Checkpoints September 2025

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HONORING EXEMPLARY GRADUATES

The U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation celebrates this year’s Distinguished Graduate, Leadership Achievement and Young Alumni Excellence Award winners. All were recognized in late July during Long Blue Line Weekend.

PHOTO ESSAY: LONG BLUE LINE WEEKEND

Graduates returned to the U.S. Air Force Academy for events including March Back, lunch at Mitchell Hall, briefings and the Long Blue Line Conference. Check out photos from the weekend.

FUTURE PLANNING

John ’63 and Sandy Fox’s $10 million gift to the Air Force Academy’s Institute for Future Conflict ensures cadets are prepared to confront the world’s most urgent security threats on Day 1. Their support brings vital expertise while expanding other programs that develop future warfighters.

IN HIGH PLACES

Confirmed by the Senate, Matthew Lohmeier ’06 steps into a top civilian leadership role, guiding modernization, policy and readiness across the United States Air Force and Space Force amid evolving global threats.

AOG UPDATES, YOUR FEEDBACK, NEWS AND FUN

CEO Mark Hille ’97 column p. 8

Letters, check-ins and more p. 10

The Transmission: News from USAFA and grads p. 88

ROLL CALL

HERITAGE AND GRADUATE PROFILES

USAFA welcomes new vice superintendent p. 50

Meet the Foundation’s new directors p. 54

Wecker Hall ribbon cutting p. 56

Game Changers: Grads in sports p. 60

Remembering Vietnam: POW histories p. 66

My Cool AF/SF Job: Capt. Jordan “Offset” Dobranski ’20 p. 72 Spirit of ’76 Echelon p. 74

FROM THE TERRAZZO CADET LIFE AND THE LATEST FROM THE ACADEMY

From the Hill: News of significance from the Academy p. 80

PHOTO ESSAY: For the Class of 2029, the journey has just begun p. 82

PHOTO ESSAY: Falcons kick off football season against the Bucknell Bison p. 86

Visit usafa.org/checkpoints_online for

content!

Check out a special edition of Air Force Gradcast, featuring a candid conversation with the 22nd superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91.

CORRECTION: Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Christopher “Mookie” Walker ’88 was incorrectly given the title of general on p. 53 of the June 2025 Checkpoints magazine. We regret the error.

Season 4 of the Long Blue Leadership podcast is underway. Scan the QR code below and subscribe today!

YOUR U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION

BOARD OFFICERS

SENIOR STAFF

Chief Executive Officer: Mark Hille ’97

Chief Financial Officer: Katie Willemarck, CPA

Executive VP, Alumni Relations: Col. (Ret.) Michael “Baja” Cornelius ’00

Executive VP, Development: Kelly Banet

Senior VP, Engagement: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz ’99

Senior VP, Marketing & Communications/Executive Editor: Wyatt Hornsby, APR

CHECKPOINTS TEAM

Managing Editor: Bryan Grossman

Creative Director: Melissa Campbell

Deputy Managing Editor/Class News & Gone But Not Forgotten Editor: David Bitton

Graphic Design: Amy Davis

Photography & Videography: Ryan Hall, Ted Robertson

Social Media/Digital: Brittany Weinzierl

Copy Editor: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Edie Brantley ’92

Writers: Sam Hastings, Steven Lincoln, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve Simon ’77

CONTACT US

EMAIL

To email a staff member, use the first and last name. Example: Steve Simon | steve.simon@usafa.org 719-472-0300

FIND US ONLINE:

Volume 54, Number 2 Checkpoints (ISSN 0274-7391) USPS 898-080 is published quarterly in March, June, September and December by the Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475 (Phone: 719-4720300; DSN: 333-2067; FAX: 719-344-5705; Email: editor@usafa.org). Additional magazine copies may be purchased for $2.50 each, plus $4.60 for shipping. Periodicals postage paid at the U.S. Air Force Academy, CO, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Checkpoints Association of Graduates, Doolittle Hall, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475. Graduates can update their records at recordupdate@usafa.org. The editorial board serves the Checkpoints mission by providing a top-quality magazine to the Air Force Academy’s broader community. Together, the editorial team and editorial board collaborate to ensure all articles meet the standards of excellence readers expect from Checkpoints The AOG reserves the right to publish or omit submissions at its discretion. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policy or attitude of the AOG, its officers or the editorial staff. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the AOG of the products or services advertised. Copyright, Association of Graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy, September 2025.

SOAR HIGHER

What graduates are saying about working with Roger Hill ’70

Roger Hill made buying our second home in Colorado Springs an absolute joy — his warmth, dedication, and incredible knowledge of Colorado’s housing market helped my wife and me find our perfect home with ease. As an Academy grad, Roger felt like an old friend, bringing that shared sense of trust and commitment to every step of the process. He went above and beyond, handling construction inspections for us with such care and saving us several trips from Texas. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner in this journey! If you’re looking for a realtor in Colorado who’s as skilled as he is genuine, Roger’s your guy—you’ll be so glad you chose him.

Maj. Gen. Perry Lamy, Class of 1975

Roger was the best and knows his stuff. Helped me and my two daughters buy our separate homes in Colorado. He is family to us.

Roger Hill ’70 Associate Broker

Your Castle Real Estatethe largest independent real estate firm in Colorado750 brokers serving the Front Range from Fort Collins to Pueblo.

Class of 1970 - X. V. Centennial, CO

Roger is the real deal. He speaks the same language. He delivered during incredibly competitive markets- twice. FAST, NEAT, but certainly NOT AVERAGE.

Class of 2006 - J. S. & M. G., married grads, Fountain, CO

Outstanding Realtor. Helped me buy my home, investment properties, and a vacation home. His vast knowledge and 30+ years of experience are indispensable. Roger truly has our highest recommendation.

Class of 1997 - D. H. Castle Rock, CO

It was great knowing our realtor was a USAFA grad because we knew we could trust him right away.  Roger was there every step of the way providing insight and guidance.

Class of 1989 - T. D. Monument, CO

Buying or selling real estate, you need a Broker you can trust. As a graduate with 44 years of real estate experience and 34 years licensed in Colorado, allow me to be your real estate consultant.

Contact Roger at 303-956-5955 or by email: Roger.Hill1970@gmail.com

• Ethical, professional agent looking out for your best interest as your buyer’s OR seller’s agent.

• Member of Colorado Springs MLS and Denver MLS.

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Celebrating the Long Blue Line

By Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cathy Almand ’90, Association of Graduates Board Chair

Nearly 1,000 graduates and guests joined together July 24-27 for Long Blue Line Weekend. Attendees enjoyed a packed schedule that included the Class of 2029’s March Back and lunch at Mitchell Hall, the Distinguished Graduate Dinner, the Long Blue Line Awards celebration, the Long Blue Line Leadership Conference, and the ribbon cutting for Wecker Hall. The weekend brimmed with energy, camaraderie and pride — an unmistakable tribute to the Long Blue Line.

As I reflect on the many memorable moments, one that stands out is an unexpected reunion with some of my Mighty ’90 classmates on the Hotel Polaris Flatiron Plaza (Tick Tock, Class of 1994!). We seamlessly fell back into our relationships, as if it was just yesterday and not 35 years ago. Our reconnection reminded me of the enduring bonds we share within and across the Air Force Academy community. I feel certain that many who participated in the weekend events had similar experiences.

Amid the busy schedule, the newly formed NextGen Advisory Council kicked off its work. The council’s 23 members will explore and strategize on ways to better engage graduates from more recent decades, many of whom are less connected than earlier generations. The council will use data from a recent survey of 1995-2024 grads to inform its recommendations to the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation on how to provide the engagement that younger decades of grads value most.

Engaging the next generation of graduates is essential to strengthening and sustaining the Long Blue Line. Many younger grads are building careers and raising families. Meeting them where they

already are, such as through networking and mentoring opportunities, career resources, and digital platforms, helps ensure they have the same connections, pride and sense of community that earlier generations have enjoyed.

For these reasons, the NextGen Advisory Council has the full support of the Association of Graduates Board of Directors. We look forward to the council’s ideas and recommendations, and we are grateful to the 23 graduates who volunteered their time and talents in service to the Long Blue Line.

And speaking of service, Long Blue Line Weekend included our annual leadership conference. Chapter presidents and leaders, alumni affinity group representatives, NextGen Advisory Council members, AOG Board directors and others gathered at Doolittle Hall. We covered topics including chapter support, reunions, young alumni engagement and class giving. Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91 gave an Academy update and took questions, and Mark Hille ’97, president and CEO of the Association & Foundation, helped us kick off a productive day.

But Long Blue Line Weekend would not be complete without honoring some of our finest graduates. Gathering at Hotel Polaris, we celebrated the newest class of Distinguished Graduates: Gen. (Ret.) William “Bill” Begert ’68 and Mr. Jerome “Jerry” Bruni ’70. This award recognizes exceptional individuals whose extraordinarily significant contributions have benefited our nation and their communities. As you will see in the pages to come, Gen. Begert and Mr. Bruni exemplify lives of service and set a standard for others to follow.

We also honored our newest Leadership

Achievement Award recipients: Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dondi Costin ’86 and Col. (Ret.) Carolyn Benyshek ’87. This award recognizes graduates 16-39 years postgraduation who have reached a high level of professional accomplishment in military or civilian life while demonstrating integrity, character and excellence in all they do. Gen. Costin and Col. Benyshek are exemplars to all. Finally, we recognized our newest Young Alumni Excellence Award honorees: Lt. Col. Megan Biles ’10, Maj. Joseph Bledsoe ’11 and Mr. Anson Cheng ’18. The Young Alumni Excellence Award recognizes graduates up to 15 years post-graduation who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and contributions. They have a strong commitment to service, whether in the military or in civilian life. This year’s recipients are a credit to the Long Blue Line and our Academy.

Read profiles of these notable graduates in the pages to follow, and be sure to also check out our Long Blue Line Weekend photo essay.

Fall is an exciting time at our Academy. If you are returning for a reunion or perhaps a game, I hope you enjoy your time back at our alma mater. Go Falcons!

Sincerely,

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cathy Almand ’90

P.S. We want to hear from you! Feel free to reach out via our contact form at usafa. org/contact if you have questions, if our Association can be helpful in any way or if you want to make your voice heard.

ALWAYS GIVE BACK

Mark Nielsen’s experience at the U.S. Air Force Academy provided many life lessons. He treasures all of his life experiences made possible by attending the Academy and serving in the U.S. Air Force. With a commitment to “always give back,” he and his wife, Laurie, have supported the Center for Character and Leadership Development and, most recently, his 50th reunion class giving project.

READ HIS STORY AT LEGACY.USAFA.ORG/CP2

Early in our marriage, my wife, Laurie, and I committed ourselves to always give back — tithing and supporting worthy causes. We established an endowment to support USAFA’s Center for Character and Leadership Development. A further gift to this fund will occur in the future, through our will.

— MARK NIELSEN ’76

To learn more about supporting the Academy with a gift or by making a future bequest in a will or trust, contact:

Association of Graduates

By Mark Hille ’97, CEO, U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation

On July 1, we launched a new website for the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation. Our combined website replaces two separate sites built on different platforms at different times over the prior 20 years.

The AOG site, the older of the two, had been developed in the mid-2000s, before the dawn of smartphones. Needless to say, technology has changed since then. It was time for an upgrade.

But change comes with growing pains, and so it is with a new website.

Some of you were no doubt accustomed to the previous layout, and perhaps you had even bookmarked several pages that you most often visit. We have done our best to map the new site to these previous pages; meanwhile, Google (and other search engines) is slowly remapping its systems to match our new navigation. Each week we add more content and functionality, and the site will continue to improve in the months to come.

I have already received feedback regarding the new “joint” brand on the Association & Foundation website. Several have asked if “the AOG has changed its name and is no longer the Association of Graduates.” Others have wondered if the two organizations — the Association of Graduates and the Air Force Academy Foundation — have suddenly merged.

The short answer is “no” on both counts. Let me offer longer answers, and then a thought about the future.

First, in 2020, the AOG and Foundation agreed to work more closely together under the aegis of a single CEO and staff. Over the last five years we have made tremendous progress, developed a shared mission and strategic plan, and increased our efficiency as we reduced overlapping costs. But on the surface, we still looked like two completely uncoordinated, unrelated, enterprises. See here:

Despite this co-branding, we remain two independent nonprofit corporations. There has been no merger, even as we share common goals and a common mission. The Association of Graduates is still the Association of Graduates.

So while a shared website and a joint brand make good sense in some settings, we understand there are other situations when the individual identities of each organization should come to the fore. An example is Checkpoints, which has — and will always proudly be — the Academy’s graduate magazine, published by the Association of Graduates. Likewise, when donors support critical Academy projects, their gift receipts and stewardship materials will reflect the organization that receives and stewards those gifts — the Air Force Academy Foundation.

One member of our graduate community, who served as a Fortune 500 CEO for many years following his Air Force career, advised us to “spend behind the brand” in the coming years. By this he meant we must purposefully build awareness and support for the new imagery of both the AOG and Foundation brands and our combined mark. In service to our ongoing shared mission to support our Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of this institution, we intend to do just that.

Finally, I welcome your feedback and questions. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly at mark.hille@usafa.org with input on the new website, the brand, our graduate services or any other topic. I sincerely look forward to connecting.

With best wishes,

So, we sought and received approval from both boards to not only update our brands but to also create a combined representation of our organizations for certain settings, abridged as the “Association & Foundation.” What we now have is a platform that can reflect one or both organizations in a simple, connected way. We believe this approach has merit, even as we continue to sharpen our use of the individual and combined brands.

Here is a visual of that progression and varied uses:

Mark Hille ’97

Your organization for graduate services. Your pathway to o er financial support.

Together, we support the Academy, serve our graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution.

STATE of MIND

FEEDBACK, INSIGHT and FUN from Falcon Nation

ON A WING AND A PRAYER

I read with interest in the June ’25 Checkpoints Col. Steve Simon’s story about the fuel-fraught C-7 Caribou crossings of the Pacific Ocean in September 1971. As a continuing professional aviator of over 56 years, I will forego making any “what could possibly go wrong?!” commentary regarding the planning of that op! (Wing and a prayer, I guess!)

But does anyone remember the actual ditching of another C-7 off the Farallon Islands only three months later, on Dec. 19, during a similar ferry operation to McClellan AFB? One of my own classmates was a pilot on that aircraft and barely survived! It was so long ago that I don’t remember names, but there is an Aviation Safety Network record of that event. I have a faint recollection of engine problems contributing to the outcome.

— Lt. Col. (Ret.) David Moore Class of 1968

RECONSIDER PRINTING MEMORIAL PAGES

I REALLY hope there is reconsideration happening to reverse the current Gone But Not Forgotten section of Checkpoints.

Besides my class update, it is the only section of Checkpoints that I read every single word of. I enjoy reading about graduates’ AF and post-AF lives and what they did/accomplished. I understand it is free digitally, but I would be hard pressed to believe the digital version is getting that much of a reader footprint online.

Older alumni like reading it in print. I like having paper in my hands … not digital versions of stuff.

I appreciate as we age this section will only get bigger. Maybe cut out some of the other Checkpoints articles many may not care about to make space or make the Gone But Not Forgotten its own quarterly free print addition? Possibly even allow for an opt-in print version for free that people can choose to receive if wanted to save cost, as maybe not everyone does indeed want to read the obituaries.

Our alumni ARE what makes USAFA great.

This current pathway we have taken doesn’t remember our fallen grads … it just completely forgets them, IMHO.

— Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brett Wells Class of 1998

Editor’s note: Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten is available digitally at no cost to Association of Graduates members. A printed copy is provided to the family of the deceased. The Association & Foundation is pursuing an endowment allowing for a complimentary copy for all graduates each year.

WARFIGHTERS EXISTED BEFORE MISSION WORDING CHANGE

I have always been proud of my USAFA experience and my subsequent service in the Air Force. My class made a great sacrifice in Vietnam. I have been honored to meet cadets over the past 60 years. They have all been willing to serve and do their duty up to and including paying the ultimate price. The inclusion of the word “warfighters” in recent months implies that we previous grads were not. I find it offensive.

