Manny came out on the commanderslist andwill be the 17th ContractingSquadron Commander at GoodfellowAFB inSanAngelo. Finally, Ithinkhe expressedwhatwe are feel, "I dowant to sayhowproudI am ofthefactthatmanyofour classmates are steppingup to theplateandprovidingtheneededleadership attheAcademy. Iknow recentlytheAcademyhas received some badpress but Iknowwiththeleadership inplacetodaytheAcademywill once againshine and showeveryone that itis thebest at developingthe USAFfutureleadership.”

Plagiarismmakeswriting easy. Ofcourse, I don’t plagiarize, but I do “borrow” from theAF News Servicewhen I see our classmates’ names in print. I recently sawan articlewith afamiliar name. Chu Soh was featuredin an article aboutthe rightwayto exercise. Chuisassigned to the 374th MedicalOperations Squadron’sphysicaltherapyflight atYokotaAB and was interviewed about exercisingtips to preventpain. He gave a lot oftips on preventinginjuries, but I especiallylikedhis comments aboutthosewho are on “profile” continuingto workout so theydon’tfallfurtherbehind. “Itisimportantthattheydowhatthey can even when injured, because theywill be physically set backalreadywith that injury,” he said. It reminds me ofthe injuredbasics in BCTwho had to lift rocks instead ofrunningthe obstacle course... Thanks forthetips, Chu. News from Incirlik. I had lunchwith Norm Dozierlastweek. Norm is the commanderofthe award-winning Finances Flight here. According to theAF News Service, the 39th ComptrollerFlight at Incirlikwas selected as the Financial Services Officer oftheYear for the USAF and will be recognized at a ceremonyJune 2 at theAmerican Society ofMilitaryComptrollers Professional DevelopmentInstitute in Cleveland. Norm also told me he is marrying alocal (Turkish) woman he met at abankwhile “working.”“Working”... right... I’m sure he was “working,” but I guess Congratulations are in order. Norm and I didn’tget to lunchnearlyoftenenough, but we madeit a fewtimes. Norm also came out on the commanders list andis headed to Mildenhall to leadthe Finance Squadron there.

In Feb, Gen Fogelsong, USAFE/CC, came to Incirlik. Actually, he seems to come hereeverymonth, but in Feb, myOSI Detachment was so lowonAgents thatI was actuallydrafted to drive chase forGeneral’smotorcade. Imagine the surprise ofthe General’s two aides, ScottyFisher and CindyStein, when they jumped into mySUVand saw me at thewheel. Theydidn’t even recognize me atfirst! It’s greatbeingable to getoutfrombehindthe computersometime and do some real work. It all came togetherwhen we dropped offthe General at his plane and I had the Incirlik SEAtell the pilot (standing on the tarmac) that heneededto see the OSIAgentintheblackBlazer. Needless to say, JaySchueler timidlywalked over to the driver’swindowthinkingofallthethings OSI might wantto interrogate to him about... untilhe saw me. It was nicewhile it lasted, the four ofus talking... for all ofabout three minutes until it was time to go.

Old roommate. Myold roommate Don Unwin and hiswife, Kathleen, are anxiouslyawaiting the arrival oftheir daughter anyday (minute) now. They are inSt. LouiswhereDonisflyingin the Reservesforthe C-9 squadronat Scott AFB. I'm sure you’ll see a photo ofDon andKathleenwiththe new babyin the next issue.

Final Notes. I mentioned severalclassmates going on to commanderjobs, here are some other names I recognized on the CY04 Squadron Commander Selection list (sorryifI missed some): KeithA. Compton,Jr., Trevor E. GrayII, ShannonJ. Mikus, Jacqueline M. Mongeon, Raymond M. Platt, Byrl R. Engle and Clarence Johnson, Jr.

Once again, I enjoythe privilege ofbringingyou the 1992 Class News. Pick up thatpenorbootupthatcomputer and send me a note aboutwhat’s going on in your neck ofthe woods. Until next time, James.

Michael D. Sundsted

4530 East Castle Drive

McGuire AFB, NJ 08641

(609) 724-0866/ DSN: 650-8221

E-mail: Bravecwboy@aol.com

Class Website: www.highflight.com

Salutationsand greetings to the best class to have traversed our beloved school on the hill! I am sure thisfinds all ofyouwell enjoying another great spring and soon-to-be summer. Congrats to those newlyappointedofficers ofthe USAF having made it through fouryears oftoil at theAcademy! I am actuallywritingthis article frommyhouse and not some emergency/maintenance problem-riddenaircraft somewherehalfwayaroundtheworld. ActuallyI am in between TDYs. JustgotbackfromAndrewsAFByesterdayandwill be leavingshortlyfor Bahrain.

Things in NewJersey are goingratherwell and I hope to have some assignment news as ofthe next article. Lori is about to hangup her teaching shoes for awhile afterthisyear so we can shuttle Collinfromtinytots tee-ball to tinytots soccer andwhatever play group is next on his schedule. I had a recent promotion to Chief,Wing Plans & Programs at McGuire, whichhas cut down on mytime formyhobbies. I hope to getmyhands around the tasks, though, and readymyselffor a nice relaxing summer. On to the news...

I received a nice update letterandpicture fromMike and DamaraRice - our Reunion MVPs! They are doingverywell and enjoying another addition to their familyin Colorado Springs - Congratulations!

Their beautiful new daughter’s name isAlison Brooks Rice bom on 12 Jan04. Mike is still enjoyingwork and was recentlypromoted to project manager. Thankyou for the greatupdate and picture!

On myTDYto AndrewsAFBI ran into a number offellowgraduates thatfly in the 89th AW. Phil Tucker, Brent Mesquit, Rob Dam and Bruce Ybarra all enjoyflyingtheir respectiveVIPs around. All ofthem are flying the C-32 and loving every minute of it. Bruce had the pleasure of attending our class president’sweddingand said it was a blast. HeyWispy, you owe me an update and a picture!

Also in the D.C. area is JeffKubikwho continues to work on a very robust AOG chapterin that area (Baltimore). Mike Lipinski has also played an active roll as the chapter’s web developer. They are establishing great support to those USAFA exchange cadets attending a semester at Canoe U.

Jeffhosted a Mardi Gras party in February and Chris ‘Snake’ Sandys drove

downfrom Connecticut to celebrate the occasion. Chris enjoysspendingtime withhiswife and 1.5 year-old son. Chris is now a bonds traderwith the Union BankofSwitzerlandand currentlylives in Greenwich. He says ifanyonewants to join him for a brew in NewYork Citylet him know!

J.J. Fenceroyalso made it to the Mardi Gras festivities. He has moved back toAlexandria,VAwherehe is in schoolpreparingforhis next assignment asAir Attach to GhanainAfrica. J.J. isputtingthe finishingtouches in language school and will be in the DC area until 2005. J.J. is also cross training to another aircraft (we thinkit’s a DC-9) from the KC-135. Best wishesJ.J.!