— Mark Johnson Class of 1965

THE CONTEST HAS ENDED

When I turned 60, my brother Roy ’67 gifted me with a life membership in the AOG. It’s proved fruitful, leading to a suggestion from him that he and I have a contest as to who could get the most letters to the editor published in Checkpoints We both enjoyed this challenge! Roy contributed several on his favorite theme of the Honor Code, while I wrote on a great variety of topics, commenting on articles I’d seen in prior Checkpoints issues. Needless to say, with Roy’s passing last August, the contest has ended. (While Roy did submit several letters, I sped ahead. If this letter gets published, and if I include the obituary on Roy I assembled for the December 2024 issue, I’m at 25 total!) I had looked forward to many more years of this friendly competition between us, but sadly it now ends.

Although not a part of our competitive writing, Roy also had an article published, of course on the Honor Code in the September 2013 issue. I was fortunate to have two, one in December 1994 on my first return for a reunion (25th), half of which Roy funded to incentivize my return! The second article in December 2008, was I think in response to a request from Checkpoints staff for grads to comment about how they related to “pushing the envelope.”

I am curious: Have any other sibling pairs of graduates engaged in such a writing competition as well? If not, perhaps this will inspire them to do so. It helped stimulate lots of conversations between Roy and me.

— John Miller Class of 1969

CHECKING IN WITH Checkpoints

Second Lt. Othniel H.J. Wetlesen, USMC, (USAFA ’24) checked in with Lt. Col. (Ret.) David C. Wetlesen ’78 (left) and Lt. Col. Michael E. Wetlesen ’07 at The Basic School graduation at MCB Quantico.

From left: USAFA grads Mike Damal ’82, Sue (Newhouse) Ross ’83, safari leader Lilian Kramer, Dave Ross ’83, Jean (Tibbitts) Smith ’89, Tony Smith ’83 and Tamra Rank ’83 checked in at a pond full of hippos and crocodiles in the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

Letter Guidelines

Joel Hoffman ’71 and his son-in-law, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Todd McCoy ’97, checked in from the Dogs while sailing the British Virgin Islands in late May to beat hurricane season.

Checkpoints welcomes the feedback of our readers. The editorial staff reserves the right to limit the number of letters on a particular topic, decide on the publication of letters, and edit letters for length and accuracy. Letters may include corrections, clarifications or criticisms of specific content.

To be considered for publication, letters must:

• Directly reference content that was published in Checkpoints magazine within the past two issues.

• Be 400 or fewer words in length.

• Include the writer’s full name, phone number and graduation year (if an Academy graduate) and be emailed to editor@usafa.org.

Letters will not be published if they:

• Contain information that is promotional in nature.

• Are anonymous.

• Contain personal attacks.

Col. (Ret.) Steve Daniels ’74, center, daughter Stephanie (Daniels) Olezeski ’01, left, and grandson Matthew Olezeski, possible Class of 2032, checked in from Japan at 5th Station, a popular Mount Fuji viewing spot.

Find the Falcon

The winner of last quarter’s “Find the Falcon” contest is Col. (Ret.) Darrel Whitcomb ’69. He was among the 54 Checkpoints readers who reported finding the falcon — hidden on page 75 — in the June 2025 edition. Thank you to all the readers who participated in the past quarter’s contest!

Locate the falcon hidden in the magazine and send its location, along with your name and contact information, directly to editor@usafa.org to be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate at the AOG Gift Shop. Deadline for entry is Nov. 5, 2025

CHECKING IN WITH Checkpoints

From left: Leslie Lorenz, Gen. (Ret.) Steve Lorenz ’73, Dennis Rensel ’73 and Kimberly Rensel checked in on the Tennessee River in June.

Vic Thacker ’63 and his wife, Mary T. Thacker, checked in from the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament in San Antonio, Texas, in April.

Cmdr. (Ret.) John Hope ’76 checked in from the Museum of Military History in Vienna, Austria, next to the limousine Archduke Ferdinand was riding in when he was assassinated in 1914.

Chris Rogers ’97 checked in before starting a 2,190mile hike of the Appalachian Trail, from Springer Mountain, Georgia, to Mount Katahdin, Maine.

Bernie Glaze ’71 checked in from the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, while celebrating 54 years of marriage to Alice Glaze with a cruise to Greenland.

Carl Stansberry ’72, left, and Felix Dupre ’72 checked in from the remote Alaska wilderness while slaying the Sockeye Salmon running hard up the river. Carl provided Felix an adventure to remember and even let him fly his floatplane. Very brave indeed!

Col. (Ret.) Chris Pike ’88 checked in while on safari in Tanzania.

Andi Vinyard ’96 and husband, Chuck Podolak ’95, checked in with Checkpoints online during a cruise from Tahiti to Fiji after coming across Eric Woodson ’87, Randy Lane ’82 and his wife, Stephanie, and John Specht ’82 and his wife, Cindy.

John Wahlquist ’71 checked in from kilometer zero at Cabo Finisterre, Spain, after hiking about 550 miles over six weeks on the Camino de Santiago. It is one of several 1,000-year-old pilgrim trails stretching from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, across northern Spain to the Cathedral of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela and then to Finisterre on the Atlantic coast.

Vince Guida ’77 and wife, Louise, checked in outside the Santiago Cathedral after walking the last 75 miles of the Camino de Santiago, a 1,200-year-old pilgrimage across northern Spain.

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jack Hudson ’73, left, and Col. (Ret.)

Dave Glade ’80 checked in during the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure, a seven-day ride of over 400 miles in northern Ohio.

Tom Butt ’70 and wife, Sharil Baxter, checked in from Ketchikan, Alaska, while on a cruise.

WANT TO CHECK IN?

Send us a hi-res (300 dpi) digital image of you and your Checkpoints magazine at a unique locale or event, and your photo could end up on the Grad Connections page in the magazine. Include your name, class year, and a short note about where you are pictured, what you are doing and who is with you. Email everything to editor@usafa.org

Honor all of the hard work and dedication that you poured into earning your degree at the Air Force Academy. Celebrate your distinguished achievements with a custom-crafted commemorative you can wear with pride.

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For three decades, the Sabre Society has recognized those who make annual leadership gifts to support the U.S. Air Force Academy, its cadets and its graduates.

Sabre Society members — graduates, chapters, families and friends — have helped drive innovation, elevate training and enhance the cadet experience.

BE PART OF THE ACADEMY’S CONTINUING STORY

The Sabre Society’s 30th anniversary is an ideal time to give back. Whether you’re renewing your commitment or joining for the first time, your donation is an investment in the Academy, its mission and its people.

Make a gift at usafa.org/sabre30

in all we do

EXCELLENCE IN ALL WE DO

Each year, the Association of Graduates and the United States Air Force Academy come together to recognize the remarkable achievements of our graduates — those who live the values of integrity, service and excellence.

This year, through three prestigious awards, we celebrate graduates who exemplify the highest standards of leadership, airmanship and service to their communities, the nation and the Academy itself.

The Distinguished Graduate Award, first presented in 2001, honors lifetime achievement. These recipients have made enduring contributions to the United States, their communities and the Academy, upholding and advancing USAFA’s proud heritage.

In its second year, the Leadership Achievement Award recognizes graduates 16 to 39 years post-graduation who have reached impressive milestones in their careers — both in uniform and beyond — while consistently demonstrating leadership, character and impact in all they do.

Finally, the Young Alumni Excellence Award honors graduates within 15 years of graduating who have distinguished themselves in their professional and/or philanthropic endeavors, embodying the character and commitment that define the Academy’s legacy.

We are proud to celebrate these graduates whose lives and actions reflect the very best of the Long Blue Line. Their dedication inspires us all — past, present and future — to aim higher and serve with honor.

KNOW A GRADUATE WHO EMBODIES INTEGRITY, SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE? NOMINATE THEM FOR AWARDS CONSIDERATION IN 2026. THE NOMINATION WINDOW IS OPEN FROM SEPT. 1 TO DEC. 31, 2025. RECOGNIZE

DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARD

Gen. (Ret.) William “Bill” Begert ’68

Mr. Jerome "Jerry" Bruni ’70

LEADERSHIP ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dondi Costin ’86

Col. (Ret.) Carolyn Benyshek ’87

YOUNG ALUMNI EXCELLENCE AWARD

Lt. Col. Megan Biles ’10

Maj. Joseph Bledsoe ’11

Mr. Anson Cheng ’18

WILLIAM J.“BILL” BEGERT

CLASS OF 1968

By Bryan Grossman

From his home along the shores of Sabbathday Lake in southern Maine, Gen. (Ret.) William “Bill” Begert ’68 reflects on the circular nature of his life.

“I was born about 12 miles from here, in Lewiston, Maine,” Gen. Begert says. “Every summer we came to this lake. My parents rented a cottage about 300 yards from here, and it was $10 a week. That’s where I spent the summers of my childhood.”

It’s a wet and unseasonably cool June day; a birdfeeder on the cottage’s deck is visited by brightly colored woodpeckers and orioles while Gen. Begert shares that he left Lewiston when he was a boy and attended elementary school in Berlin, New Hampshire. His father worked in theater management and returned the family to Lewiston in time for the general to graduate from high school in his hometown.

“My last two years were at Lewiston High School, and that’s where I started to play football,” Gen. Begert says. “I had no football experience prior to that, but I ended up making the team. And strangely enough, I think one of the reasons I got into the Academy was because I had attended four high schools, but I ended up being president of my senior class, which I think probably helped me.”

THE USAFA LIFE

Like so many men making up the Greatest Generation, Gen. Begert’s father served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and his uncles served in the Army and Navy.

“If you were a young, able-bodied person, you went to war,” Gen. Begert says. “But only my Uncle Carl stayed in after World War II. So I really did not have a strong military background other than World War II stories growing up.”

It was, in fact, a high school friend who first introduced the idea of joining the military. She told him about a service academy called … West Point.

“My brother, who’s three years older, was going to Boston University, which is very expensive, and was putting a stress on the family,” Gen. Begert says. “And so West Point seemed like a good alternative. I had been accepted, in fact, at Notre Dame, and we were waiting to hear about a scholarship. But when I went into my local senator’s office to ask about West Point, they said, ‘We don’t have any appointments to West Point. We do have one to the Air Force Academy.’

That’s the first time I had heard about the Air Force Academy, and so I applied, was nominated by my senator and got the appointment. So

pass my next class, get to the next semester and learn about the Air Force.”

Gen. Begert, an international affairs major, says he had hit his stride by the summer following his four-degree year.

“I pretty much understood more of what I was getting myself into and what life was going to be like,” he says, adding he developed an interest in boxing and competed in the Wing Open three years in a row.

“My sophomore year, I made it to the finals, but I lost a split decision to a classmate,” he says. “My junior year, I ended up breaking my hand on the side of a guy’s head. I won that fight, but one-handed, so I had a cast on my hand for the Wing Open that year. And then, as a senior, I was in the Wing Open and lost by split decision in the semifinal.”

Overall, the general says he was a “good cadet” and never marched a tour.

“Sometimes that was pure luck that I didn’t get caught, of course, but I did pretty well,” he says.

in Washington and doing great.’ And he said, ‘Come in here and close the door. I’m going to teach you math.’”

Gen. Begert would also go on to make the Superintendent’s List and, overall, he says his USAFA tenure turned out all right — especially, he says, his two-degree year.

“On Nov. 11, 1966, I had a blind date with a girl from Colorado State University who one of my classmates fixed me up with. We’re on our 57th year of marriage,” he says of his wife, Jody.

OFF TO VIETNAM

Gen. Begert commissioned in 1968 and attended undergraduate pilot training at Randolph Air Force Base outside San Antonio, Texas. Like most of his class, he knew he would be headed to Vietnam. After his first operational tour in C-141s, he was assigned to fly O-2As as a forward air controller. His Southeast Asia tour began in January 1972.

that’s it; there weren’t stars in my eyes or any thinking about flying until I got to the Academy, and then I fell in love with flying.”

To one day fly, Gen. Begert would first have to board a plane. That happened when he traveled to Colorado to attend the Academy. He admits he didn’t know much about what to expect for the next four years.

“It was pretty much a surprise. I was in good shape, which was helpful — I played a lot of high school sports,” he says, adding he competed in baseball, basketball and football. “Inprocessing was interesting; I don’t remember much of that except that the band members were terrific. And I remember taking the oath — that was probably the most memorable thing that day.”

Once sworn in, Gen. Begert says he didn’t have any specific career goals.

“I was 18 years old, and I was very much my age in terms of maturity, so I didn’t have any grand scheme of what I wanted to do,” he says. “I just wanted to

Gen. Begert made the Commandant’s List and Superintendent’s List occasionally, and at the same time admits academics challenged him. He says, while in high school, his principal congratulated him on his Academy appointment but told Gen. Begert he would never graduate because the high school’s math program wasn’t great — and Gen. Begert hadn’t excelled in math.

“His wife was my geometry teacher, so he knew what he was talking about,” Gen. Begert says.

The principal’s slight was prescient — Gen. Begert learned he had an F in a math course at mid-semester during fall semester of his four-degree year.

“I went up to the Math Department and knocked on a random door, and there was a major sitting in there. He said, ‘What can I do for you, cadet?’ And I said, ‘Well, I’m flunking math, and I need help if I’m going to stay here.’ He looked at my name tag, and he said, ‘Begert. Begert. I flew in World War II with a Carl Begert.’ I said, ‘That’s my Uncle Carl. He just retired from the Air Force, and he’s up

“That ended up being a very exciting year,” he says. “Early in my tour, I was mainly flying missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Cambodia and in Laos until Easter Sunday. That April, the North Vietnamese attacked with conventional forces — the first time during the war. They brought across tanks, artillery and surface-to-air missiles in a three-pronged invasion. It changed everything for us.”

Then-Capt. Begert flew more than 300 combat missions totaling nearly 900 hours. His squadron started with 80 aircraft and lost 22 during his tour.

“We took some pretty heavy casualties,” he says. “I had squadronmates who became POWs, became missing in action or were killed outright, so it was pretty intense. It was great flying, but getting shot at every day is not something that you want to do for the rest of your life.”

Gen. Begert says the training he received at the Academy was most helpful during his combat tour. Among the decorations he received were two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 12 Air Medals.

He shares the story behind one DFC.

Following the Easter invasion, an EB-66 Air Force aircraft had been shot

down over enemy territory. One crew member survived.

“We never left anybody behind, and so we worked for 12 days to get him out,” Gen. Begert says. “We lost several airplanes in the process, and 12 of our guys were killed trying to get him out.”

Gen. Begert says he flew multiple missions during that time, including dropping CS gas near a downed pilot to keep enemy forces away.

“It was a bad weather day [for flying], much like this,” he says, pointing to gray skies outside his window. “Very low ceilings — 500, 700 feet. I was down in the weeds and ended up talking in two F-4s. They carried the CS powder in canisters, like napalm, and [the gas] landed right on top of [the downed pilot]. We didn’t hear from him for about two days, so I thought the canisters might have killed him, but he was just so sick from the CS powder that he couldn’t get on the radio.”

A Navy SEAL, according to Gen. Begert, eventually extracted the downed pilot under the cover of night. That SEAL would earn the Medal of Honor for his efforts.

‘AN INTERESTING TIME’

In 1973, following his tour in Vietnam, Gen. Begert says he tried to stay in either the forward air control business or move over to fighters.

“The Air Force said no,” he says. “And I said, ‘What about bombers?’ They said no. And I said, ‘Well, I’ll go back to the C-141.’ They said no. So I ended up going back to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and flew C-5s for four years.”

Then, in 1977, Gen. Begert returned to the Academy, this time as a military studies instructor and air officer commanding. He says he enjoyed returning to his alma mater, adding that it was an opportunity to positively affect young peoples’ careers.

“It was an interesting time because it was when women first came in,” he says. “I knew the first class of women very well — in fact, the first three classes. I followed them through their Air Force careers.”

Following his second stint at the

Academy, Gen. Begert attended Air Command and Staff College and again flew C-5s and became a squadron commander. He then left for National War College in 1984 and remained in Washington, D.C., for a Pentagon assignment until 1988. Gen. Begert was then assigned to Dover AFB to again fly C-5s, this time as a vice wing commander and then wing commander.

Gen. Begert says, all these moves later, that timing played a big part in his advancement.

“I was very fortunate in my career that when I was operational and flying, something was happening in the world,” Gen. Begert says, adding he gained valuable operational experience both during the invasion of Panama in 1989 and during Operation Desert Storm two years later.

Gen. Begert earned his first star in 1992 upon taking the role of chief of staff at U.S. Transportation Command. Then, as a three-star, Gen. Begert served in Europe as the vice commander. While in Europe, the Kosovo War began.

“As the vice commander in Europe, I learned a lot,” Gen. Begert says. “[Gen.] John Jumper was the commander. A guy by the name of Lt. Gen. Mike Short [’65), the three-star down

in Aviano, was running the war. It gave me ‘cred’ as a senior officer for not just the time I’d spent in Vietnam in air combat, but now modern air combat in Kosovo. From Europe, I went to Washington to be the assistant vice chief of staff — the No. 3 guy in the Air Staff — and that’s when I got my fourth star and left for Hawaii.”

Gen. Begert served at Hickam AFB as commander of Pacific Air Forces from 2001 until his retirement in 2004.

“For a four-star, it’s the best job in the Air Force,” he says. “Most everybody will tell you that. The mission’s great; I did a lot of international travel. I took 75 trips around the Pacific for work — building relationships, working with allies, training with allies, shaping all of that. And of course, we started to deal with China in a serious way when I was there.”

The 9/11 attacks also occurred during this time, and Gen. Begert says he relied heavily on relationship-building skills to accomplish the mission of his command.

“Relationships are important,” he says. “For example, we wanted to deploy bombers to Diego Garcia through the Pacific, and we had to help put a tanker bridge in place. I was able to pick up the phone and call the Singapore air chief and

say, ‘Can we put tankers in Singapore?’ And he worked that out with his government, and then the same thing with Thailand.”

Looking back on his military career, Gen. Begert says, “I was very fortunate to have a wife that rolled with the punches and brought great stability to our family. She ended up getting a nursing degree and worked during a lot of our assignments. She was one of the first spouses ever to successfully work while I was a squadron commander; it was just not done in those days. My boss didn’t appreciate it at the time, but my boss’s boss did, and so that saved me.”

Gen. Begert shares another story about Jody, this one taking place over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in 2001.

“I lived at Andrews Air Force Base and the red phone went off,” he says. “I could see the chief of staff of the Air Force [Gen. Mike Ryan ’65] calling. I said, ‘Yes, sir,’ and he said, ‘Is Jody there?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Let me talk to her.’ So I said, ‘Jody, the chief wants to talk to you.’ He said, ‘Jody, I had my monthly four-star call today, and we all talked about who should go out to PACAF, and they all voted for you, and Bill can come along too.”

Gen. Begert says the role his family played in his Air Force career “can’t be overstated.”

“It was great to have two kids who traveled well despite all the challenges. Being Air Force kids, if you ask them where they’re from, they will say Sabbathday Lake, just because this is where they look forward to coming every single year. We moved over 30 times, so this is really home.”

THE NEXT CHALLENGE

Gen. Begert retired from the Air Force in 2004 and sought advice from Gen.

Ryan, the 16th chief of staff of the Air Force and a mentor from Gen. Begert’s active-duty days.

“Mike recommended I take six months off; you don’t realize how tired you are. He said, ‘Just take six months off, chill, recharge your batteries. Don’t jump at the first offer.’”

Gen. Begert took his mentor’s advice before landing at Pratt & Whitney as a vice president.

“At the time, it was part of United Technologies Corporation,” he says. “I was in the military engines business, and it was a very easy transition, because it was like going back to a squadron where you knew everybody and had a bunch of people working for you.”

Like on active duty, Gen. Begert traveled the world.

“I went to 32 countries,” he says. “I thought that I was still serving, that I still had that passion to serve, and that I was fulfilling a role that was pretty important. I was going to do it for maybe four years. I ended up doing it for seven and a half years and then did consulting after that. I just retired from the consulting part, so I worked for Pratt almost 20 years.”

Gen. Begert says he felt he was still serving his nation in his new role, but leadership felt different as a civilian.

“In civilian industry, they don’t teach leadership,” he says. “The military teaches leadership. It’s fundamental from Day 1. Industry doesn’t do that, especially if you’re working for an engineering company. Some engineers are good leaders and some of them are not. And so I found that there was a thirst for leadership that I was happy to fill.”

Every month, Gen. Begert would lead a brown-bag seminar open to everyone.

“I would teach them about the military, tell some war stories,” he says. “We’d talk about how our engines are working in the real world. It was almost always standing room only. And I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘I’ve been working here for 22 years, and I didn’t know that.’ I enjoyed doing that.”

Transitioning from military to civilian life wasn’t the only life change the

general experienced in the days following his Air Force retirement.

In 2005, Gen. Begert reconnected with a former Academy colleague and one-time group air officer commanding, Dr. Tom Eller ’61.

“Tom called me up and asked if I’d be interested in joining the Falcon Foundation,” Gen. Begert recalls. “That was a year after I retired, and after a few years, I became a governing trustee, which gives you fiduciary responsibility. And then I became vice chairman, and then the chairman.

“I love the Falcon Foundation for what it does for young people. … They’re motivated enough that they’ll spend a year in a prep school to sharpen their math or English, and then they’re almost guaranteed a spot at the Academy the next year. So they take a year out from their lives to reach their dream of joining the Air Force as an Air Force Academy cadet. That’s very motivational. The Falcon Foundation helps to make dreams come true.”

And Gen. Begert has maintained other meaningful connections with his alma mater. Just ask the cadet cyber competition team.

“I’m on the gift committee for my class, and as we were coming up to our 50th reunion, we wanted a project that would help the Cadet Wing,” he says. “We ended up choosing the cyber team, and we were able to raise a whole bunch of money to endow their travel; because they’re a club, they’re not funded by the Air Force. We raised enough money to fund that in perpetuity.”

A WORD OF THANKS

Gen. Begert says the list of those he’d like to thank for nominating him for the Distinguished Graduate honor is long, but Gen. (Ret.) Steve Lorenz ’73, president of the Falcon Foundation, is among those at the top.

“He told me a year or so ago that he would like to nominate me,” Gen. Begert says. “Then I found out the package was endorsed by [Gen. (Ret.) Ralph “Ed” Eberhart ’68], who’s a classmate of mine, and [Gen. (Ret.) Bill Looney ’72], who became the chairman of the

Falcon Foundation after me. So when I was called by [Association & Foundation President and CEO Mark Hille ’97], it wasn’t a total surprise, but it was a very welcome one that I had made the cut.

“I was by no means assuming that it would happen, but I was very gratified when it did happen, very humbled,” he continues. “Whatever success I have, I think back to my 12 classmates who died in combat who never had the opportunities that I did, never got to live the life that I did. So when I say humbling, I really mean that, because I try to keep it in context with those who have sacrificed everything.”

Gen. Begert says he’ll continue his

involvement with the Academy because he believes strongly in the Long Blue Line and the Academy’s mission.

“It is enduring. It means life or death for our country, and the Air Force Academy produces young men and women who support that in a selfless way and are willing to give their all to make sure that happens,” he says. “So for me, continuing to be part of that is a very important part of my adult life. I know that I’m one of many who feel that way.”

Jduring World War II.

During his childhood, Bruni says, each day was much like the last.

“I would wake up early and I would walk to our church where I was an altar boy and I would serve mass,” he says.

“My grade school was very close so afterwards I would walk there, and then the next day we’d do it over, sort of like Groundhog Day . I was very fortunate to have a really caring family, and I had wonderful teachers. It was a very narrow experience, but one that I enjoyed greatly.”

Bruni’s experience grew somewhat less confined as he entered his teenage years — his parents saved enough money to purchase their own 1,000-square-foot house in a different area of his hometown, Bruni says. He also picked up an afternoon newspaper delivery route and worked summers shining shoes in his grandfather’s barbershop.

“My parents wanted their children to go to the best public

MR.

JEROME “JERRY” BRUNI

CLASS OF 1970

schools that were available,” he says.

Bruni adds that he didn’t know anything about the nation’s service academies while growing up, but he did know that he loved science and wanted dearly to be an astronaut.

“The Russians launched the first satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957, and that was major news,” he says. “It scared a lot of people, and I became almost instantly interested in astronomy, space travel, those sorts of things. I started a scrapbook, which I have to this day, and every time a satellite was launched or an astronaut went in space, I would clip that article out and save it.”

Bruni did not, however, immediately equate space travel with military service.

“My father served in World War II, but then again, so did almost every young male of that era,” Bruni says. “Beyond that, I had very little familiarity with the military.”

He adds, “In the mid-1960s, when I was coming to the Academy, there must have been a million young teenage boys who wanted to be astronauts, and I was one of them. In looking through their catalog, the Academy seemed to be a very interesting place, a challenging place, and that’s what I wanted.”

FOREVER A STUDENT

As far back as he can remember, Bruni’s parents placed great importance on education. That passion for learning has followed him his entire life.

“I think that stemmed from when I was perhaps in the second grade,” Bruni says. “When my parents went to the

grocery store, they would come back with a paper bag, and my mother would take a pencil and write on the paper bag numbers like ‘378, 412, 914’ and draw a line, and she’d say, ‘Add them up.’ Over time, she would write longer and longer numbers, and I would add them. For some strange reason, it was just fun, and it really made a difference. I never would have been able to go to the Air Force Academy were it not for the academic preparation and the education that I received.”

When it eventually came time to consider institutions of higher learning, the process was brief.

“I was doing some research on possible colleges, and I started with the letter A, and the Air Force Academy was there. I didn’t get much further,” he says, adding shortly thereafter he flew into Colorado for inprocessing, but his connecting flight from Denver to Colorado Springs was overbooked.

“The Academy sent a big bus up to then-Stapleton Airport and a whole bunch of new Academy appointees got on and drove down to the Academy. I remember someone pointing out the window and saying, ‘Oh, there’s the chapel!’ We all got really excited.”

Bruni says getting off the bus was a “shock.”

“I had no idea what the Academy experience was about, other than it was a beautiful place and they had wonderful programs,” he says.

But Bruni admits, due to his limited life experiences while growing up, traveling alone to the Academy was a tense experience. Prior to arriving in Colorado Springs, Bruni had flown only one other time.

“After my parents were married, they saved for about eight or so years so that my mother, my sister and I could go [to India] and visit her parents,” an emotional Bruni recalls. “That was the one and only time that I saw her family.”

AN ‘ACTION-FILLED’ EXPERIENCE

Standing less than 5'6" tall and weighing 110 pounds at inprocessing, Bruni says, physically, the Academy presented a great number of challenges.

One of his earliest memories of the institution involved dealing with the high wind.

“The doors to the dormitories are tensioned so that they don’t blow open,” he explains. “I remember opening one of those doors and saying, ‘Are all these people supermen? Why are these doors so tight?’”

He also explains that the gear cadets carry on marches and runs weighs the same whether one is a Falcon football defensive lineman or an aspiring astronaut from New England.

But Bruni found his inner athlete at the Academy, adding his favorite sport was squash.

“Squash is played low to the ground, and I am low to the ground,” he quips. “So that was a natural advantage. I also played soccer and boxed, believe it or not. We had to have somebody in the very lightest weight division, which was me.”

Bruni says he remembers a bout with a classmate who went on to win the Wing Open.

“He came out with a very unconventional style, and I thought, since I had already taken boxing in PE class, that I was prepared and whatnot — but he was more prepared, I can tell you that,” Bruni says. “But what I took away from all of that, in my view, is confidence.”

Bruni also recalls the now-infamous May 31, 1968, F-105 Thunderchief flyover. The sonic boom from that event shattered windows across the cadet area.

“In retrospect, seeing them flying in and not hearing them was simply evidence of the fact that they were flying faster than sound,” he says. “It didn’t dawn on me until they went over and there was a big boom and the sound of all that glass….”

Bruni says cadets were at the noon meal formation at the time.

“Thank goodness,” he says. “As cadets, we saw lots and lots of flyovers. Had we been in the dorm, this one would have been somewhat tragic.”

Upon returning to their rooms, cadets found shards of glass lodged in the dorm room doors, Bruni says.

He also recalls far more typical events, such as participating in various intramural sports, marching in parades and attending Falcon football games.

“It was a very intense, action-filled experience,” he says. “I enjoyed it.”

UNWAVERING COMMITMENT

Bruni says he learned a lot from the military and athletic training at the Academy, but science and mathematics remained his passion.

“I was hyperfocused there,” he says. “I knew there was a military component. I didn’t give a second thought to the athletics. I didn’t realize that I’d be as active as I was, but I was certainly more focused on being an astronaut.”

Unfortunately, Bruni ultimately was not pilot qualified, cutting short his dreams of space travel.

“I originally thought I would be a math major,” he says, “but I found economics, which is heavily math-intensive, to be far more interesting. So I picked economics, and my particular application was operations research, and I really enjoyed that, and I practiced it in the Air Force.

“Economics is how we live our lives,” he adds. “It’s how our society is organized. It’s not laid down by government edict, but rather people

independently do things, pursuing their own interest, and in so doing, create a wonderful, broad and diversified economy.”

While heavily focused on numbers as a cadet, Bruni says it was impossible to ignore, as graduation neared, the geopolitical climate into which he and his classmates were commissioning.

“I realized at the time going to Vietnam was a possibility,” he says. “We would hear some war stories from our instructors, for example, our AOCs. But beyond that, it was such a busy time. Wearing a uniform in the mid-’60s — it’s hard to imagine nowadays, whether people agree or disagree with how the military is used, most people thank you for your service and have a positive view toward people in the military. But that wasn’t the mid-’60s. Those in uniform were

treated sometimes disparagingly.”

But Bruni never questioned his commitment.

“Service is important. I mentioned earlier that when I was a young boy, I would get up and go to church and serve mass,” he says. “That’s an element of service. And, you know, it felt good. I certainly couldn’t tell you then why it felt good, but it felt good. And in all my years, whether I was in the Air Force or out, when I’m in a position to serve others, that’s a very rewarding thing.”

BEYOND THE ACADEMY

The graduating Class of 1970 entered Falcon Stadium on a cool, late-spring morning. The sun broke the chill and warmed the crowd as then-Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird delivered the commencement address. Bruni, along

with the other 744 graduates that day, threw his hat into the thin Academy air.

Just more than a week later, he set off — not for Vietnam but for graduate school at the University of California, Los Angeles.

When he arrived at UCLA, Bruni worried he might be behind peers who didn’t have the time demands of a service academy.

“There was no need for that,” he says. “The Academy preparation was excellent. We were able to fit in very easily, and it went well. … In my case, I was very thankful for the Academy background and experience.”

Following graduate school, Bruni went on to an Air Force Systems Command laboratory, at the time called the Rome Air Development Center. He was then stationed with Pacific Air Forces in the Philippines,

where he worked in a squadron that evaluated deployed F-4 aircrews.

“We would fly instrumented drones that the aircrews would try to shoot down,” he says. “And we would try to learn what works and what doesn’t work and provide that experience and feedback for the aircrews. From there, I worked for the Defense Nuclear Agency in modeling theater conflicts. And then from there, I came back to the Academy.”

For five years Bruni continued to serve his nation and support a new generation of cadets as a USAFA instructor.

“It was a great deal of fun,” he says. “If there’s anything that I learned, it was that teaching is an excellent learning experience. By preparing, by responding to the questions from the students — and the students had many questions that I hadn’t anticipated — that helped me develop my understanding of the subjects that much better.”

Bruni says the one thing that changed the least since he attended the Academy was the cadets.

“The cadets are still the eager, aspiring, questioning young men and women nowadays that they’ve always been,” he says. “They are a very impressive group. I have invariably been impressed.”

While at the Academy the second time, in 1983, Bruni married his wife, Pam (whose father had been a colonel in the Air Force) and soon adopted her two young sons. With 14 years of service under his belt, he decided to separate from the military.

“It became obvious that the best thing for the children was to stay in place for a while. So that’s what led to my leaving at that time. Not too many people leave at that point,” he says. “Usually it’s much earlier or much later. I went to work for a Wall Street firm, and again, as with my experience at graduate school, the preparation at the Academy was really key. It made things much easier than they might have been.”

PAYING IT FORWARD

In 1992, Jerry and Pam began the Bruni Foundation. The decision, over the subsequent years, has impacted

countless lives.