CharMcReadie continues to dowell in D.C. Shealso maintains an active role in the BaltimoreAOG chapter.

Jeffcontinues to serve Northrop Grumman as theTechnical Director ofa Network Securitylab for a DoD customer responsible for conductingvulnerabilityanalysis ofcommercial networkboundarysecuritysolutions. Wow-1 have to reread this - soundswell, too technical. Keep up the greatwork fighting in Net-centric operations!

Lee Spechleris on the move from Spangdahlem,Germanyto NellisAFB, NV He willbetheA-10AssistantDirectorofOperations in the 549th CombatTrainingSquadron. His squadron is responsible for organizing and directingthe AirWarrior exercise. Also at Nellis are Brendan and BeckyHarris doingtheir fairshare ofentertaining. Theyalmosthadto entertain me untilTACC changed mymission to go toTravis instead ofLasVegas.

SeanAmutan gave an update on ourweb site. He passes alongthathehad a greattime atthe reunion, butdidget a bout ofaltitudesickness on his ascentto Pike’s Peak. He still can’tbelieve we drankthehotel out ofbeer! Thanks forthe note!

I wish all ofyou the verybest this summer. Take some time,jot down some notes and sendthemmywayso we can updateyourworldwiththe class. Many ofyou promisedupdates andthe class is waitingforyou to deliver! The class charteris in the final coordinationphase andwhenitis complete, I will send it as well as theclassnomineesforofficeforvote so make sure thatyouupdateyour emailwith theAOG. I lookforward to hearingfromyou soon! Adios - Mike.

C.C. M. Masotti

CMR 480 Box 1168

AP0 AE 09128-1168

W: 011-49-711-680-4131

DSN: 314-430-4131

E-mail: masottic@eucom.mil

or: bowhead94@hotmail.com

Happy summer, ’94! Can you believe it’s already time for our 10-year reunion! As manyhaveheard, itwillbe 8-12 September (game vs. EasternWashington) at the Colorado Springs Sheraton and USAFA. Hope to see all there! For more information, please look at the AOG reunions page; while you’re there, please check to see ifyou’re listed amongthe “lost”... ifso, theAOG has no contact informationforyou and can’tsendyou reunion details. To volunteer your assistance, please contact our class president at kevin.pfeil@klatencor.com.

Withthereunionapproaching, it seems more classmatesthan everhavebeen checking the class website. Look now to see who plans to make the reunion and get e-mails, phone numbers and websites. From California we heard fromWilliam Kelley (ProjectManager, StrykerCommunications, San Diego); Matt Sufnar (OpsManager, Raytheon, El Segundo); DannyPiper (Private Investment Banking, LA); and Dan Heuck (Director, AtlasVOps,Vandenberg), as well as several from Travis AFB: Jeffrey Clark (15 EMTF); Todd Hudgins (KC-10); and Susan (Pessner) Clark (Reservistfor 349 AMWand civilian chiropractor). The nearby desert finds Christopher Follin (job hunting, Tucson); Doug and Christa Smith (Weapons School Instructor, Nellis); and Sean Routier (F-16, Nellis). New Mexico is home to Scott Grover (Aircraft Mx, Cannon); Matt Johnston (F-l 17, Holloman); Rob Peragine (District Operations Manager,Albuquerque); and Phil (’95), Gabriela (Montoya) and Keeli Parker (Master’s student, substitute teacher, High Rolls, NM). Checking in from Oklahoma were Sean Robertson (Logistics Career Broadener, Tinker);

Todd Smith (Chief, OperationsTraining, Tinker); Joe Rolenc (C-17 IP,Altus); and Jeremy Rebmann (FBI SpecialAgent, Norman). Jeremy also sent an email, sayinghowhe enjoys FBI life, although SWAT teams likehis are startingto getcalled up forIraqduty... See himwith his three loves: bride Snapper; Cherokee 180; andbabygirl Miss Justice Rebmann!

Ryan Craycraft (19 AF/DOU, Randolph); Dr. GuyMajkowski (PTAFIT Student, BrooksArmyMedical Center); Greg, Gretchen,AlyssaandAmberOlivares (Defense Contractor, Business Development); and DeborahReuther (10 Planner, Lackland) all live in SanAntonio. OtherTexans were Leslie Davis (SubstituteTeacher, Houston);Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez (T-6IP Laughlin);newlywed Rob Blissett (American EaglePilot, Dallas); and Markand CindyStanley (7LRSOpsOfficer, Dyess—andthrilled to be out ofD.C.). StillenduringBeltway traffic are Navy pilot Mark Torreano, Dane Nielsen (GulfstreamPilot), Jen Gresham and Rebecca Bernardini (AFOSI). Nearby inVirginia are Brannon Kerr (F-18 NavyExchange Pilot, Oceana NAS) and LangleyAFB residents Ken Yee (Intel) and David Toogood (F-15). In North Carolina, we have ScottTaylor (F15E IP, Seymour Johnson); Jennifer Lyons (stay-at-home mom, Fayetteville); and Charlotte residents Joe Clowers (Consultant);Wendy (Wacholtz) and Kevin Barnes (Wendy IMA/sales rep for Pfizer; KB new lawyer, corporate/financiallaw, Moore &VanAllen); and ChuckMcGregor (Perot Systems, currentlyin Fallujah, Iraq). Furthersouth are GeorgiansXavian Draper (Robins,just returnedfrom fourmonths in Baghdad, expecting “welcome home” babyin nine months); James Lee (T-38C Instructor WSO, Moody); Edward Iseman (Sales,Augusta); andJJ and Charlotte Trahan (PTC-SoftwareSales,Atlanta—proudparents ofidenticaltwinsJohn andJude). In Florida are Robert Jackson (F-15, Eglin); Brett Seiling (Director, Middle East Orientation Course, Hurlburt); Sloan Henderson (Civil Service, Eglin); and Luis Linares (CT Ops Officer, MacDill—although he spends halfhis time in SouthAmerica). Maybe he’ll get to see International Consultant & Health Spa ManagerCynthia Green (SanJose, Costa Rica) in his travels.

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From the Pacific were Chris (Priest} Krag (Aerial Port Flight Commander, Osan); Michael Spanich (ALO/ADO;WheelerAAF, HI—deployingto Bagram from until Oct);Yvonne Spencer (CE, Hickam) andJonathan Landis (Navigator,Elmendorf). FromEurope, MattGamblin (MxSupervisor,Ramstein);Jeff Babinski (Chief,WeaponsSystemsSupport, Ramstein); Scott Keeton (F-15CIR Lakenheath); and Darin Lerew (ClinicalPsychologist, Lajes). Alsowritingwere MarkBlomme (F - 15S FTU IP Khamis Mushait, SaudiArabia) and LiaquatUllah “Icky” Iqbalfrom Pakistan. Ickyis a SquadronLeader (0-4) in the PakistaniAir Force, has flown fighters andFalcon DA-20, and is nowworking on his PhD in aerospace engineering. Happilymarried, he’s the proudfatherofthree; his email is on the website.

Todd Schwarzenbach (St. Paul, MN); James Samuel (NGA Aeronautical Analyst, St. Louis); ObasiJohn and Natalie Onuoha (LeadPastor, proudfather ofthree, St Louis) and Bill andAmyKossick (MXOfficer, Scott) also checked in. Writing as well were Rob Giannoni (Airbus310 ExchangePilot,Trenton, Ontario, Canada); newlyweds Chrisand Kristen O’Brien (Business Analyst, Merrill Lynch, Pennington, NJ); andJoel and Carrie (Bischel) Jensen (Wakesha,WI; Joel—civilian at GE; Carrie—part-timechurch organistandfull-time mom of four—with another on the way).

Class of 1994 10th Reunion/Homecoming USAFA vs. Eastern Washington 8-11 September 2004

In addition to the website, several ofyou sent e-mails, including Marine Chuck McGregor (CompanyCommander, FOB St Mere, Iraq). Chuck was called up from civilian life last November; he and his unit took over for the 82nd Airborne and are patrollingand serving as the quickreactionforcethere in Fallujah. Theyoftenrely on CloseAirSupport andhe’s hoping to find some ’94 folks providing the airlift. He doesn’t expect to return home until next January, which means he’lllikelymiss the reunion, as will Mike Spanich, who justreported toAfghanistan. Please keep them both—and all our deployed classmates—inyourthoughts and prayers.

Also in Iraq, buthoping to make ithome soon is Bob Goodwin, who, at the end ofMarch, celebrated beingthe first team (Ministry ofPublic Health) to turn over control to the Iraqis. Bob’s commentary: “Ten months ago when I firstgothere it was tough to imagine this daywould come. We arrivedinJune to a burned andlootedbuildingand no one was working. Todaythehospitals and clinics are running, the people at the ministry are back atworkin a fully refurbished building and we have new Iraqileadership.” Congrats, Bob!

Kathy(Cleveland) LiesmanwrotefromEdwardswheresheandhubby,Gregg, are planningto attend a four-weekSpaceProfessionalDevelopmentCourse in C-Springsinjuly. They’re intouchwithAdam andAlicia (Valenni) Matteson (moving toAndrews inAugust), and kidsWarren (12), Lilia (4), andConrad (2).

Also from California, KellyHealywrote to sayshe’s lefther San Diego law firm to trylife in Monterey. There, she’llhelp her sister Susanwith newborn AlexandraHealyFeland(b.31 Mar 04) and to see ifMontereyis as good as rumored for romance...

TheJensenFamily Others included newdadMarkStrub (GPSBusEngineer/Reservist, Schriever); Roel Zamora (Mx Ops Officer, 366AMXS, Mountain Home); Eric Barton (E-4, Offutt); Marc London (B-l WSO, Ellsworth); Rich Lubey (F-16, Syracuse, NYANG); and Dave Claire (Marketing, Cincinnati). Also: Dr. Michael Charlton (physician, Michigan); Brian Lewis (exec, HQ AFMC/DP, Wright-Pat); Tom Falzarano (IDEstudent,AirMobilityWarfareCenter, FtDixNJ); andWade Hawes (Mech Contractor, Great Falls, MT). Others included ScottAllison (C-130J IR Little Rock); John Carlson (self-employed, Green Creek, NJ); Chris Sunseri (SeniorEngineeringManager, Portland OR); and Mike andTara (Dubilo) Traw (Leawood, KS—Mike: software accountdirectorandbuddingreal estate agent; Tara: raising theirthree kids).

CamevaleTime!

As forme, thingshere are goinggreatandI’mplanningto makethe reunion. Still trying to travel across Europe as much as possible—made it toVenice withLaureenPidgeon (wife ofPaul, ’92) for Camevale,meetingupwith Matt Wadd (’95) there; went crystal shopping in the Czech Republic; and to the BlackForestforEaster. I’m also goingpotteryshopping in Polandwith Sarah Kerwin; and hope to make Monte Carlo for Memorial Dayweekend. That’s my news fornow—lookingforward to seeingyouall in September! Take care and God Bless! C.C.

R. TravisKoch

1072 Napa Way

Niceville, FL 32578 (850) 499-8242/DSN: 872-8702

Cell: (850) 499-8242

richard.koch@eglin.af.mil traviskoch@yahool.com

Greetings, ‘95. Thanks to those that dropped me a note with updates and feedback. Please keep 'em coming. There is only one house inWest Phoenix where I knowI am not welcome but besides that, most ofthe feedback was good.

“TODAY...ISAWTHESUN!" Congratulations to all those who were promoted to Major. I am sure everyone is looking forward to pinning on that GOLD rank here in a few months, I mean years. Congratulations to Fred Portis who hadthe best line number of any that I could recognize. Fred managed a belowaverage softball team for a while in the class “D” Colorado Springs recreationalleaguebuthassincemoved on to biggerandbetterthings. Some ofthe notableswith a linenumberless thanfivehundredincludedZach Patrick, Mike Benson, ScotCain, Murali Krishnan, andChuckPodolak. Gary Beene was no where near the top ofthelistbut was upset I didn’twrite about him last issue. He is married, yes married, to a beautiful gal and is living in Alamogordo, NM, flyingF-117s. Hopefullyhewillnowtake me fishingwhen I go to visit. Good luck to you all in your careers ahead.

Life in Florida is good. Chad and Jennifer Feucht moved down here recendy. They seem to be getting settled in nicelywith their family (two kids).

Tom Seymourjustfinishedhis tourhere at “CombatHammer” and isheading uptoShawAFB. Gerald Fortuna is a flightsurgeon in the 33 FW. Brian Schafer was married on the 23rd ofMarch. Brian and Sierrahad an amazing ceremony overlooking the setting sun on KeyWest. Schafes wore flip-flops and a flowered shirt duringthe ceremonywhile a steel drum band played. He says he’s “out” for the last man standing and has his money on Bender for the prize.

Mike andTamra Jacksonjustmovedinto our neighborhood. Mikeis currentlyattendingWeaponsSchoolforMC-130training at Hurlburt Field, and is doinggreat. Mike Connely (’96 lacrosse player and co-host ofKAFA’s 1995 hit show The MagicBus”) is also at HurlburtflyingMH-53s. Iwentto Case Cunningham’s (’94) weddingin March. Case andKrisanne were married in Seaside, FL (where “The Truman Show” was filmed). JeffSmith was one of a number ofgraduates who attended the event. Others includedgroomsmen Greg Miller (’94), John Kent (’96), and John Stratton (’97), and guests Matt and Lisa (Lau ’93 “Bad-ass-Blackbird” ofCS-28) Pasco (’94). JosephJavorskivisited me a fewweeks agowith Curtis StAmand (’96). Joe lives in West Phoenix. He and Curt fly with the Taiwanese Air Force with Drew Rydland andJason Evenson.