“We realized that when we wanted to give to nonprofits was not necessarily the best time financially to do that giving,” Bruni says. “So by giving to the Foundation, we could give as we felt we could, and then we could parse it out as opportunities presented themselves.”

Bruni says the inspiration was simple: He and Pam found joy in positively influencing their communities.

“We want to help [people] reach their aspirations and to be able to be full and productive members of our society,” he says. “So that which we can do to help people in education, whether it’s academic education or vo -

cational education, strikes us as very worthwhile investment, and that’s how we think of it, as an investment.”

The foundation has gone on to send dozens of Colorado Springs high school graduates on to higher education opportunities free of charge. In Bruni’s hometown of Portland, Maine, the foundation supported a hospital that developed a children’s mental health program.

“That hospital is the hospital that I was born in,” Bruni says.

Portland’s Boys & Girls Club has also adopted vocational programs, thanks to the foundation.

Recently, the Brunis created an en -

dowment with the Air Force Academy Foundation to reduce some reunion costs for younger graduates and create regular opportunities for connection and engagement.

“I have attended reunions, living here in Colorado Springs,” he says. “I attend all of them, and it’s a great opportunity. And I just wish that more graduates would have that opportunity, and in doing that, develop ideas of how they’re going to contribute, how they’re going to help the next generations.”

Bruni explains that during one reunion, classmates decided they wanted a way to remember those who fought and died in the Vietnam War.

“We thought, ‘This is a story that others need to hear,’ and from that, we developed a program to build the Southeast Asia Pavilion,” he says. “We just felt strongly about it, and we came together to that determination when we were physically together.”

Bruni also occupies his time these days serving as an overseer (like a trustee) at Stanford University’s think tank, the Hoover Institution.

“We go there and are briefed by leading authorities in many, many fields, one after another after another. It’s wonderful,” he says.

And Bruni’s service to the Academy continues.

He has found his time serving on the Air Force Academy Foundation Board of Directors as a founding director “vastly more interesting than I ever imagined. My experience on the board … has been remarkable. I’ve met so many very interesting graduates from different backgrounds who have just a large number of ideas that other people can learn from and who are really engaged. It’s infectious.”

PERSEVERANCE AND TEAMWORK

Bruni, looking back at his life and career, pinpoints some defining moments.

“In my personal journey, marrying Pam was certainly up there. When you have a family, you progress as a family. You do things as a family. So that was very important,” he says. “And beyond that, the

Air Force presented a steady progression of opportunities, and through every one of them, I was able to learn something new that’s applicable in life.”

And Bruni points to the perseverance and teamwork he learned while at the Academy as life lessons he’s carried with him since graduation day.

“The teamwork aspect is important,” he says. “It takes time to develop a means of working with people. People are not all the same. They don’t think the same, they don’t react the same. And you’ve got to take the time to understand how to engage with all of your teammates, different as they may be.”

Bruni adds, upon learning he’d been selected for the Distinguished Graduate honor, that he “threw my hat in the air all over again, and I wasn’t wearing a hat! I was just thrilled.”

He offers his thanks to Brig. Gen. Curtis Emery ’70 — who nominated him for the honor — along with all his classmates.

“First and foremost, if it weren’t for them, I never would have graduated,” he says. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have survived a year. They have always been there; they’ve always lifted me up. I’ve tried to do my part, but they did more than I did.”

Bruni also has advice for himself as a newly commissioned Air Force officer if he could go back in time.

“The advice that I would give myself as a recent graduate is to realize that I had lived a somewhat cloistered experience,” he says. “The world is a very broad place; the Air Force itself is a very broad place, and there’s so much to learn. If you think about what you’ve learned in the 10 years up to graduation — this would be from ages 12 to 22 — that’s a lot, and there’s a tendency at 22 to think that you’ve done it all. But the next 10 years are going to be just as interesting and just as filled with learning experiences.”

Bruni also shares what it means to be part of the Long Blue Line.

“The Long Blue Line represents, in one word, continuity. It’s a tremendously important concept that we are connected from the earliest class of

1959 through the most recent class, 2025,” he says. “That’s a very reinforcing feeling.”

Finally, Bruni explains his “why” — for attending the Academy, for serving his nation, and for impacting the lives of so many people he’s never even met.

“I think the opportunities to serve at the Air Force Academy are opportunities to understand how important the concept [of service] is. It’s easy to say, ‘Well, that’s a service academy,’ or ‘You’re in the service,’ but the actual participation, which is so rewarding, you really need to do it. And in doing it, it becomes self-reinforcing.”

His “why” is a message he hopes resonates with today’s cadets.

“The most rewarding thing is service itself,” he says. “If you get a new award, a new car, a new experience, sooner or later, it’s going to lose its luster. But the experience of service is one that is forever rewarding and forever exciting.”

MAJ. GEN. (RET.) DONDI COSTIN ’86

A SHEPHERD’S PATH CADET TO CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS TO UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

By David Bitton

Chaplain Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dondi Costin ’86 had never heard of the U.S. Air Force Academy until Jay Dunham ’83 led an informational session at North Carolina Boys State the summer before Gen. Costin’s senior year of high school.

Two statements captured the teenager’s attention. The Academy would prepare him to serve his country, and he’d receive a world-class education at government expense.

“The first part spoke loudly to me,” Gen. Costin recalls, “and the second part spoke even more loudly to my mother.”

That encounter set in motion a remarkable journey that would take the 2024 Leadership Achievement Award recipient from the Terrazzo to the Pentagon, from ministering during Basic Military Training to serving as the Air Force’s 18th chief of chaplains and ultimately to leading Liberty University.

Yet for all his professional accomplishments, Gen. Costin insists the title he treasures most remains the simplest: chaplain.

“The opportunity to serve alongside warriors and their family members was the honor of a lifetime,” he says.

THE UNLIKELY PATH

Gen. Costin’s route to the chaplaincy was anything but direct. As a teenager, he sensed a calling to ministry but was paralyzed by fear of public speaking.

see. He credits eighth-grade teacher Mercedes Newsome with giving him crucial confidence by holding him to what felt at the time like impossibly high standards.

“I was probably called to the ministry in high school,” he says. “But I was so afraid of the very thought of public speaking that I was sure I had misunderstood the Lord, which led me down the unlikely path of attending the Air Force Academy.”

That unlikely path proved providential.

The Academy’s demanding environment forced the shy teenager out of his comfort zone. His operations research major provided analytical skills, while the relentless Academy regimen built the confidence he needed to eventually answer what he says is God’s call on his life.

“Thankfully, in God’s providence, the Academy education and key jobs as a young officer forced me out of my comfort zone and gave me enough confidence to finally say yes to God’s call,” he says. “For me, it was an immediate call to serve as an Air Force chaplain.”

FORGED BY INFLUENCE

Gen. Costin’s path was shaped by mentors who saw potential in him that he couldn’t

“Without her influence, my education and career would have taken much different turns,” he says.

At the Academy, influential figures continued molding his character.

He remembers AOCs Col. (Ret.) Bill Porter ’70 and Col. (Ret.) Mark Hyatt ’74 and Tommy Clemmons ’86 from his hometown all having an impact.

Most memorably, he recalls Capt. Mark McCarthy ’85, whose three-degree leadership left an indelible mark.

“He allowed no shortcuts and pulled no punches because he realized the importance of our training far more than we did,” Gen. Costin says of McCarthy. “He would eventually give his life for his country, which only increased my admiration for him as a leader and my appreciation for his investment in our lives when we were all just teenagers. To the best of my ability, his legacy lives on through me.”

Perhaps no single figure influenced Gen. Costin’s spiritual development more than Chaplain Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Charles Baldwin ’69.

MINISTRY IN UNIFORM

“One of the most important lessons the Academy taught me was that military life is a team sport.”

—

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dondi Costin ’86

“I often say my Baptist mother prayed that Baptist chaplain back to the Academy so I would have someone with a vested interest in my spiritual growth as a cadet,” Gen. Costin says of Gen. Baldwin.

“He was the first chaplain I ever encountered — during Basic Cadet Training — and the Lord put me in his path on multiple timely occasions throughout my career. It has been clear to me since the summer of 1982 that Chaplain Charlie Baldwin is USAFA’s best foot forward. He really was an answer to my mother’s prayers and still is to mine.”

Gen. Costin’s 32-year chaplain career began with him ministering to trainees at Basic Military Training and culminated as the Air Force’s senior chaplain. He completed four overseas assignments, including as U.S. Air Forces Central Command chaplain and Pacific Air Forces Command chaplain.

During his Middle East deployment, Gen. Costin oversaw the spiritual wellbeing of 28,000 warfighters, leading 22 teams across 10 countries that provided over 72,000 hours of face-to-face engagement, 31,000 counseling sessions and 7,000 worship services.

As chief of chaplains, Gen. Costin championed what he calls the Faith Works campaign, emphasizing both constitutional religious liberty and the demonstrated benefits of faith on warfighter resilience.

“The First Amendment applies equally to those who choose to exercise their faith commitments and those who have no such commitments,” he says. “But the

presence of the latter should not diminish the free exercise rights of the former, especially since the exercise of one’s faith is so demonstrably good for warfighters and their family members alike.”

His tenure included initiatives that improved effectiveness and efficiency, including relocating the Air Force Chaplain Corps College from Columbia, South Carolina, to Montgomery, Alabama, which returned chaplain corps education to the heart of Air University.

LEADING BY SERVING

Today, as president of Liberty University, Gen. Costin leads more than 140,000 students, including 40,000 affiliated with the military.

His leadership philosophy draws from his Academy training and his faith, organized around the acrostic LEADERS: lordship of Christ, environment, accountability, development, execution, results and shepherd.

“Some leaders focus so much on the people that they forget about the mis-

sion,” he says. “Others focus so much on the mission that they forget about the people. But the best leaders are aware enough of their tendencies to focus sufficiently on both.”

This balance, Gen. Costin believes, is at the heart of effective leadership.

“Having read every kind of leadership book you can imagine,” Gen. Costin notes, “I often say that every good leadership book says the same thing. The best leadership books focus on the fundamentals of balancing people and mission in pursuit of organizational effectiveness.”

THE TEAM BEHIND THE LEADER

True to Academy values, Gen. Costin is quick to deflect individual recognition.

“One of the most important lessons the Academy taught me was that military life is a team sport,” he says. “Individual recognition is primarily a reflection on the sacrifices of those who flourished behind the scenes.”

He’s particularly grateful for his wife, Vickey, a public school teacher for 23

years who sacrificed as they moved around the world.

“She is the rock star in this relationship,” he says.

Receiving the Leadership Achievement Award — which recognizes Academy graduates who have distinguished themselves through professional accomplishments — holds special significance for Gen. Costin.

“Like the proverbial turtle on a fencepost, I didn’t get here by myself. Not even close,” he says. “This award mostly acknowledges the contributions of others.”

That holds true at Liberty University, where Gen. Costin leads an institution that emphasizes holistic development.

The institution develops in its students “the values, knowledge and skills essential to impact their spheres of influence” across nearly every field of study, including one of the country’s largest collegiate aeronautics programs, robust ROTC programs, and medical and law schools.

“Much like the Academy, Liberty understands the value of a well-rounded education aimed at transforming men and women into servant leaders,” he says.

ENDURING GRATITUDE

As Gen. Costin reflects on his journey from Boys State to university president, he returns repeatedly to the Academy’s foundational influence.

“Those first four years after high school are probably the most transformative period of one’s adult life,” he says. “The bonding that occurs among brothers and sisters through shared experiences charts their future course.”

He thinks daily of his Bull Six classmates and the institution that believed in “a bunch of teenagers who knew a whole lot less than they thought they knew about life, service and sacrifice.

“As I engage in this kind of reflection, I’m reminded of Scripture’s admonition to give respect where respect is due and honor where honor is due,” Gen. Costin says. “None of us would be where we are today without the investment of this great institution. Thanks to our beloved alma mater for believing in us when we barely believed in ourselves.”

COL. (RET.) CAROLYN BENYSHEK ’87

A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP, PURPOSE AND SERVICE IN THE SPACE AGE

By David Bitton

Col. (Ret.) Carolyn Benyshek ’87 never expected the Air Force to give her more than it demanded of her. Yet over the course of a distinguished 31-year career, service became not just a profession but a calling.

Growing up in a military household with an enlisted Air Force father, Col. Benyshek learned sacrifice, discipline and duty at an early age. Still, she never envisioned the extraordinary path her life would take.

“Being an Air Force officer has never just been what I do — it’s who I am,” she says. “It’s a calling, not a title. It means being part of something greater than myself: the profession of arms.”

From her first days at the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School to commanding missions that safeguarded national security, her journey reflects the heart of a servant-leader — guided by vision, grounded in service and dedicated to mentoring others.

Now, as a 2024 recipient of the USAFA Leadership Achievement Award — honoring graduates with distinguished professional accomplishments — she reflects on a career that not only helped lay the foundation for the U.S. Space

Force but also continues to inspire the next generation of warrior-leaders.

A PATH FORGED IN SERVICE

For the Colorado Springs native, the Academy was more than academic and military training — it was a gateway to possibility.

“Though I didn’t always know I’d wear the uniform myself, I was consistently drawn to purpose-driven work,” she says. “The values, discipline and challenge of military life resonated deeply with me.”

Still, her early years came with challenges. Entering a male-dominated profession, she often questioned her path.

“I didn’t always get the answers I wanted, but the journey shaped me,” she recalls.

She embraced the Academy not only as a place to develop academically and physically but also as a springboard to something greater. Upon graduation, she discovered her true passion in service — not just in the missions she supported, but in the people she served alongside: teammates, mentors and future leaders.

COMMANDING THE COSMOS

Her passion for space operations emerged early and quickly propelled her into increasingly complex leadership roles.

Among her most significant accomplishments was commanding the National Reconnaissance Office Operations Squadron, where she led 160 military and civilian personnel responsible for more than 95,000 satellite missions critical to U.S. national security.

Her team’s work had global impact — supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and executing 25 flawless satellite launches valued at over $13 billion. Earlier in her career, she led a 200-person team overseeing a $4 billion satellite constellation.

For Col. Benyshek, the numbers were never the point. “They represent meaningful impact,” she says, “achieved through collaboration, adaptability and shared ownership.”

Her record of mission success and innovation played a vital role in building the case for the establishment of the United States Space Force.

SERVANT LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

At the core of her success was a philosophy of servant leadership. She believed in empowering teams, setting clear expectations, and cultivating a culture of trust and accountability.

“My leadership philosophy centers on servant leadership, trust and clarity of vision,” she explains. “I focus on listening, providing purpose, and creating an environment where people feel valued and heard.”

In the high-stakes world of space operations, this approach not only delivered mission success but also built resilient, cohesive teams.

She credits Col. (Ret.) Kris Henley as a formative influence, a mentor who demonstrated people-first leadership without compromising excellence.

Her achievements — including Officer of the Year, the National Reconnaissance Office Director’s Circle Award, and both the NRO Gold and Silver Medals — speak to her operational excellence and leadership integrity. She was inducted into the USAFA Preparatory School Hall of Fame in 2014 and named exemplar for the Preparatory School’s 2022 graduating class.

Yet she views recognition as a reflection of collective effort. “Being recognized for

my leadership is humbling,” she says. “It’s less about the title and more about knowing I’ve helped others succeed and created space for growth.”

CONTINUING TO SERVE

Even after retirement, Col. Benyshek has remained deeply engaged with the Academy and the broader community.

A lifetime member of the Association of Graduates and a Sabre Society member, she helped lead the Class of 1987’s fundraising campaign for the new Madera Cyber Innovation Center. She continues her service on the Falcon Foundation Board of Trustees, chairs its scholarship committee, and serves on the governing board. She also contributes to the Way of Life Board of Directors and as secretary of the USAFA Women executive committee.

Professionally, she serves as senior program manager and senior systems engineer at aerospace company Tech7, where she leads agile software teams, manages contracts and ensures strategic

mission alignment.

“My role allows me to bridge mission execution with long-term goals,” she says. “I’m especially passionate about mentoring and building cultures rooted in trust, performance and innovation.”

She remains a sought-after keynote speaker, partnering with organizations such as the National Charity League and 100+ Women Who Care.

GUIDED BY PRINCIPLES

Her approach to leadership and life remains anchored in principles she carries with her:

• Never forget where you came from.

• You never succeed alone.

• Give back whenever possible.

• Always extend a hand up.