2 Sabre Society Donors

Viva LasVegas. I wasTDYinVegas for a fewweeks inJanuaryand was floored at the number ofgold-taggers I ran across. Doug Bartels is married with a family and works test alongwith Preston McConnell, Nick Guttman, Matt Liljenstolpe, and MikeHenkelman. Mike and Nicole (Rainey) Henkelman have a greatpad that overlooks the entire valley. ChrisZulke, Keith Surowiec, Damon Anthony, Chad Fager, RickArmstrong, andTodd Scherm allinstruct at theWeapons School. Toddand Dr. Tanja (Hauber) have a new babygirl, Isabella. Tanja finishedher medical school at LSU and is halfwaythrough her residency at LSUHSC.

theirfirstkid, Bo, and Rockyand Katherine Thurston hadtheirsecond,Tucker, about a year ago. Please send some pics.

A few notes: Congratulations to Rex Ballinger for being selected into the Doctorate program ofEconomics atAmerican University on a full ride! He’ll be startingthis summer. Bryan and Erin Greenjust moved to Greenville, SC. Dane Crawford is not on the way to Kadena but is now getting married. I ran into Steven Hathaway in the airport and he works for Bering Point in New Orleans. AndyVeneri wanted me to pass on a “Shout Out” to his entire old possein CS-33. PROUD CELLARRATZ! Thanks, V.

Mike Barten and John Silance both fly F-16s for theAggressorSquadron. Dave Moreland and Dave Haworth are both with the Thunderbirds. Kathy (Dullak) Bums, who is already a Majorin the Reserves, is also out there and is married to one ofthe ambassadors in blue. I also ran into Jason Costello who is living inVirginia and working with Rob Teschner. Chris Cane and Chris Tumilowicz are coastingthroughtheWeapons Instructors Course andshould graduate this summer. I also drove down toWest Phoenixto visit some friends and got to see John and Diane Nemecek (three kids) and Mike and Jenny Simon’s (two boys) families. What a hoot.

JonScheer

Finally, I wanted to pass on to those who had not heard that we lost a classmate duringthe earlymorning hours of25 Feb 04. Jon ‘Cosmo’Scheer died in anA-10 crash near Fairbanks,AK. Jon’s graveside service wasTuesday, May9th on a beautiful day at USAFA. I know the onlything that he loved more than flying was Godwhich makes me confident he is smiling at us all from above. Jon’s parents wrote in andwanted me to forward you the following:

“Thankyou to everyonewho sent a memorial, floralarrangement, cardwith words ofcomfort and encouragement, and kept us in your prayers upon the tragic loss ofour son, Jonathan. We received countless mail fromwonderful parents andAcademygrads (ourAir Force family). It has meant so much and helped us to hearfromyou. To those thatpersonallyknewJonathan, we truly enjoyedhearing stories thatyou recalled abouthim. We will all cherish those memories. God has a better plan and in time, we will understand that plan. God bless each and everyone ofyou. For those ofyouwho are active duty, we prayforyour safety. Thankyou forwillinglyserving our countryand helping to make it a safer place. God’s Blessings. The Family of Major Jonathan P. Scheer ‘Cosmo’. Ron and Carol Lynn Scheer.”

Please say a prayerforhis family, friends, andloved ones. Till then, “Here’s a toast...” T.Koch

Melissa S. Cunningham

220 Bowens Mill Drive Bonaire, GA 31005

(478) 975-9707/DSN:487-9703

E-mail: fmcunningham@aol.com or melissa.cunningham@robins.af.mil

Greetings fromthe Peach State! The summer heatis starting to crankup here in the South, but I don’twant to complain too much because I know some of you are deployed to the desert right now basking in temperatures that rival DeathValley. Hopefully, those deployed are transitioningbackto 90-day verses 6-month rotations. This summer should bring some goodthings: a payraise (I can’tbelieve we are going over eightyears) and bring us all closer figuring out this PRF thingfor our Major’s board.

I received an update fromAnthonyRivera at KirklandAFB. He isworkingin the acquisitionlogistics and program management section for theAirborne Laser SPO. He’s been in New Mexico for two and a halfyears working the ground support and logisticsplanning fortheAirborne Laser program in the maintenance career field. He recentlymarriedDaneen, a native ofNewMexico,

TheNemecekfamily:Kylie,Johnnie andJackson.

Now for the John Hamby section of our update. I got to visit “Bone” and Stephanie this past February in D.C. They are living the high life in a huge house in Centerville,VAwith the most amazingwindow treatments youhave ever seen. Bone introduced me to his new best friend, his DirectTVreceiver withTiVO. Bone, alongwith about30 other guyswillbe outforRickBolander’s weddingandbachelorthaaangthisApril. RickandNoelKellyjustreleasedtheir third CD andyou can buy it online atwww.ceruleanmusic.com Good stuff.

Nick Capotosto dropped me a note to let me knowthe babytrain continues to roll. He and Kristinjust had their first child, ZacharyRyan. Theyall live in Akron, OHwhere Capo is a lawyer, and wears his Matlock-like seersucker suit to work everyday. He passed on that Eric Davis and his wife, Nicole,justhad

andis now a step-father to her 13-year-old son, Patrick. Heis enjoyingmarried life. KellyAldrich, a fellow ’96 er, tookthe picture featured below atTony and Daneen’swedding. She will be separatingfrom theAir Force in the next year and is excited about moving on with civilian life.

Piotr Blazeusz (Zeus) is back on U.S. soil for an assignment! He isworking inWashington DC as the assistantDefense,military, naval and air attache atthe Polish Defense Attache Office in D.C. He enjoying the workbut still has to contend with the morning commute and fast-pacedlifestyle in our nation’s capital. Mariola, Piotr’swife, isworkingparttime at theEmbassyandhis daughterAleksandra (Ola) is transitioningwell as a first grader. Ifyou are in the D.C. area give him a shoutwhilehe’s on our side ofthe ocean: blazpa@hotmail.com. Piotrand a couple oftheWings ofBlue folks gottogetherto ringin theNewYear at Doug Brock’s home.

HappyNewYears! DougBrock, PiotrBlazeusz,MikeManion, BlakeBellcase, Tim Kao and theirbeautifulfamiliesringin 2004.

Tim Kao is enjoying a breakfrom the never-endingdesertdeployments. He, his wife, LeighAnne, and daughterEmilyleft Colorado Springs and a job at Space Command forQuantico,VA. He is attendingthe Marine Corp’sExpeditionaryWarfare School. While on the East coast, theyhavevisited the Rizzolis, Don Brunk, and Eric Nelson. They also just received word that theywill be wishing us a “MeleKalikimaka” nextChristmasfromtheMarineCorpsKaneohe BayinHawaii. Let’ssee, stationed at C-Springs and nowHawaii; seems likethe Marine Corps is givingTim a good shake.