• Leave every place and person better than you found them.

“My success stems from strong mentorship, continuous learning and a deep sense of accountability,” she reflects. “Challenges aren’t roadblocks — they’re opportunities to grow, innovate and lead with intention.”

Rather than measuring success by rank or awards, she points to the leaders she helped shape and the support of her family.

“My family has sacrificed so much to allow me to pursue my passion,” she says. “None of it would have been possible without the unwavering support of my husband, John; my daughters, Kimi and Kassandra; and my mother, Kaoru.”

For Col. Benyshek, her legacy is not just in the satellites launched or missions led. It lives in every leader she mentored, every team she strengthened, and every individual she inspired to pursue excellence.

LT. COL. MEGAN BILES ’10

By Sam Hastings

Lt. Col. Megan Biles ’10 didn’t grow up dreaming of a military career.

Raised in Gresham, Oregon, she says her early ambitions revolved around competitive soccer and a desire to teach high school English. A recruiting call from the U.S. Air Force Academy changed her trajectory.

“I didn’t come from a military background,” she says. “During my campus visit, I was drawn to the challenge, sense of purpose and strong community.”

That sense of purpose led her to accept an appointment to the Academy, where she knew her limits would be tested.

“My Christian faith played a big role,” Col. Biles says. “I saw it as a vocational calling — something that mattered beyond just a career.”

Then-cadet Biles arrived at USAFA ready to play intercollegiate soccer but eventually stepped away from the team to explore new athletic challenges, including the marathon and triathlon clubs. These clubs pushed her outside her comfort zone, taught her to stay steady under pressure, and encouraged her to pursue goals like completing the Ironman Wisconsin and, during a foreign immersion in China, running the Great Wall Marathon.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Biles says she didn’t have a strong math background. After a tough conversation with her academic adviser about whether the Academy was the right fit, she decided to persevere.

That defining moment helped her recover academically and thrive. Her political science studies took her to West Point to represent USAFA at a conference, and

to Vietnam for an international relations immersion.

On the military side, she participated in jump and powered flight training and served as summer cadet group commander for Combat Survival Training, helping reinstate the program after a long hiatus.

The Academy, she says, taught her to never quit, to rely on a strong support system, to keep showing up when things are hard and to take chances even when the odds aren’t in her favor.

After graduation, she earned her wings and flew the C-146A, deploying six times across multiple U.S. combatant commands. One of her assignments came during a volatile period in Burkina Faso, where she served as special operations forces liaison officer to the U.S. Embassy. The mission had a clear purpose, making her work incredibly fulfilling.

As her career took off, she was selected as aide-de-camp to the vice commander of U.S. Special Operations Command at the Pentagon, then served as a legislative liaison and research contributor at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. She also worked with the chief of staff and secretary of the Air Force, conducting strategic analysis and helping guide the Department of the Air Force reoptimization effort.

Outside the Air Force, she was a fellow and director of fellows for the Irregular Warfare Initiative. She was also a NextGen National Security Fellow with the Center for a New American Security.

She continued learning, earning master’s degrees from Georgetown University and the School of Advanced Air and Space

Studies. Now a Ph.D. candidate in the SAASS follow-on program, she’s studying military integration with allies and partners to help shape future policy.

Throughout her career, Col. Biles has combined strategic thinking with a commitment to service. Her efforts as co-chair of the Air Force’s Barrier Analysis Working Group helped expand aviation readiness by allowing more flexibility to fly while pregnant.

“We approached everything through the lens of readiness, risk, resources, retention and recruitment,” she says. “Too many existing policies were outdated and didn’t reflect the modern force or the realities of those serving.”

These experiences taught her to conduct analysis, frame issues for greater impact and navigate complex institutions — skills that continue to serve her today.

“I try to lead with honesty, humility and a willingness to roll up my sleeves and do the hard work alongside the team,” Col. Biles says.

She was surprised and humbled to be selected for the Young Alumni Excellence Award.

“I didn’t even know I’d been nominated,” she says. “I feel grateful, blessed and, most of all, thankful for the people in my corner who’ve supported and uplifted me along the way.”

For Col. Biles, being part of the Long Blue Line means you are never alone; you are part of something bigger.

“I’m thankful for the many mentors I’ve gained throughout my journey,” she says. “You truly can go further together.”

MAJ. JOSEPH BLEDSOE ’11

By Sam Hastings

For Maj. Joseph “Paveway” Bledsoe ’11, leadership revolves around three main priorities: faith, family and being a fighter pilot. These guiding principles have taken him from his smalltown roots in rural Pennsylvania to the U.S. Air Force Academy and to flying the F-15E Strike Eagle.

Although his family had no military background, he felt inspired to serve when his cousin graduated from the Academy in 2005. From middle school on, he was determined to pursue an appointment.

At USAFA, he committed himself to seizing every opportunity. After completing Basic Cadet Training, his classmates elected him class president. Bledsoe says his Academy experience taught him how to lead both vertically as a senior officer and horizontally on a peer-to-peer level.

“The Academy really forced me, in quite a few of my leadership positions, to rely on peer leadership,” he says. “That’s where it starts and ultimately finishes.”

Bledsoe studied biology, planning to attend medical school and become a surgeon. However, a firstie-year trip overseas with a C-130 unit shifted his focus.

“I was hyperfocused on wanting to be a doctor,” he says. “The experience opened the door, and then firstie year I had the opportunity to fly at the airfield. I realized I can always get into medicine, but I can’t always get into this flying gig.”

He dropped his medical school applications and submitted his name for pilot training. For Bledsoe, the shift wasn’t farfetched.

“In medicine and flying, there are a lot

of commonalities. It’s on you to make a decision with what information you have and execute and solve the next problem,” he says. “That translates very well to the flying community.”

After graduation, he studied international relations and economic policy at the University of Maryland before training on the T-6 and T-38, and ultimately flying the F-15E Strike Eagle. He says the rest is history.

Flying the Strike Eagle provided leadership opportunities as a flight lead, instructor pilot and flight commander. He’s flown over 1,500 hours, including 70 combat missions over Syria in the ongoing effort to defeat ISIS. In addition to leading his peers, his time as a pilot gave him the chance to mentor many younger officers.

These experiences prepared Bledsoe for his current role at USAFA as a fellow with the Institute for Future Conflict, where he is researching how U.S. airpower can be applied in near-peer competition, specifically in the South China Sea. He explains that the U.S. learned many lessons from the Global War on Terrorism, and he underscores the importance of preparing for potential conflicts in new arenas. Outside of his research, he teaches and mentors cadets, whom he describes as inquisitive and forward-thinking.

However, Bledsoe’s service to his alma mater began long before he joined the IFC. After graduating, he represented his classmates as a member of the Class Advisory Senate. His work on the CAS ultimately led to his appointment to the Association of Graduates Board of Directors, where he served from 2020 to

2024. In both roles, he aimed to reduce barriers to engagement, especially for younger graduates. He was also a strong voice of support in the AOG adopting its membership-for-all-graduates model.

“There’s no shade of blue in the Long Blue Line,” he says. “Whether you’re the chief of staff of the Air Force and you graduate from here or you’re the last person to walk across the stage in the Class of 2025, everybody has the degree on their wall. That’s all that matters to be in this club.”

Those who recognized Bledsoe’s impact nominated him for the Young Alumni Excellence Award — an honor that caught him by surprise. He views the award as a reflection of the people who believed in him and the values that shaped him.

“It’s humbling,” he says. “The award wasn’t the goal, but the things that went into that award — what you’ve done for the Academy, all the things you put your family through and everything you’ve done in the Air Force — it means you’ve done things that you set out to do from the age of 12, which is really humbling.”

Being part of the Long Blue Line is especially meaningful to Bledsoe because of its rich heritage and the shared connection among all generations of graduates.

Throughout all these experiences, his priorities haven’t changed: faith, family and being a fighter pilot. Next year, he and his wife, Alicia, will move with their three children to North Carolina, where Bledsoe will continue serving a higher purpose as he returns to flying the F-15E at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. His next goal is to become a squadron commander.

MR. ANSON CHENG ’18

By Bryan Grossman

Born in the United States to Taiwanese immigrants, Anson Cheng ’18 says he chose to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy because he wanted to serve a nation that had provided his family with so many opportunities.

“Watching the people in our community show up for my family was a really rewarding experience that resonated with me,” he says, “and that was a huge part of why I wanted to find a way to give back to this country.”

And when the time came to choose institutions of higher education, Cheng says he was influenced by his father, who served as a mechanic in the Taiwanese Air Force.

“It was an easy connection,” Cheng says. “He grew up really into planes, and I grew up going to a bunch of air shows because of his interest.”

Cheng studied a wide variety of subjects while at USAFA, from philosophy to his eventual major, operations research.

“I tried to load on extra courses — a lot of foreign area studies, geography, history, just a lot of additional electives that were kind of outside the scope of what I needed to graduate,” he says. “Part of that was trying to make the most of the Academy experience.”

Cheng also made the most of the leadership opportunities while at the Academy, including creating a Wing-wide volunteer program and organizing financial literacy classes.

“I loved it, honestly,” Cheng says of being a cadet. “Every day was me living by some of my closest friends that I still keep in touch with today. … Whether it’s the random things that happen in the dorm

when you’re spending time with friends, the military training or all the other events that the Academy puts on — I think those experiences have really stuck with me, and it’s something I still look back on fondly.”

As an officer, Cheng distinguished himself as an operations research analyst at the Air Force Institute of Technology, where he researched artificial neural networks and later presented on his work at the 100th annual American Meteorological Society meeting.

Cheng also contributed to the development of new analytical frameworks at the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron and later helped lead cybersecurity operations at the Defense Information Systems Agency, including during historical events such as the SolarWinds breach, the withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Cheng moved to the private sector in 2023, a transition that caught him somewhat off guard.

“The biggest lesson when I separated was that as much as you prepare, it still kind of hits you like a brick wall,” he says. “There are moments where you feel like you lost your sense of community and belonging when you leave the military. And that was something I wasn’t expecting, or I thought I could handle. But one thing that really stuck with me was just how the military and veteran community, whether it’s USAFA alumni or the larger community as well, really shows up for you.”

As a civilian, Cheng has excelled, bringing his expertise to Plato Systems, a technology startup, and to SkyFi, a satellite imagery company, where he applied AI tools to both military and civilian uses.

He also interned at Google in the Privacy, Safety, and Security Division supporting privacy efforts.

Beyond his professional work, Cheng has volunteered with Service to School for the past three years, currently serving as the organization’s CFO, helping fellow veterans pursue higher education.

Currently pursuing dual graduate degrees at the Wharton School of Business and Harvard Kennedy School, Cheng says the Young Alumni Excellence honor is “super humbling, just because I know all my friends from my class are still out there doing a lot of great things. I’m just honored to be able to represent one of the young alumni for the year. It’s just another reminder to put my best foot forward every single day. But remember that again, there are a lot of other people who are out there killing it.”

He then reflects on what it means to be part of the Long Blue Line.

“It’s everything,” he says. “It’s something that no one can take away from me. It’s part of who I am for the rest of my life, and it’s continuing to inform who I’m going to become. I’m really thankful for being part of the Long Blue Line, the experiences at the Academy, the people I’ve met, the people I’ll continue meeting. Every day is a new experience for me, so, I’m really thankful for it.”

Each year, the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation honors graduates who embody the core values of integrity, service and excellence.

Distinguished Graduate, Leadership Achievement, Young Alumni Excellence and Sullenberger Award for Courage

NOMINATIONS OPEN SEPT. 1, 2025, AND CLOSE DEC. 31, 2025

Nominate a classmate, peer, mentor or other influential graduate today! Learn more at usafa.org/awards.

SULLENBERGER AWARD FOR COURAGE

LONG BLUE LINE WEEKEND

This year’s Long Blue Line Weekend brought together grads, cadets and U.S. Air Force Academy leadership in a celebration of legacy and service. Held July 24-27 at USAFA, the weekend included an inaugural NextGen Advisory Council meeting, March Back with the Class of 2029 and lunch with grads and cadets at Mitchell Hall. The Long Blue Line Conference provided important Academy updates and sparked thought-provoking discussions, and the Long Blue Line Awards reception and the Distinguished Graduate Dinner capped the homecoming events. From reconnecting with old friends to welcoming those next in line, the weekend showcased enduring Academy unity.

TOP: Guests gather at Hotel Polaris on July 25 to celebrate the newest Distinguished Graduate Leadership Achievement and Young Alumni Excellence Award winners.

MIDDLE: From left: Mark Hille ’97, Maj. Joseph “Paveway” Bledsoe ’11, Col. (Ret.) Carolyn Benyshek ’87, Jerry Bruni ’70, Gen. (Ret.) Bill Begert ’68, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dondi Costin ’86, Lt. Col. Megan Biles ’10 and Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91

BOTTOM: Col. Benyshek and friends

NEXT PAGE TOP LEFT: Guests stand for the national anthem prior to the Distinguished Graduate Award dinner

NEXT PAGE TOP RIGHT: Superintendent Gen. Bauernfeind awards Gen. Begert with the Distinguished Graduate medal

NEXT PAGE BOTTOM: From left: Distinguished Graduate Jerry Bruni, Cathy Almand ’90, Mark Hille and Alex Gilbert ’87

FUTURE PLANNING

IFC gift to support years of continued discovery

By Steven Lincoln

As a founder of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Institute for Future Conflict, John Fox ’63 has helped fund positions that provide unique expertise that otherwise may not be available.

One IFC fellow supported by Fox brought a deep knowledge of the People’s Republic of China. Another provided perspective on Middle East warfare and politics.

These additions to the curriculum gave initial support that the Academy needed to address threats identified in the 2018 National Defense Strategy.

“It talks about the increasingly complex security environment and rapid technological change in this environment,” Fox says of the NDS. “It goes on to say that there can’t be any complacency. We must make difficult choices and prioritize what is most important to field a lethal, resilient and rapidly adapting Joint Force. And of course, that was a very forward-looking statement, because, as we’ve seen since 2018, the rise of the problems in the Middle East, we’ve had the war in Ukraine, and we have the East Asia issues with China and their attempts to intimidate Taiwan. It just seems like the threat environment has become more acute ever since then.”

The continued need for cadets to be prepared for uncertain times combined with the Academy’s priority of graduating officers ready on Day 1 led Fox to consider a larger gift that could fund IFC operations for several years.

LEFT: The fall Culminating Exercise, an annual cadet training exercise, will benefit from the John ’63 and Sandy Fox IFC Operating Fund during the 2025-26 academic year. (U.S. Air Force Academy photo by Justin Pacheco)

ABOVE: The Multi-Domain Lab, a simulated battle space in Fairchild Hall, will be upgraded as part of the Fox IFC Fund disbursement this year. (U.S. Air Force Academy photo by Trevor Cokley)

Earlier this year, Fox and his wife, Sandy, created the John ’63 and Sandy Fox IFC Operating Fund with a $10 million gift to support the IFC.

“My hope is that it will be a constantly evolving entity at the Academy that’s looking forward to searching the threats facing us. How are certain technologies being used to better defend our country?” Fox asks. “In other words, it’s not a static sort of thing, but it’s evolving as we learn more about how our adversaries are targeting us. I hope that there’s always this curiosity and search into the unknown.”

A NEW FUTURE CONFLICT MINOR

Part of that search into the unknown could be facilitated through a new future conflict minor approved by the Academy on Aug. 8. The Fox IFC Operating Fund will provide salaries for three fellows hired to teach the courses within the minor. The four identified courses include Strategic Competition, Adversary Doctrine, Fiction and Future Conflict, and the Problems in Strategy and Tactics capstone, which includes classified instruction. A fifth course for the minor is an elective that cadets can choose from across the curriculum.

ABOVE LEFT: Cadets develop adaptability and combat readiness during culminating exercises. The 2025 fall CULEX will benefit from support from the Fox IFC Operating Fund. (U.S. Air Force Academy photo by Trevor Cokley)

ABOVE RIGHT: U.S. Space Force Master Sgt. Patrick Pineda facilitates a capstone project inside the Multi-Domain Lab. The lab will be upgraded with support from the Fox IFC Operating Fund. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Michael Ward)

LEFT: The Institute for Future Conflict touches all areas of the Academy, including athletics. The combatives program will receive support to expand this year. (Photo by Ryan Hall)

The Fox funds will also pay for travel and research for the fellows and cadets in the courses.