Tisha (Renfroe) McGarryalso dropped a line. LastJuly,Tishaand KC Stevens met in Europefor a train ride to Poland to gatherwith MattTieman to celebrate JohnMangan’smarriage to hisPolishbeauty, Basia. Thethree-dayfestivitiesineludedallthevodkadrinkinganddishsmashingyoucouldhandle. Shesaidthat iswas also agreatUSAFAlegacygatheringwithJohn (’96) hissisterCarrieMangan (’97) withherhusband, HowieRedd (’92), andthepatriarchofthefamily,William Mangan (’65). Johnand Basia are currentlystationed at NellisAFB.

I was readingthrough mye-mails atworkand this one caughtmyeye: The ThunderbirdDemonstrationSemi-Finalists. Threeofour classmates, PK“Zero” Carlton, Tad Clark, and Dax Cornelius, will be interviewing thisspringfortheeliteteam. BestWishestoallofyou! Congrats on making itthis far.

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Matt Tieman, TishaMcGarry, KCStevens, WilliamMangan, Basia andJohn, and Howieand Carrie celebrateJohn andBasia’s marriage in Poland.

Tishaand MattMcGarryare stationed atEielsonAFB,AKwiththeirtwo daughters Caitlyn and Riley. Matt is a weapons officerfor theA-10 squadron which deployed for a six-month rotation to Afghanistan. Tisha recentlyseparated shortlybefore the birth oftheir second daughter, Caitlyn. Other news from Eielson: Sara Beth Deaver is currendydeployed to BagramAB as the OGExec, and GeorgeWise (F-16) is gettingreadyto departEielson forItalythis summer.

Tishaalso told me thatshewill beheadingto Floridathis MayforJillVanness wedding. Jill is stationed at Langley flying C-21s. Jill is marrying David, a maintenance officer also stationed there. Other news: Nicole (Ellingwood) Malachowski and herhusband, Paul, are reunited again at Seymour-Johnson after ayearspent in Korea. SheisnowbackintheF-15. JeffHogan andhiswife, Leigh, are stationed at MoodyAFB, GA flying theAT-38. Steve Lucas was recendyassigned to Seymour-Johnson as an F-15 RTU instructor. Shawn Lane is flyingF- 16s at Spangdalem, Germany.

Received a greatletterfromJohnandCrissyLodmell. John separated a fewyears ago, but has done an awesome job of keepingintouch. He is currendyliving near Dallasworkingfor CapitolOne. Hemanagesagroup ofanalysts intheKeyInitiativesdivision. Evenwiththedemandsofwork,raisingtwo amazingchildren (JackandHollyGrace), tacklingmajorhome improvements,JohnandCrissyare startingtheir ownhomebusiness calledthePlaidOrchid. Itis an embroiderybusinessspecializinginpersonal items, gifts,babyitems, andtheyhaveplans to expandinthe near future. Check out their new web site: www.plaidorchid.com. With all thebabies beingborn right nowin our class, I’m surewe can supportthemwith a steadystream ofbusiness.

Sabre Society Donors

That aboutwraps it up! Thankyouforemails,pictures, andletters! Keep’em coming! Also, ifyou have updates on folks that have separated from theAF send them in as well! Until next time, take care and God Bless - Mel.

Melvin E. Maxwell, Jr.

PSC 2, Box 7518

APO AE 09012

Cell: (937) 367-7196

W: melvin.maxwell@ramstein.af.mil

H: mel_maxwell97@hotmail.com

What’sup everybody! Like alotofyou, I was excitedbytheplayoftheAirForce basketball team thisyear. Before I knewit, Ihad an ESPNFull Courtsubscription to catch some ofthe Falcon gamesandwas buying an airlineticketto Denverto watchAirForce’s NCAAfirstround tournament game againstNorthCarolina. I spokewithChris Kay(who was finishingup an assignment as an ROTC instructorinGeorgiaand atthetime tending to his childrenwho were extremelyexcited and readyto get the pool) in anticipationofseeinghim at the game. Unfortunatelyforme, theAFfrgraduationawards ceremonywas on the same dayas the opening round game. AfterwatchingKyle Martin win an outstandingthesis award (Kyle and hiswife, Stephanie, are also expecting a child!) I ran offto the airportinhopesofmakingitto Denverin time forthe game. However,weather in Chicago preempted me from getting to Denver. As you know, the Falcons couldn’t overcome North Carolinabutthey sure didplaywell and created a lot ofanticipationforfurther success nextyear. Ijusthope Coach Scott doesn’t get snatched up byanotherschool. Anyway, let’s get to some news.

Just prior to leaving Ohio, I met up with myfreshman pal, Louella Lovely. Louella was an All-America setter fortheAir Force volleyball team before leaving school afterher sophomoreyear to attend Cal-Berkeley. Louellawent on to graduate in 1997 from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo and is now an assistantvolleyball coach at the UniversityofNotre Dame. Checkoutherbio on theNotre Dame athleticwebsite.

None Yet

Sabre Society Donors

JasonLindwrote inwith an update. Jasonseparatedfrom active duty in September 2003 and is now in the financial planningbusiness in the civilian sector. Heworkswith a fellow academy grad from the class of ’95, Mike Mills. He is really enjoying the new job but didn’t cut all ties with the military. Jason’s in the Reserves and puts his time inwith the Defense Contract ManagementAgency in FortWorth, TX, doing his militaryduty inside the Lockheed Martin plant working on theJoint Strike Fighter. He livesjust outside ofFtWorth, TXand is enjoyinglife. Jason included some more news: “I see Jim Burgess occasionally as he is flying C- 130s out ofDyessAFB, TX. He’s been in and out ofthe country on deployment. Josh Piccirillo is at HanscomAFB, MAand PCSingto DCMA down here in FtWorth, TXin the summer. Hewill be the F-22 Program Integrator forDCMAin the Lockheed Martinplant. Chris Toddis an instructor atVandenbergAFB, CA. He and his wife, Lydia, recently had a little baby, Madeline Nicole Todd.”

Brad Lucas dropped me a line and told a story similar to Jason’s. Brad left active duty a year and a halfago andmoved to West Hartford, CT where he works as a contractorwith a start-up company at HanscomAFB, MA in addition to performing Reserve dutythere. But the big news was that on Oct 18, 2003, Brad married the love ofhis life, Maura McLaughlin (nowLucas), after a six-year courtship. Brad’s brother Brett and Tim Boyle were both in the wedding party. Also attending were Josh Piccirillo, DavidWalker (’99), Rob Mishev (’99), Robin Orth (’96), Ted Conklin (’96), Mike Allen (’95), Charlie Baker (’95), Mark Brownell (’95), Matt Carter (’95), and Keith Umlauf (’95). (See photo at top ofnext page.)

Brad also passed on news abouthis brother Brettwho also got out and now lives nearAlbany, NY. According to Brad, Brettworks as a QualityManagerfor Anderson Instruments, a Danaher company. Brett and his wife, Kristy, had their third child, Micah Brett Lucas, onNov7,2003. Bradand Maura got to

The LucasWeddingClan baby sit the proud older sisters, Lauren (4) andAnnie (2), while Brett stayed with Kristy and Micah fortheweekend.

Before I go, ifyou see Matt Berg, givehim a pat on theback. Matt is an ROTC instructor at the University ofMemphis but back in February, Matt and anotherlieutenant in his fire departmentpulled a father fromhis burninghouse. The true hero was the six-year-old childwho leftthe home andcontactedhelp butlet’s giveMatt a hand too! That’sall I’ve gotforthis go round. Drop me a line whenyougetachance...Mel

McWhorter 9811 E. Cisco Court Tucson, AZ 85748 (520) 885-8697

kleinmcwhorter@earthlink.net

(No Sabre Society Members Yet)

This isgoingto be a shortone—onlythreee-mails to report on. So, afteryou read this, go to yourcomputer, send me a quickmessage andtell me whatyou are doing andwhat allyour closest friends are doing. Or, pick up the phone and give me a call—I would reallylove to use all 1,200 words I am allowed.

The first update is from me. OnApril 1 st I gave birth to a babyboy, Collin AndrewMcWhorter. He was two-and-a-halfweeks early. Hewastwo-and-ahalfweeks earlyandweighed in at 6 lbs 13 oz. We are both doingwell and my husband even made ithome from deploymentin time to be there.

Karin andAndrewMcWhorter (’96) with theirson, Collin, shortlyafterhis birth.

Thesecondupdate is more news ofan earlybirth. Luke Gargaszwrote to say that his wife, Renee, gave birth to their son, BaileyMichael, on 27 Feb 04,11 weeks premature, in Columbus, OH. He weighted 2 lbs, 15 ounces at birth. Unfortunately, Luke was still in Georgia at the time buthurried to Columbus to bewith them. He had planned on comingTDYto Tucson for a weekend of beer drinking, cigarsmoidng, and golfwith Brian Ballew, SigSiegmund, and RyanSavageau, buthis son had differentplans! AlthoughBaileyspent about two months in intensive care, both mom andbaby are doingwell. Yes that’s his little head popping out ofthejersey.

Third is a quickupdate from Melissa Smith. She wrote that she andAdam Stone (’95) were married this past September. They are now doingthejointspouse thing at Nellis and loving it.

Lastly, I got a wedding announcement from BrandonJohnson’s newwife, Carrie Smalley. Theywere married on Saturday, Sept. 6,2003 at theAcademy Chapel. Groomsmenincluded Blake Johnson (’99), Chad Smalley,JayWeider (’99), andJ.R. Coalson (’97). SabrebearersincludedSeanBess,XavieraFontan, Sara Necessary, Adam Palmer, KirkReickhoff(’93), and KitMcCormick. The

Luke, Renee and theirson Bailey. bride and groomwent to a Sandals Resort in St. Luciafortheirhoneymoon. In Nov2003 theymoved to RAF Lakenheath, where Brandon now flies with the 492nd FS.

Carrie and BrandonJohnson

Ok, that’s itforthis update. I hopeyou are all doingwell and I lookforward to being flooded with e-mails! Karin

James W. Busch

4050A Cambridge Loop Hill AFB, UT 84056 (801) 776-3586

E-mails: busch99@earthlink.net

James.busch@hill.af.mil

Greetings andsalutations. I’llkeep this shortthistime—Ijustreturnedfrom Red Flagwhere I bumped in to Ben “Stiffler” Bartlett,” who hadjust completed a Red Flaghimselfand was hanging aroundfor a course at Nellis. Ben flies F-l6 CJs at Spang. Also in the exercise was Nate “Shaggy”Aysta. Nate is finishingup his tour at Mountain Home flyingBlock50s andwill PCS to Luke this summer.

I spent a weekend snowboarding in LakeTahoe with Mach One squadron mates John Fenwickand Skylar Clark. Johnhas PCSedfrom Hanscom to the Pentagon. He’s gettingmarried to hisfiance, Nicky, this summer in D.C. Skylar is a Bone driver at Ellsworth. His wife, Amber (Class of’00), is theXO forhis squadron. When not flyingSkyspendshis time rebuilding a Ferrari 308 in his living room. In the fall the Clarks PCS toVance where Skywill serve hisAETC timeasaT-38 IP

Rich andAmy (Fitch) Shertzer stoppedin fortheweekend inTahoe as well. Rich is a test engineer at Edwardsforthe F-22, usinghis large cranium to beefup the Raptor’s avionics, andAmyworkswith the rocket test division. In goodweather the two ofthem run marathons and in the winter theycompete in cross-country ski races. Laterthisyeartheyboth PCS to the academyto workforthe omniscient Dean ofFaculty.

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The onlye-mailtrafficthismonth comes from DanDorsen. Dan married an Army psychologist (he needed full-time help). Once she found out howmuch bettertheAirForce is, she switched over. They’re both now stationed at Ellsworth AFB where Dan flies the B- IB and focuses his free time on procreation. Pictured are his wife, Carrie, and their babyboy. Nice work, Dan! Tim Rezac is in Dan’s squadron and will soon be flyingB-2s, and Chris DiNoteworks in theirWing Intel. Chris hadthe pleasure ofenduring the first Weapons School Intel course.

leavingRandolphAFB this summer and heading to Elmendorf, Alaska. Amy RiverawillbedepartingLacklandAFB inJulyandheadingto BollingAFBwhere shehasbeenselected as theWingAntiterrorism/Force Protection Officer. Tom BozungandTracy(Tinianow) Bozungfinallygot married on Oct4th, lastyear. Everyone had a blast at thewedding, which was held in Saline, MI; they’d like to saythanks to all the friends and familywhojoined them on that happy occasion. Tomhasjustcompletedhisupgradetraining to aircraftcommanderin the UH-1N helicopter and returned from his KirtlandAFB TDYto Andrews AFB. Afterbeingapart since graduation,Tracyis thrilled to be graduatingfrom University ofMichigan Medical School inJune and finallyjoiningTom in the real Air Force at Andrews, where she’ll be starting her residency in Family Practice.

The Dorsen clan

For the news from Hill, Matt “Trap” Crowelljustgot an assignment to Luke AFB and will PCS in the fall. He, Nick “Tulsa” Evans, and Terry “Rowdy”

Blakemore are all flight leads and we had some ragingfour-ships down at Nellis. Rowdy’swife, Delinda,just gave birth to theirsecond child, Samuel— stand byforpictures.