During the minor’s development, about 30 cadets completed one or more of the courses during the 2024-25 academic year. Fox met with the cadets at graduation time. “They were so enthusiastic. I think a couple of them said, ‘This is the best course we’ve ever taken at the Air Force Academy,’” Fox says. “It helped them understand what they were going to be facing after graduation. They had a broader concept of what the Air Force’s challenges are and how they were going

to fit into those challenges and respond as warfighters. We need to have the capability to project power so that our adversaries won’t take us on.”

IFC leaders anticipate at least 10 cadets will have completed the future conflict minor by the end of the 2025-26 academic year.

ADDITIONAL PRIORITIES

The Institute for Future Conflict is now part of A5 at headquarters USAFA — Strategic Plans, Policy and Requirements. Designated as A5X, the IFC is the organization looking at future concepts for the superintendent, allowing it to be more easily incorporated across all major units of the Academy.

For example, the IFC will be more involved with support of military training this academic year and in the future. Over the past year, the Academy has expanded its warfighter and training exercises. The Cadet Wing participated in two culminating exercises to help develop resilience, adaptability and combat readiness. The fall CULEX, which replaced the Commandant’s Challenge and Commandant’s Training Day, will continue in October 2025.

The Academy announced earlier this year that the spring CULEX would eventually be known as The Crucible. The event evaluates cadet proficiency in Ready Airman Training skills. The Crucible is on the academic calendar for April 15-

18, 2026, serving as the mechanism for Recognition and Promotion. Both exercises will benefit from the Fox IFC Operating Fund.

The fund also will help pay for upgrades to the Multi-Domain Lab, a 7,000-squarefoot facility in Fairchild Hall. The lab, created in 2021, is a comprehensive, integrated simulated battle space that links multiple participant perspectives.

The combatives and water survival programs within the Department of Athletics will be able to expand as well.

“The Academy’s Institute for Future Conflict is vital to sustain and advance our national security objectives in the 21st century through curriculum, research, outreach and the forging of our warrior leaders,” says Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91, U.S. Air Force Academy superintendent. “The Long Blue Line continues to give back to the Academy, and we appreciate the generosity that allows our staff to prepare our cadets for the great power conflict they will face in the years to come.”

THE CHANGING NATURE OF WARFIGHTING

When Fox showed up at the Air Force Academy in the fall 1959, it was 14 years after the end of World War II and only a few years after the Korean War.

“It seemed like the training was more focused on a kind of single set of tactics

LEFT: The combatives program at the Air Force Academy helps foster a warrior ethos. The Fox IFC Operating Fund will help expand the program this year.

(Photo by Ryan Hall)

BELOW: Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks ’96 does pushups with the Cadet Wing during the Spring 2025 CULEX. (U.S. Air Force Academy photo by Ray Bahner)

and operations; whereas today, these cadets are facing multiple areas of conflict, multiple technologies that they have to become aware of and learn about,” Fox says. “Back in the ’60s, space wasn’t thought to be a contested domain. It’s also another thing that our cadets have to learn about in terms of multi-domain operations. I think the IFC is a way for them to grasp some of the opportunities they have in the Air Force or Space Force and some of the possible ways they can use their talents.”

After graduating from the Academy with an engineering degree, Fox served as a T-38 instructor pilot and taught applied aerodynamics as a classroom instructor, but he wasn’t able to see himself as a longterm Air Force officer. After earning an MBA in 1972, Fox eventually found his calling in the oil and gas industry.

Fox was one of the original founding directors of the Air Force Academy Foundation and was honored as a 2017 Distinguished Graduate of the Academy. He was instrumental in establishing the IFC, but he has been part of a larger group of graduates who have seen the importance of the institute and fostered its growth.

“I want to emphasize the team approach to this. I’ve been fortunate enough to have the resources to help with this effort. But the real heavy work has been done by Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64, Gen. (Ret.) Gregory “Speedy” Martin ’70, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Erv

Rokke ’62, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dave Scott ’78 and IFC Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) BJ Shwedo ’87. The superintendent, Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind, has also been a constant source of support and leadership. [These are] the people who inspired me. It’s a team. It’s not one person here,” Fox says.

Dr. Kaminski, Gen. Martin and Gen. Rokke all helped with establishing and coordinating the IFC in its early days. Then-Superintendent Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Richard Clark ’86 selected Gen. Shwedo as the institute’s first director in 2021.

“My wife and I have always been astounded by the willingness of these very capable people to dive in, to have meetings to discuss it, to go through the

process of trying to formulate a plan,” Fox says. “We’re just constantly inspired by the dedication of the people we’ve met with, the IFC, and then the people that helped formulate it in the first place.”

Leaders at the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, which encompasses the joint mission of the Association of Graduates and the Air Force Academy Foundation, share similar sentiments about John and Sandy Fox.

“John and Sandy have been part of the Institute for Future Conflict from the very beginning,” says Mark Hille ’97, president and CEO of the Association & Foundation. “They have provided vision and steadfast support for the initiative,

and when it came time to implement, they ensured the resources were available to bring forward experts in critical fields of study and practice.”

While the IFC has come far, Hille notes that its work must continue — and it will, thanks to the Foxes’ support.

“Today, as the IFC matures, the John ’63 and Sandy Fox IFC Operating Fund will provide vital support to critical operations, offering more reach and impact to the program. We are grateful for John and Sandy Fox’s commitment to the Air Force Academy and this important initiative, preparing cadets for future conflict,” Hille says.

Checkpoints Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation

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At the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, we are united by more than service — we are bound by legacy and family.

We mourn the loss of every graduate, cadet and air training officer. They will be remembered for the lives they touched and by the families who stood beside them.

The Association & Foundation’s Next of Kin program is here to offer support and guidance.

Please visit usafa.org/next-of-kin-and-gbnf to report the death of a graduate, cadet or air training officer and to find out more about Next of Kin services. Or contact the Next of Kin support services at deceasednotifications@usafa.org.

On July 24, the United States Senate confirmed former lieutenant colonel Matthew Lohmeier as the 29th Undersecretary of the United States Air Force. A 2006 USAFA graduate, Lohmeier brings service experience spanning aviation, space operations, strategic planning and senior leadership. His appointment places him in a top civilian leadership role at a time when the Air Force and Space Force are evolving to meet modern defense challenges.

Matthew Lohmeier ’06

Undersecretary of the United States Air Force

Lohmeier assumes a critical role within the Department of the Air Force, working alongside Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Troy Meink. As Undersecretary of the Air Force, Lohmeier is responsible for managing the day to day activity of the Department of the Air Force, which includes an annual budget of over $200 billion and providing oversight for nearly 700,000 military personnel, civilian employees and their families. His role includes policy development, budgetary planning, personnel management and support for modernization initiatives that span both the Air Force and Space Force.

“Our airmen and guardians sacrifice a

great deal to serve the American people,” Lohmeier said in a news release the day he was confirmed. “They deserve all of the best tools, training and support they need to perform their missions in an increasingly complex and quickly evolving threat environment. I’m honored to work alongside Secretary Meink in service of these great men and women.”

Secretary Meink said, “I’d like to welcome Matt to the team. His prior service makes him an excellent fit to help us strengthen the readiness and warrior ethos of the Air and Space Forces in order to defend our nation. I’m impressed by his dedication and focus on service culture

and grateful for his advocacy for Department resources and modernization, and I know he will be a great asset to our Total Force airmen, guardians, and military families.”

Lohmeier began his military career as a fighter pilot, logging over 1,200 flight hours in the T-38 and F-15C, including missions that supported national defense objectives and international security commitments. His early career was marked by rapid advancement, including promotion to lieutenant colonel two years below the zone.

In addition to his flying career, Lohmeier consistently earned academic and

professional honors. He was named a distinguished graduate at several different U.S. Air Force professional military education programs, laying a foundation for his transition into strategic roles within the military. Our airmen and guardians sacrifice a great deal to serve the American people. They deserve all of the best tools, training and support they need to perform their missions in an increasingly complex and quickly evolving threat environment.”

of space professionals in a rapidly advancing operational environment.

Lohmeier became one of the first officers to transfer into the U.S. Space Force, taking command of the 11th Space Warning Squadron in October 2020. The squadron, headquartered at Buckley, is responsible for global missile warning and tracking — a mission critical to both homeland defense and international stability. Under his leadership, the squadron played a key role in supporting national security objectives and was later recognized as the Space Force’s top-performing unit in 2024.

After concluding his active-duty service in September 2021, Lohmeier continued to contribute to defense and leadership discussions in civilian life. He became a public speaker on military leadership and culture and strategic development.

modernization programs, supporting the development of next-generation fighter aircraft, and overseeing the creation of resilient space-based infrastructure capable of withstanding modern threats. He highlighted the integration of air and space capabilities as a key pillar of U.S. defense strategy.

In addition to his military and civilian accomplishments, Lohmeier is known for his involvement in professional development and education initiatives. He has spoken at a variety of defense forums, universities and industry events, focusing on topics such as leadership in high-pressure environments, the future of space operations, and the role of strategic thinking in national security. He recently served as executive vice president of Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services (STARRS).

In 2015, Lohmeier shifted from flight operations to space operations — a growing field within the Department of the Air Force. Assigned to Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado (now Buckley Space Force Base), he served as chief of training for the 460th Operations Support Squadron. There, he led the development and implementation of the Standardized Space Trainer, a simulation-based program designed to prepare space operators for real-world missile warning scenarios. The system enhanced mission readiness and contributed to the effective training

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

Lohmeier’s academic background includes a bachelor’s degree from USAFA in social science with a minor in Mandarin Chinese. He later earned a master degrees in military operational art and science and a Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy from the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, one of the DoD’s premier strategy schools. He is the author of Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military, published in 2021.

Nominated for Undersecretary in February by President Donald Trump, Lohmeier, during his Senate confirmation process, outlined his priorities, including advancing the Air Force’s nuclear

• More than 1,200 flight hours in T-38 and F-15C aircraft

Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Lohmeier now resides in Arlington, Virginia, with his wife, Sara, and their children.

• Named distinguished graduate at four U.S. Air Force educational institutions

• Developed the Standardized Space Trainer for space operations readiness

• Commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron, overseeing global missile warning

• Former executive vice president of STARRS

• Earned a Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy from SAASS

Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans ’99

Vice superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy

Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, Class of 1999, has assumed the role of vice superintendent at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He succeeds Maj. Gen. Thomas Sherman ’95.

Before Gen. Evans’ assignment to the Academy, he commanded the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan — the largest combat wing in the U.S. Air Force. The 18th Wing plays a key role in ensuring readiness and projecting U.S. airpower across the Indo-Pacific region.

Under his leadership, the wing operated a range of aircraft, including F-15C Eagles, KC-135 Stratotankers, HH-60G Pave Hawks and E-3 Sentry aircraft. The wing also supports joint and rotational forces flying additional aircraft types, contributing to missions such as tactical air combat, combat search and rescue, command and control, and aeromedical evacuation. Kadena serves as a vital hub for Pacific Air Forces and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command operations.

Gen. Evans took command of the 18th Wing in July 2023 following a succession of leadership roles centered on the Indo-Pacific. Previous assignments include serving as executive assistant to the commander of Pacific Air Forces at Joint Base Pearl-Harbor Hickam, Hawaii, and leading the 613th Air Operations Center in Hawaii and the 8th Operations Group at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea.

Commissioned in 1999, Gen. Evans earned his bachelor’s degree in military history from the Academy. He is a command pilot with over 2,400 flight hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon

and F-35 Lightning II. A graduate of the prestigious USAF F-16 Weapons Instructor Course, he has held several tactical leadership roles, including chief of weapons and tactics at Kunsan AB and chief of F-16 programs at Eglin AFB, Florida.

As commander of the 18th Wing, Gen. Evans led a team of over 8,000 personnel responsible for combat readiness, rapid deployment capabilities and maintaining operational air superiority in a strategically important region. Kadena Air Base continues to play a pivotal role in contingency response, joint training and allied cooperation.

ABOVE: Gen. Evans, left, then-18th Wing commander, during a change of command ceremony at Kadena Air Base, Japan, June 25, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Catherine Daniel)

HONOR YOUR MENTOR, CLASSMATE OR ENTIRE USAFA CLASS WITH A

Because of a unique financing structure, Hotel Polaris will become a future asset of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation. Your tribute will facilitate future support of the Air Force Academy, its cadets and the Long Blue Line.

WHO WILL YOU HONOR?

• Your honoree will be acknowledged outside the room you choose

• Your tax-deductible gift will be celebrated on the Hotel Polaris donor wall

• Sponsorships are available starting with a $25,000 commitment

BE PART OF THIS EXCITING PROJECT BY SPONSORING A ROOM OR SUITE.

Learn more or reserve your place today by contacting hotelpolaris@usafa.org or scanning the QR code.

Where Legacy Meets Luxury

Family-Friendly Offers and Specials Welcome Back to the Academy

At Hotel Polaris, every stay is a salute to your service, your family and your Academy memories. Just outside the north gates of the U.S. Air Force Academy, our retreat offers refined comfort, panoramic mountain views and warm hospitality that feels like home. Whether you’re here to reconnect with classmates, cheer on the Falcons or introduce your family to the place where your journey began, you’ll find a setting worthy of your legacy.

Four-Diamond Accommodations with Mountain Views

Six Indulgent Restaurants and Bars

Three Unique Flight Simulator Experiences

Heated Resort Style Pool, Spa and Wellness Center

Two join Air Force Academy Foundation Board

By Steven Lincoln

Matt Young ’95 and Brian Cherry P’27 have joined the Air Force Academy Foundation Board of Directors. The board is the governing body of the Air Force Academy Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the Air Force Academy through philanthropy.

“ Matt and Brian will be helpful board directors, especially with their expertise in finance and investing and their strong ties to the Academy. We will take full advantage of their talents and their belief in the Academy’s mission to expand important philanthropic support of the Academy.”

— Alex Gilbert ’87 board chair

MATT YOUNG ’95

Matt Young founded CriticalPoint in 2012 after recognizing a need within lower-middle market companies for corporate development support. He founded the firm with the goal of creating partnerships with

firms in need of investment assistance, including deal sourcing, buy- and sell-side support, and advisory or board participation to increase profitability.

“The Air Force Academy was an important part of my development as a leader and provided the discipline and strategic thinking necessary for building a successful business,” Young says. “I have witnessed the power of philanthropy at the Academy over the past few years, and my service on the Foundation board will allow me to build upon that long-term impact on the lives of future Air Force and Space Force officers.”

Prior to joining CriticalPoint, Young spent over a decade as principal at Platinum Equity, executing transactions across a wide variety of industries and holding board positions with numerous portfolio companies. During his tenure, he also supported Platinum’s global expansion initiatives by opening a satellite office in Paris, where he spent three years.

Previously, Young worked in the Technology Investment Banking Group at Bear Stearns & Co., and acted as a contracting officer for the United States Air Force, where he negotiated the acquisition of multibillion-dollar military satellites.

He earned a Bachelor of Science in management from the Air Force Academy and an MBA with a concentration in finance from the University of Southern California.

BRIAN CHERRY P’27

Brian Cherry has spent more than 25 years investing in and helping build businesses across a wide range of industries, including industrials, business services, health care and financial services. He has led buyout and growth equity investments totaling over $25 billion in enterprise value.

“USAFA plays a critically important role in developing future leaders not just for the Air Force but for our country,” Cherry says. “I believe deeply in the Academy’s mission, and I hope to impact the Academy by ensuring that it has the necessary support — beyond what government resources alone can provide — to deliver programs and opportunities that enhance the cadet experience. I am honored to be part of this group and will always advocate for the long-term success of the Academy, its cadets and its graduates.”

Before launching Flyway Holdings, Cherry was a managing partner and cochairman of the Investment Committee at Oak Hill Capital, a private equity firm managing $12 billion of capital. His board director experience includes Berlin Packaging, Charter Next Generation, Safe Fleet, Trinity Consultants, Technimark, Vetcor, American Veterinary Group, U.S. Oral Surgery Management, Petauri Health, TIDI Products, Uncle Julio’s Mexican Restaurants, Pure Fishing, Igloo Products, MBN Partners and Graintree Lending Partners, among others. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University and his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is a member of the Undergraduate Financial Aid Leadership Council.

Cherry and his spouse, Heather, have a son who attends the Air Force Academy in the Class of 2027.

FALCON FUNDER

IN ACTION

In 2024, the USAFA men’s club hockey team qualified for its fourth American Collegiate Hockey Association national tournament, finishing the season with a 20-3 record and ranking fifth nationally. Private support helped close a funding gap that could have prevented the team from traveling to nationals.

Since the hockey team’s crowdfunding campaign launched last year, more than 50 donors, including many NCAA Division I alumni, have contributed over $15,000.

WHAT WILL YOU MAKE POSSIBLE?

Falcon Funder is the perfect platform for graduates, families and friends to give back to the causes they care about most.

EXPLORE ACTIVE FUNDRAISERS OR LEARN HOW TO START A NEW CAMPAIGN AT USAFA.ORG/FALCONFUNDER.

WECKER HALL advances growth and mission of Foundation

By Steven Lincoln

FALCON CONFERENCE ROOM

Wecker Hall has six conference rooms available for staff and visitors.

OFFICE SPACE

Each division is equipped with offices and partitions.

THUNDERBIRD COMMONS

An area where staff and guests can connect over coffee or lunch

Dr. Bill Wecker ’63 reminisced about the ups and downs of establishing the USAFA Endowment — now the Air Force Academy Foundation — during his remarks at the Wecker Hall ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 25.

“We thought we were creating a fundraising operation. We ended up creating a fundraising and idea-generating operation that was also in the construction business, but fundraising has always been the Foundation’s primary purpose,” he said just minutes before cutting the ribbon on the new building.

The large audience in attendance for the

ribbon cutting included the staff of the Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates, the boards of both organizations, family members, and Academy leadership.

Since Dr. Wecker and Terry Drabant ’65 cofounded the Air Force Academy Foundation in 2007, the operation has raised more than $500 million to support the Academy, its cadets and programs, and graduates. That support includes 14 construction projects that have changed the skyline of the Academy and created new ways for the Academy to offer its programs.

Costa,

Mark Hille ’97, U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation CEO; Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cathy Almand ’90, Association of Graduates Board chair; Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91, superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy; Dr. Bill Wecker ’63; Alex Gilbert ’87, Foundation Board chair; and Katie Willemarck, U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation CFO. (Photo by Bryan Grossman)

“The reason we are here today is to, finally, after nearly 20 years, provide a quality working environment. That is the quality that this professional staff ought to have,” said Dr. Wecker, who flew more than 100 missions over North Vietnam and is a 2021 Distinguished Graduate.

Dr. Wecker and his late spouse, Mary Linn, were the lead donors for the building, which was paid for entirely with private support.

Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91, superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy, thanked the Weckers for their support for Wecker Hall and other projects across the Academy.

“It’s your vision, your philanthropic support and your continued involvement that are making us better and preparing our future generations to stand guard and make sure no adversaries ever test this great nation,” he said.

Mark Hille ’97, president and CEO of the Association & Foundation, reflected on the many iterations of the Foundation’s office space over 18 years. In addition to the lead donors, he

thanked the other contributors to the project.

“This project is unique. I don’t know who wakes up in the morning and says to themselves, ‘You know what? I’d like to give to an office building.’ The answer is, of course, those individuals that understand and appreciate the current and future impact of an organization like ours. It’s, in fact, those closest to the mission,” Hille said. “So it is that many of our gifts [to support Wecker Hall] — in fact, almost all of them — came from our Foundation directors who understood the virtue of this project and chose to invest. To all of our donors, thank you.”

As the headquarters for the Air Force Academy Foundation, Wecker Hall houses its staff under one roof for the first time and provides office space for the Association of Graduates and other USAFA-supporting nonprofits. It offers a modern working environment and room for future growth. The 25,800-squarefoot building was designed to be one of the first net-zero energy buildings

on an Air Force installation, powered by geothermal wells and rooftop solar panels, which will save millions of dollars in operating costs over the life of the project.

Nearly 60 staff members from the Association & Foundation and the Falcon Foundation moved into Wecker Hall in May. The AOG store, Doolittle Outfitters, remains in Doolittle Hall, and initial planning is underway to renovate Doolittle Hall to return to its intended purpose as an events and heritage center.

In July 2026, the Association & Foundation will dedicate a 10-foot-tall USAFA class ring as part of Yost Plaza, supported by Dave ’69 and Jean Yost. The plaza will serve as an entry point to the Heritage Trail. It also will connect Wecker Hall with Doolittle Hall.

• Help you access the Long Blue Line Portal The Association & Foundation

• Connect you with our employer partners

• Offer career coaching

• Review your resume

• Translate military skills and leadership to civilian competencies

• Tailor an individual career transition plan

• Provide networking training

• Conduct mock interviews

• Create an educational gap analysis and suggest continuing education opportunities

Jay Drake, Career Services Manager jay.drake@usafa.org | usafa.org

Game Changers

Five graduates transforming sports through leadership, innovation and heart

By David Bitton

Some discover their calling through a single pivotal moment — a coach’s unexpected recruiting pitch, an unforeseen medical setback or the realization that passion lies on an entirely different playing field.

For five Air Force Academy graduates, those moments of clarity launched them toward athletic frontiers they never imagined, where military precision meets sports innovation. These graduates now stand at the forefront of sports transformation.

One tackles collegiate athletics administration from within. Another empowers executives to command rooms with championship presence. A third combines elite sports medicine with USA Rugby team physician duties. The fourth helps Nike navigate an ever-changing marketplace. The fifth revolutionizes how global talent discovers opportunity through cuttingedge technology.

Although their paths diverged, each carries forward the same foundational truth: Excellence isn’t negotiable.

As a middle blocker for the U.S. Air Force Academy’s volleyball team, Col. (Ret.) Jen Block ’92 dominated in ways that defied her position.

While most middle blockers stayed at the net, Col. Block earned spots in the Academy’s top 10 for kills, blocks and digs.

“Back in the olden days, some middles did play back row,” she says. “I’m very proud of my defensive skills. I came to the Academy to play volleyball, and I stayed because I fell in love with the Air Force team.”

As a four-year letterman, team captain and most valuable player her firstie year, Col. Block also served as honor NCO and honor officer, developing leadership principles that would anchor her career.

“I learned the importance of relationships and taking care of people,” Col. Block says. “The mission always has to get done, and it’s the people who accomplish that. The better we took care of each other, the more successful we were.”

Block was a contracting officer for most of her career. In 1998, she was selected into the Air Force internship program, where she met her husband, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Denny Towns. Their journey had them at Ramstein Air Base on Sept. 11, 2001.

Col. Block’s career highlight came when she deployed right after 9/11 as a contingency contracting officer to help establish a bare base at Karshi-Khanabad, Uzbekistan.

“I’m really proud of the work we did to set up an operational base and begin flying missions in that arena,” Col. Block says.

After serving as air officer commanding at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School, Col. Block transitioned to the Air Force Reserve, serving another 12 years.

She acted as the Academy’s athletic director from April 2018 to February 2019 before retiring that April, and soon after was hired into her current role as executive director of athletic programs.

“I never could have drawn this up on the board, but it was an idyllic military career,” Col. Block says.

Working with other athletic departments reinforces her appreciation for the Academy’s standards.

“When I’m working with other athletic departments and hear what they go through, I realize how fortunate we are, because I don’t think integrity and service are core to everybody,” Col. Block says.

One critique she has about herself is that her competitive spirit remains strong today.

“I’m super competitive. I hate to lose, and I love to win,” she says.

Col. Block recently encouraged and helped several student-athletes secure pilot training slots by articulating the leadership experience they developed and demonstrated on the fields of friendly strife.

Her philosophy centers on a core principle she advocates passionately.

“The pressures felt in competitive athletics are considered to be the closest peacetime comparison to military combat,” Col. Block says.

This drives her conviction that athletics serve as essential military training.

“Individual character is forged by athletics,” Col. Block says. “I believe it is the best military training.”

Col. Block offers straightforward advice to current cadet-athletes.

“Stop fighting the system. You’re here, buy in. As soon as you really buy in, in all areas, you will start to see real growth and your life will be much better,” Col. Block says.

She emphasizes that military service becomes their identity in a way that civilian athletics can’t emulate.

“We don’t take off our uniform at the end of the day and abandon our core values. It’s in our DNA,” she says.

Col. Block’s message to Academy supporters centers on authentic competition.

“We do college athletics like it’s supposed to be and how it was 25 years ago,” she says. “Our athletes are fierce competitors playing for each other, our school and the love of the game. We’re not always the biggest or the fastest, but we have the most heart out there.”

The relationships built through Academy athletics endure.

Col. Block recently gathered with eight volleyball teammates, perpetuating relationships that began decades ago.

“Those bonds we forged on the volleyball court are real,” Col. Block says. “We went to all of each other’s weddings, bridal showers and baby showers. Those bonds are really unique.”

For Col. Block, Academy athletics represent something increasingly rare in modern college sports, and it’s very special.

“Come out and watch and introduce your family to these great Americans; they will make you proud,” she says.

Aninth-grade reality check in Columbia, South Carolina, launched Tanji (Johnson) Bridgeman ’97 on a journey of relentless self-determination that would carry her from the Air Force Academy to American Gladiators and ultimately to executive boardrooms.

When her Army father sat her down that pivotal year, he explained there was no money set aside for her college. She was on her own.

“That was it for me,” Bridgeman recalls. “That was the beginning of me truly taking responsibility for my life.”

While her classmates focused on teenage pursuits, Bridgeman charted a strategic path to higher education. And when traditional leadership positions weren’t available, she created her own and started a hip-hop dance team, appointing herself captain.

“If you don’t have the opportunity in front of you, if nobody selects or invites you, go create your own,” Bridgeman says. “That’s always been a part of my story, being a creator and not someone who waits for opportunity.”

Taking the SAT five or six times to meet Academy requirements, she eventually secured one of the final appointments.

Bridgeman’s cadet experience defied typical Academy narratives.

Rather than finding the rigid structure oppressive, she thrived in it.

“I actually felt I had more freedom as a cadet than I did growing up in a strict upbringing,” she laughs.

As one of the first women to serve as group superintendent during the second Basic Cadet Training for the Class of 1999, she spoke to hundreds of new cadets nightly.

“When people ask me where I got my gift for public speaking, I tell them it was from being on the amphitheater stage every night for two weeks,” Bridgeman says.

Following commissioning, Bridgeman spent her first year as an Academy admissions adviser, eliminating any lingering impostor syndrome about her own Academy journey.

“I used to feel like I didn’t deserve to be there, but now I get it,” she says. “The goal was to expand access to opportunities that had been out of reach for many communities.”

Her aircraft maintenance career working on KC-135s at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, taught crucial leadership lessons.

As a young lieutenant commanding over 200 people, she learned the value of humility and collaboration.

After four years of military service, Bridgeman pivoted to professional fitness. For 18 years, she competed as a professional bodybuilder and fitness champion, winning 11 titles and eventually appearing on American Gladiators as the gladiator, Stealth.

When COVID shut down the fitness industry in 2020, Bridgeman viewed the disruption as an opportunity for reinvention.

One current venture, Poised Like a Champion, a signature offering from her Empower Your Inner Champion brand, represents the evolution of two decades of bodybuilding expertise into executive presence coaching.

“I realized, I don’t have to abandon a skillset I’ve already built so much credibility in. I just needed to pivot and shift my audience,” Bridgeman says.

Executive presence, she explains, “is the ability to project confidence, credibility and clarity in the way you show up and the way you communicate so people trust you, want to follow you and thus allowing for more impact.”

Her guiding philosophy emerged from an unlikely source.

During muscle failure training, her trainer pushed her beyond her perceived limits, teaching her that “if you want to win, you’ve got to learn how to train through failure,” which revolutionized her mindset about setbacks.

This lesson evolved into her signature question. What would you do if you knew you had to fail in order to succeed?

“A lot of people will say, ‘What would you do if you knew you could not fail?’ Well, that doesn’t require any bravery, right?” she explains. “But what if you knew you had to fail in order to succeed? Then you would embrace failure and see it as the prequel to success.”

For current cadets seeking to blend sports, leadership and business, Bridgeman’s advice centers on self-knowledge and authenticity.

“Know who you are. When you align your identity, your strengths and your habits, you don’t just blend sports, leadership and business,” she says. “You excel in all three.”

Her journey from the amphitheater stage to American Gladiators to executive coaching has taught her one fundamental truth.

“You create your own opportunities,” she says.

Arecruiting visit to the Air Force Academy changed everything for Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dr. Matt Schmitz ’00 when then-head football coach Fisher DeBerry shared there was a way to fund his medical school dreams.

The Air Force would pay for it in exchange for a service commitment.

“That sounded like a great deal for me,” Dr. Schmitz recalls. “I’ve known I wanted to be a physician ever since I was a little kid.”

That decision launched a remarkable journey spanning two decades of military service, elite sports medicine and international rugby.

Today, Dr. Schmitz serves as a hip preservation and adolescent sports surgeon at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California; clinical professor at UC San Diego; and a USA Rugby team physician.

Dr. Schmitz’s Academy experience began on the football field but flourished on the rugby pitch.

After switching sports his sophomore year at the Academy, he discovered his passion in rugby.

“I fell in love with the sport,” he says.

The transition proved transformative, teaching discipline and time management while maintaining academic excellence as a biology major.

“Being pre-med and getting good grades while traveling with rugby set me up for success long term,” he says.

As co-captain his senior year, Dr. Schmitz developed leadership skills he draws on today in both sports and medicine.

“Team sports are a leadership laboratory and the Academy stressed that,” he says.

Dr. Schmitz attended medical school at Loyola University Chicago (Illinois) and completed his orthopedic surgery residency training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

His distinguished military career included two years at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics at UC San Diego, and 12 years in San Antonio, where he became the first Air Force chair of the Department of Orthopedics at Brooke Army Medical Center.

But rugby remained a constant thread throughout his career.

After playing for the Chicago Lions and representing USA Rugby in Russia in 2003, Dr. Schmitz reconnected with the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams in 2012 as a team physician.

“It’s been very rewarding,” he says. “The men’s head coach is a player that I played with back in the day. He’s a good friend, and it’s fun to work with him.”

After retiring from the Air Force in 2024, Dr. Schmitz returned to UC San Diego, where his current practice focuses on adolescent athletes, knee injuries, ACL tears and hip preservation surgery.

“I love the interactions I have with kids and their families,” he says.

When reflecting on the Air Force core values, Dr. Schmitz says service before self resonates with him.

“As a physician, as a surgeon, I give a lot to my patients,” he says.

For current cadets interested in blending sports and leadership into their careers, Dr. Schmitz offers clear guidance.

“Take those little leadership lessons that you learn on the sports field and file them away because you’ll use them the rest of your life,” he says.

His personal motto — tough times never last; tough people do — reflects resilience developed through years of competition and medical training.

“We all have adversity in our lives, and how you overcome that adversity is really how you write your story,” he says.

And the Academy, he says, is part of his story.

Despite initially stepping away from Academy involvement after graduation, Dr. Schmitz rediscovered his connection during a 2007 visit.

“I really fell back in love with the Academy,” he says. “I would encourage folks to remain involved with the Academy because it really is a close subset of folks that you will remain close with as you’re dispersed around the globe.”

As he approaches his 25th reunion this fall, Dr. Schmitz continues treating young athletes while traveling with the USA Rugby team.

“I joke that it makes me continue to feel young, because being around these 22- to 27-year-old athletes makes me feel like I’m not creeping up on my 50s,” he laughs.

When Dan Walsh ’04 was deciding between colleges, he did what any analyticallyminded future Air Force officer would do: He created a decision matrix.

The Air Force Academy won.

That methodical decision-making process would later serve Walsh well as he

navigated an unconventional career path from an Air Force intelligence and acquisitions officer to the soccer community and, eventually, a job at Nike.

But Walsh’s connection to the Academy ran deeper than spreadsheet analysis.

He attended Air Academy High School — located on the Academy’s base — and had played club soccer for longtime former USAFA coach Lou Sagastume, who recruited him.

During his cadet years, the soccer team achieved national prominence. It ranked 19th in the country overall, with a top 10 scoring offense, during Walsh’s sophomore year. He was also named conference player of the week on numerous occasions.