Just a reminder, please update your current e-mail via the AOG website. Occasionallytheysolicit graduateinputs on current issues. Thanks. James

Jason "JW" Simmons

PSC 2, Box 7077

APO AE 09012

Email: Simmons@HotPop.com

Jason.Simmons@Ramstein.af.mil

Heyclass, okayyou are wearingCaptain bars bynow, and hopefully, we’ve had some goodjoint USAFA2000 parties; ifso, please send me some pictures andyour updates. Summer cycle is coming up; didyou finallyget an assignment? This time I heard from some folks that we haven’t heard from since graduation. I found out HeatherD’Annunzio, has beenworkingforGE since 2000 and shejustrelocated to South Carolina, butgotengagedbefore sheleft; the groom-to-beis RickGarrett. PatrickBrady-Lee is movingafter spending just five months at PopeAFB, NC. He packed up his bags and headed out to LaughlinAFB forUPT! He hadbeen serving as a Maintenance Officer over the lastfouryears. Chris Israel got orders to PCS to ColumbusAFB fromAndrews AFB this summer and starting on 30July04, he’ll be part ofSUPT class 05-13! Patrick and Chris, good luckfrom your entire class at UPT, as class leaders. DerekShowers is at LosAngelesAFB whereheworks in theGPSIIF Program Office and runs into lots oftwo grand classmates. He recendygotten married toVeronica Sidas.

DarciHutchins,JustinLongmire ’01, CaseyTinianow, Tracyand TomBozung, Ben Wolf, andDavid Garay.

While we are talking about that family, I also heard from CaseyTinianow. Afterfourlongyears, Caseyis finallygraduatingfrom the UniversityofMichigan Medical School andherfirstassignmentis at Lackland. She’ll be there for fouryears during her OB/GYN residency. She’s veryexcited to get backin the service and see everyoneagain. She also gotengagedthispast December and plans on gettingmarried inAugust 05.

None Yet

Amanda (Rivera) Williams and herhusband BradWilliams ’99 welcomed their TWIN daughters Miah andZoe into theworld on March 4th. They’ll be

Speakingofschool, John Kirkwood graduated fromAFIT in March and PCSed to MaxwellAFB and nowworks at the Air Force LogisticsManagementAgency. We’ve gotJohn set up as the partypad come SOS time for us. ScottHodges and wife,Jaime, are stilldoingthe LawSchoolthing at OU. Scotty hasstartedhissecondofthreeyearsthere. LoganSissongraduated from the UniversityofMontana inAugust of2001 and thenwent to UPT at Columbus andis now stationed at Scott AFB flyingthe C-21. While in Missoula, MT he met Carlaand they were married in The Catholic Cadet Chapel on 13 April 2002. Before leavingMississippitheymanaged to have Laila BrileySissonwho was bom on the26th ofAugust 2003. Ben George and Kelly (Strom) George are leaving sunnyKirtlandAFB this summer andmoving to aneven sunnierEdwardsAFB. Ben was selected as a flighttest engineerfortheAirForceTestPilot Schooland is extremelyexcited about starting class and getting into the cockpit thisJune. Kellywill be working in theAir Force FlightTest Center PublicAffairs Office. Here a picture ofthem skiing inVail back in February:

KellyandBen George

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One of our Marines, Dave Merritt, is flying F- 18s at Mirimar NAS in San Diego, CA. He soloed thejetearlythisyearbut stillhas about a million “hops” before he graduates and they let him kill people/break things for a living. ChristopherAllred has moved to ShawAFB where he flys the F-16. Nathan Rowan is out at Ellsworth, working as an exec but doesn’t have time to let us knowwhathe’s up to. Josh Miller is TDYto Atlanta for 179 days and says it’s a tough tour. He was in Savannah for St. Patrick’s Dayandplayedrugbywith Ed Germosen, Chris Hauck, CraigThorsenton, Travis Meidinger, and a bunchof other guys from different classes (sorryabout the spelling, guys; I’mblaming it on Josh). Phillip Sowadawill not so reluctantlyleavetheAF PentagonComm Agency a year earlydue to the outsourcingandwill PCS about30 miles up the

road to the 694th Intelligence Group at FortMeade, MD. While he is ecstatic aboutworkingcloselywiththe NSAanddoingthings atworkhelikelywon’tbe able to talk aboutwith most people, he is still not convincedthatAFPC didn’t screw somethingup.

AbbyAbagailjustfinished C-130 retrainingand is backin RamsteinAB, Germany. The C-9 was decommissioned because ofage so theAF in its infinite wisdom sentAbby to fly an even olderplane! JeffSmith hasbeen in the desert flyingMC- 130Pswith the9th SOS since mid-March. He hopes to make itback home in time to get married to Laura Love in June. Jeff shares a planning hangerwithJason Goldbergandhis fellowGunshiper’s. AFSOC is turning out to be a smallworld—SierraBurgess, also in the 9th SOS, is scheduled to join them inApril, so he enjoysbeing in good company. Jeffsaid this part ofthe desert doesn’t seem to be as hot as where he was last summer. He’s upgraded from tents to dorms backto tents. Jason concurs and was looking forward to gettinghome to hiswife, Brooke, sometime inApril. At the end ofMarch he’s was on the downhill side ofhis second deployment.

John “Cheech” Velazquez and wife, Tamsen, are still expecting their first babyandhave even had the ultrasound.... unfortunatelywhat was thought to be a “manly” boyturned out to be umbilical cord caughtbetween the baby’s legs. Cheech is serving in his thirdjob atVance as the OSS Commander’s Executive Officerwhich is oddlyenough the same job he hadwhen he came on active dutyfouryears ago. Matt Medleyheadedbackto the sand boxinApril.

Dare’ Rapanotti is leavingthe other desert, EdwardsAFB, andheading out to IncirlikAB,Turkeyfor a 12-monthremote as aflightcommander; she’s a Comm officer and her follow-on is stillTBD, but she’s hoping for Germany, Italy, or Japan - so basicallyanywhere cool overseas. Let’shope she doesn’t get Korea.

Faith Dunn (Hitchcock)

203 Seaton Circle Montgomery, AL 36116 fire_it_up_40@hotmail.com or Faith.Dunn@gunter.af.mil

Hithere once again ’01ers!

Hope this update finds everyonewell. Not manyupdates to share this time - pleasebe sure to send me updates onyourselves and anyother ’01 ers you are stationedwith orjustkeep in touchwith... and send pictures too!

Lauren (Wagner) Palagi wrote from McChord. Her and DJ are in the 10th Airlift Squadron out there and have been TDY all over the world lately. She ran into Jason Harris who is flying C- 130s atA1 UdiedAB, Qatar. She also gotwordthat Kathy O’Brien is atAviano andjustgotengaged to a ’99 gradwho’s an F-16 pilotthere.

-even just a one-liner to let me knowwhere you are andwhatyou are doing would be great! Take care ofyourselves! Faith

Tony Carson

3452 E. Kiehl Ave., Apt. 5210

Sherwood, AR 71210 tonyc02@yahoo.com

Class Website: www.usafa02.org

(No Sabre Society Members Yet)

RedTags,

Therehasbeen a lotthathas happenedintheselasttwoyears. Bythetimethis issue is released we will be days awayfrom becoming 1Lts. Its amazinghow time flies and howwe have all branched out from a group offolks who were recentlyunitedtowards a common goal (graduation) to a group ofGradswho are doingmany different things. Ifyou have not spoken withyourAcademy buds in a while, now is the time. Although we have gone so many different paths we all have a common bond and it is something thatwill stick with us forever! Hang in there and keepingdoingwhatever drives you; this class is doing some awesome things and we are justgettingstarted.

Here is what is going on with our fellowRdTags: Ryan Bell recentlyreturned home fromfightingin the ground war in Iraq. John Boyd is currentlyworking on his master’s inphysics andwillbe donethis summer, hemightbebackatthe Academyteaching... look out, were back! Dave Henz is a mission-qualified copilot in the KC-10. Hejustgotbackfrom a trip thattookhim throughJapan, Thailand, Kuwait andthe UAE. Also, this summer he will be deployed and flying mission over Iraq andAfghanistan.

Ifyou get a chance check out the class websitewww.usafa02.org, Dave is doing a greatjob maintaining that site. Also there is a newwebsite for Grads www.usafatoday.com/discussion/.

Let us knowwhatyou are doing: ifyouwant to send an update or pics, don’t hesitate to send them to Collins66@excite.

Class DVDs:We still have class DVDs, ifyou need one, you can get an order form on the class website.

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I got an interestinge-mailfromSharon (Fitzgerald) Ehasz’s dad. Seems she’sbeen doing a lotofcoolthingslately. Sharon andherhusbandBob (’00) raiseturtles and recentlyadopted conjoined turtles knowingtheywouldneed to be separated to live. Theyhadthe surgerydone andit was successful. The turtles (Peanut Butter and Jelly) were doingwell enough to appear on Larry King Livewith Sharon and Bob! Sharon was also featured on the cover of a bookwrittenbyWomeninAviationtitled“Leaders andRole Modelsforthe 21 st Century.” That is awesome Sharon! Her and her husband are stationed at Davis-Monthan, butwill be moving toWarner-Robbins in the spring or early summer.

Bryan Jandorf e-mailed from Spangdahlem where he flies A-10s. Tom McCaleb is stationed there as well and working in Maintenance. Givey Kochanowskiisfinishinguphis one-yearremote atKunsanandwillbePCSing this summer to Elmendorf. Jim Schiess recentlymoved to Elmendorfandwill be flying F- 15s up there. Jason Feuring has headed to Korea to flyA- 10s and JeffFeuring is still at Hurlburtworking Finance and cruising around in his newPorscheBoxster. BrentBakisatTyndallgoingtliroughF-15RTU. Melanie Bates PCSed to Kirtland andwill be gettingmarried to Dax Presuto (’99) in MayattheUSAFAchapel. CraigAnders isstationed atTinkerflyingtheAWACS. He got married on May25,2003 to Kim Prasek. Grads in attendance were DylanQuinn, Nate Koss (’02), Dave Solomon, Mike Garrett (’02), ChrisJessop, Jordan Bounds, Nick Dipoma, Ryan Hayde, Walker Pierce-Percy, Nick DiCapua, andJayAgnew. Congrats Craig and Kim.

Asforme, Mike and I are enjoyingmarriedlife. Gunteris treating us OK. Iam still at theAF NetworkOperationsCenter,working shiftwork since we are 24/ 7 ops, andtryingto go backto schoolformyNursingdegree. Mikeworksin the CombatAmmunition System program office and is also going to school to finish his MBA. Wewill also be going to Nashville in June for the SecondAnnual HollyAdams Scholarship Foundation GolfTournament. We attended last year and there was a great turnout. Her parents were able to give two scholarships awaylastyear. Thegolftoumamentwillbeonjune 18th soifyou live closebyandwould like to attend or want info about thefoundation, please shoot me and e-mail and I will do what I can to help.

Well, thatis allI havethis time. Pleasedon’t hesitate to drop me a lineanytime

Give a bigcongratulation to Russell McCraywho was recently namedAir Force Material Command CGO oftheYear! Also, Russ also just finished his master’s degree so, ifyouhave not startedyoursYouAreWrong. That’s a huge accomplishmentfor a 2Lt. Also, CharleneWilsonis on herwayto KadenaAFB Japan as a KC-135 pilot, and DamenForte is headed to McConnel to flyKC135s. Brett Swiggerrecentlyreturned to Columbus AFB as aT-37 FAIR Matt Boothwillbe headingdown to LangleyinJune to flythe F-15C. Carlos Jayme is a member ofthe 2004Tops in Blue. He won the specialtyandmusicvariety (vocal, guitar, keyboard) competition at LacklandAFB. Ifyou are like me, it’s been a while; but I will be there this year and show my support for Carlos. Hopey’all can make it too!

Married: Congratulations to Jonathan Gilliard who recentlymarried the formerArtellia Headley. Ryan Seekins recentlymarried AnnaWolf. Adonis Haynes married2003 GradDerrickWhite. Matt BoothwillgetmarriedinJune in Colorado Springs. Rob Hamilton got marriedinthe spring. Again, congrats to all ofus on our firs two years; we have come alongway, and I hopeithasbeen an adventure for every one ofus!

Richard Giles Whiting, Jr.

50 Craigie St., Apt. 8 Summerville MA 02143 USAFABONG@hotmail.com

(No Sabre Society Members Yet)

Hope everyone had a relaxingspringbreak or whatever today’s equivalent is. Since the Ben & J-Lo ordeal has faded from media’s attention I thought I’d fill the gap with some relationship news from our own class.

Congratulations go out to ErikAnker, Scott Hernandez, Kim Kachner and ClayGruensteinforpushing ever closer to marriage in a fusillade ofsummer weddings. Newpushes towards the sound ofweddingbells via engagement include: JenniferStoltenberg,JustinPapen, Dave Pina,A.J. Henley, andAdam Gaudinski. Seems as ifthe onlymemberoftheWolfPackstill holdingthe line is Mark Rosenow (to which I can certainlyattest).

Snaps also get sentto OklahomawhereMikeMcKinney,J.D.WaddellandRick AmezagahaveallbegunUPT. LuisPalaciosisaboutthe solotheTweetinVance. Tom Greenaway and Lee Staab are in Columbus doing the Tweet thing too. JustinReister andRyan OlishbothwentT- 1 s at Laughlin. Finally, MaxJohnson is down atASBCwithwhat is probablythe last or classmates to go through. Alright - in case it is not apparent we need more stories from more people. So go ahead andforward updates, picture etc... to the class’ address. Seeyou out there.

66 | was skeptical at first. On what we made and what we owed, how could we save and invest? But we followed our First Command Financial Plan and our agent Rick’s advice. Now we have a new home, a car that is paid off, money to help our church, and this year we took our first vacation! Thanks, First Command! 99

life around. For more information go to www.

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