At USAFA, the team was uniquely Colorado Springs, with the starting lineup featuring five or six local players from rival high schools who had grown up competing against each other before uniting as Falcons.

As a human factors engineering major and student-athlete, Walsh learned lessons that proved invaluable throughout his career.

“As a student-athlete, time management was essential,” he says.

More importantly, the Academy taught him to seek advice from others.

“Part of being a leader is knowing you don’t have all the answers, and asking other people for guidance and help to make the best decisions isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a strength,” he says.

After graduation, Walsh served as an intelligence officer in Nevada, supporting new technologies in the Global War on Terrorism and as an acquisitions officer serving in Boston, protecting Air Force assets globally.

“The job was not only dynamic, but I also appreciated that the work we were doing directly contributed to helping keep our country safe,” he said.

But Walsh’s true passion remained in the sports industry.

During Walsh’s time in uniform, he played numerous seasons on the U.S. Air Force military team and was selected to the national team in 2010, which competed at the Military World Games qualifying tournament in Suriname.

He trained in Lake Placid, New York, as a national development athlete in the

sport of skeleton and began coaching various club soccer teams.

This passion would ultimately lead him to separate from the military.

Taking a calculated risk, Walsh worked as an assistant coach at Colorado College in Colorado Springs for one season before pursuing a master’s degree in sports management at Georgetown University.

While getting his master’s, Walsh interned for the Major League Soccer club D.C. United before running the club’s youth camps and training programs. Meantime, he coached D.C. United’s 11and 12-year-old youth teams.

Walsh took another leap of faith when he and his wife, Hadley, decided to move to the Pacific Northwest without jobs in pursuit of a career at Nike — a goal he aspired to post-military service.

A conversation with a fellow veteran led to a contractor position at Nike that eventually became full-time in 2016.

Over nine years at Nike, Walsh has experienced the company’s dynamic culture firsthand — always pushing the boundaries while focused on the concept that everyone is an athlete.

“It’s the classic Nike way. We try new innovative things and if they don’t work, we pivot,” he says.

Currently serving as director of business operations and enablement within global technology, Walsh and his team support day-to-day operations for an organization made up of engineering program and product talent through communications, strategic planning, data and visualization management and engagement.

Walsh’s leadership approach at Nike draws heavily from Academy values, particularly integrity and grit.

“If you can bring integrity into an organization — always do the right thing no matter who’s looking, and never give up — people definitely respect that,” he says.

He’s also maintained a military perspective about the relative importance of corporate work.

“While serving, you aren’t worried about revenue and stock prices,” he says. “You are meant to do your job to the best of your ability, with the end goal of ultimately keeping humans safe. That is your stock price. When you join the corporate

world, like Nike, this military perspective of service for others will strengthen your team’s resolve in any situation.”

Walsh’s leadership philosophy centers on building relationships through kindness.

“Don’t mistake kindness for weakness,” is one of his favorite quotes.

He explains that treating people with kindness is a strength that attracts others.

Leading teams at Nike means fostering the same collaborative spirit he found valuable as a young cadet soccer player.

“I love interpersonal relationships, and if you have real relationships with people, the work takes care of itself,” he says.

For Academy graduates considering similar career transitions, Walsh offers practical advice: “Reach out to people and have a conversation. I was able to get my role at D.C. United and my job at Nike by reaching out to people who I respected and appreciated.”

Perhaps most importantly, Walsh encourages fellow graduates to embrace calculated risks.

“I think people can get a little bit afraid of taking the risk to do something different, particularly outside of government work,” he says. “Sometimes you have to do what your heart and gut tell you. With high risk comes high reward. I will be forever indebted to the opportunity that the Academy and the military provided for me personally and professionally.”

Ahumbling phone call from a frustrated NCO at Florida’s MacDill Air Force Base changed everything for Connor Dietz ’12. The young logistics officer had answered a question with “I think so,” prompting an immediate lesson in military precision.

“He said, ‘I’m so sick and tired of all you young officers coming in with ‘I think so.’ Only tell me if you know it,’” Dietz recalls.

That moment proved foundational for the former Air Force Academy quarterback who later co-founded GMTM (pronounced gametime), an interactive social platform revolutionizing how athletes and sports organizations discover opportunities beyond traditional pathways.

Dietz led his nationally ranked high school football team to an Ohio state title, earning him a spot on the Falcons football squad as part of the first recruits under Coach Troy Calhoun ’89.

“From Day 1 at the Academy, I picked up on the excellence around me,” Dietz says. “I was surrounded by people who aspired to so much more.”

As a Falcons quarterback, Dietz learned leadership principles that guide his entrepreneurship: toughness, authenticity, putting in the work and trusting his instincts.

He served five years as a logistics readiness officer at MacDill AFB, gaining exposure to various missions.

“Working with all the different career fields while doing logistics was kind of like being a quarterback,” Dietz says. “You get the ball every play while working with everyone and seeing the whole field. You’re touching everything from the planes to the fuel to the operations to the personnel.”

While on active duty, fate intervened when Dietz presented an impromptu lecture at the University of Tampa’s entrepreneurship program. University employee Kevin Moore saw potential and offered mentorship.

“You don’t know much about entrepreneurship at the moment, but I can see that you’re inspired by it,” he remembers Moore saying.

That meeting launched an unofficial two-year education in entrepreneurship.

Before leaving the Air Force, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM Mark Dominic recruited Dietz to an education tech-

nology startup. Two years later, he cofounded GMTM.

Now celebrating its sixth year, GMTM connects athletes with organizations from Team USA to NASCAR to WWE and beyond.

The technology company began as something like Zillow, but for sports, aggregating publicly available data across all sports globally.

Coaches input criteria and filters to identify recruiting prospects, while athletes create profiles showcasing their metrics.

Adjusting to pandemic restrictions, GMTM pioneered online tryouts and combines.

“We’ve truly transformed the way a lot of these large organizations recruit,” Dietz says. “Coaches and teams can own and operate their entire recruiting funnel without leaving their main site, where previously they were exhausting tons of resources on travel and hosting events.”

GMTM’s technology centralizes fragmented sports data while creating what Dietz calls a spider web of connections and opportunities.

The company’s all-sports approach helps athletes understand where their talents translate across disciplines.

“One cool success story is a former collegiate runner who is now on Team USA’s Olympic bobsled team,” Dietz says. “We have countless stories where athletes were super talented in one sport but have now transitioned and are professionals in other sports through our platform.”

The platform also supports the Academy’s candidate fitness assessment, providing video validation alongside scores.

For cadets interested in blending sports and business, Dietz offers Academyforged advice: “Just get started. It’s very easy to overthink. If you follow the breadcrumbs and put in the work, you’re going to get where you want to be.

“And remember, it’s OK not to know an answer,” he adds. “Go figure it out and have confidence in all you do.”

Adventure Awaits

Pack your bags for a voyage to Classic Panama Canal & Tropics

Remembering

VIETNAM

How does a POW talk about the horrors of internment?

By Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steven A. Simon ’77

“ I realized that some of my four-degrees did not even know what POW stands for.”

That revelation drove Dr. Andrea Van Nort, a professor in the U.S. Air Force Academy’s English Department, to action. She has been a leader in merging two important topics into her lesson plans: the experiences of Academy-graduate prisoners of war in Southeast Asia and primarysource research.

The platform for her innovative instruction is English 111 – Introductory Composition and Research, a core course that all cadets must take.

Dr. Van Nort says, “The course aims

to bring the cadets’ writing and research skills to the college level through a variety of genres.”

She used this research-oriented course as a vehicle to get cadets intimately involved in the experiences of POWs, specifically Academy graduate POWs.

Along with former Department of English Coors Chair Dr. Hugh Burns and Dr. Joel Hebert, the McDermott Library’s chief of special collections and an assistant professor in the History Department, she has developed and refined the POW project over the past three years.

A joint Association of Graduates and Class of ’65 product provided the ideal primary source. USAFA graduates who had served as POWs in Southeast Asia participated in an oral history project not long after their repatriation. The result was a bound volume for each participating former POW, in which they described their personal situations and experiences. A set of these volumes is in Clark Special Collections on the sixth floor of the McDermott Library. Meanwhile, the AOG maintains copies in the Doolittle Hall Library-Lounge.

Cadet Gavin Rhatigan ’27 is one of the cadets who has benefited from Dr. Van Nort’s groundbreaking course. He calls it “one of my favorite classes and most memorable projects.”

“The POW Project truly opened my eyes to a world I didn’t know a lot about,” he says. “I never truly appreciated at a granular level the horror and heroism that

came with the Vietnam War. Being able to immerse myself into the journey of Col. [Howard] Hill [Class of ’65] ... enabled me to understand what service before self really means; and it has helped shape my perspective as a cadet. You never really know when you’ll be called upon to test your strength. Col. Hill is an example to us all.”

Dr. Van Nort describes a few of the most pressing learning outcomes for an English professor at USAFA, positing that cadets must gain “an [u]nderstanding of source types and why these distinctions matter; an understanding of a need for context and how to gather it intelligently; and an understanding of the responsibilities now that the student knows something.”

Her lesson in the power of research and what she calls “personally driven discovery” came while studying at New York University and in Paris, where she earned three degrees.

“I remember the first time I came across a journal article at the beautiful NYU library and feeling exhilarated when realizing that recorded, higher thought indeed existed and that it was readily available,” she recalls.

In France, she observed that “students waited in line every day for hours just to get in the library and have an assigned workspace. Even with our online possibilities, this long wait for space and books in the great libraries continues.”

Dr. Van Nort brought this academic background to the Academy, wanting

cadets to have similar experiences.

“It is this first-hand path to discovery that I aim to recreate for my own students who, sadly, do have so much available to them but have not necessarily had the gentle push to turn them away from the simpler tertiary or encyclopedic sources to be found in a standard Google search,” she says.

To aid her in imparting this knowledge to cadets, she sought a military- and Academyrelated topic as the vehicle for cadet discovery. She settled on the POWs and the question, “How does a 19-year-old approach a conflict as complex as the Vietnam War?”.

POWS — IN THEIR OWN WORDS

The professor found that, “the POW narratives lend themselves brilliantly to the course aims.”

Dr. Van Nort’s English 111 assignment utilized 25% of class time, or 10 full lessons. After an introductory briefing by Dr. Hebert on the available resources and the Oral History Index, she says, “The cadets were to familiarize themselves with the types of themes or search items that would help them find a POW whose experiences would resonate with their own interests. A few of the themes students chose were survival training, interrogation, the Code of Conduct, faith in God and family, organizing and rank, solitary confinement, political brainwashing, and difficulties returning home.”

Using this information, the cadets were required to read through at least two of the oral histories and select one. They then studied the chosen narrative to learn

about that POW’s experiences and find one passage that spoke to them.

Far from a simple summation or book report, Dr. Van Nort says the cadets “understood by this point that they would not be writing about the person’s experiences, but how the POW described events.”

A BOOK, A SCULPTURE AND SOME PHOTOS

While the POW oral histories are the primary source material, the course also utilizes the book Honor Bound by Col. (Ret.) Fred Kiley, a former Academy professor. Kiley, who retired from the Academy in 2012, has returned to the English 111 classroom on occasion to discuss his book about POWs and their struggles in Vietnam.

In addition to the rich material presented in Honor Bound, it provides other benefits to the students, not the least of which is getting a 700-plus-page tome in cadet hands. Dr. Van Nort explains that “[t]hey learned what an index is and how to study a table of contents. They learned what a forward, a preface, notes, a bibliography, appendices and an afterword are.”

Dr. Van Nort also made use of the byproduct of another AOG project, the POW Memorial Sculpture located at the Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion on the Heritage Trail north of Doolittle Hall and Wecker Hall. The 2,000-pound bronze plaque sculpted by Jim Nance ’71, includes the names of the 33 Academy graduates who served as prisoners of war in Vietnam — the same individuals the cadets were learning about through the oral histories.

Nineteen of those POWs attended the Apr. 24, 2015, dedication ceremony. Images of the returning POWs holding their graduation photos taken during that visit were particularly powerful. The photos connected the cadets to the POWs, as the cadets were forced to consider the possibility that they could soon find themselves in situations like those experienced by the POWs. These photos, Dr. Van Nort says, “brought this academic exercise full circle for them to the Academy itself.”

FROM PROSE TO POETRY

To conclude the course, cadets write a paper addressing the way the POW shared information on the chosen themes. Dr. Van Nort provides some details, saying, “They have to cite from the POW’s narrative. They also must frame and cite meaningfully from Honor Bound and from a second secondary source of their choosing, something supportive of their query.”

“Finally, they were to find a poem from the broader Vietnam conflict that would illustrate metaphorically the event under study,” she says.

The use of these artistic expressions helped provide different perspectives on events and, Dr. Van Nort explains, “compelled the cadets to grapple with the individual experience within a broader context.”

The cadets most commonly opted to explore the Code of Conduct. That resulted in a great deal of valuable reflection, as cadets put themselves into the POWs’ shoes.

“The code says, ‘to the utmost of one’s ability’ when it comes to resisting interrogation and torture,” Dr. Van Nort says.

“What does that mean, and how does the POW’s narrative convey the struggle to draw lines in the sand, maintaining one’s honor while doing what was necessary to stay alive?”

Dr. Burns is one of Dr. Van Nort’s most enthusiastic supporters.

“Given this Google-ChatGPT-AI generation, Dr. Van Nort’s courageous course design to have her first-year writers do primary research in the Library’s Vietnam POW oral histories was bold, authentic and cross-generational,” he says. “Bold … because archival research is usually reserved for graduate scholars. Authentic … because the POWs’ stories are living history. Cross-generational ... because cadets were inspired to connect to these warriors and those who tell their stories.”

He goes on to say, “It’s not every day when a first-year cadet can dive into the Air Force’s legacy by learning how to do primary research wisely and well. Every lesson was an opportunity to be authentically surprised by the process of earned discovery and the urgency of critical reflection. For those of us involved as collaborators, every lesson was an opportunity to toast how much words matter and how important stories are for speaking truth.”

Col. Elizabeth Mathias ’01, permanent professor and head of the USAFA Department of English and Fine Arts, concurs.

“The Academy’s academic program has long used military topics to establish cadets’ foundational understanding of key concepts in every discipline,” she says. “In recent years, core economics has used the F-35 as a case study and core biology has used space flight to teach experiment design. Dr. Van Nort’s

approach to core English similarly connects cadets to a rich history of service while also teaching necessary reading, research, analysis and writing skills. This integration of operational and academic information distinguishes the Academy program from a civilian university as cadets develop a deep familiarity with the Air Force and Space Force. At the same time, they build the habits of mind to earn their bachelor’s degrees and lead into the future.”

Col. Mathias was particularly pleased with the integration of military topics that interest cadets.

“Dr. Van Nort’s approach to core English builds on an enduring truth in education — students develop stronger skills when they connect with the material,” she says. “Cadets in her classes learn to see themselves in these oral histories of hardship, camaraderie and character. Her students produce research papers they are proud of, and they approach future challenges at the Academy with greater courage because they are confident in their skills. Cadets will always succeed as officers and beyond if they can read carefully, think critically and communicate effectively, as these habits of mind help leaders advance the force no matter what technologies or policies change.”

Cadet Audrey Winstead ’27 is another scholar who has learned and grown due to Dr. Van Nort’s vision.

“The POW project was one of the most significant assignments that I have had the privilege of participating in during my career here at USAFA,” she says. Her situation was somewhat unique —

due to a more personal relationship with a POW. Dr. Van Nort reports, “Since Audrey had a POW already in mind, I allowed her to move outside of the Class of ’65 POW narratives.”

“I selected an Army Special Forces officer by the name of Nick Rowe, who spent over five years in captivity during the Vietnam War,” Winstead explains. “My father, also a member of Army Special Forces, would tell me stories of Rowe’s resiliency, ingenuity and faith as he fought to survive the mental and physical abuse of his captors. Learning how he endured over five years as a prisoner of war showed me that the profession of arms is not just about your success as a cadet but about moral courage and mental discipline during times of immense pressure.”

The flexibility Dr. Van Nort showed made the course even more impactful to Winstead, who concluded, “The POW project reminded me that my service is part of a long tradition of sacrifice and that the mindset I develop could one day be the difference between life and death.”

Dr. Van Nort is gratified with the success of the course in developing cadets into warriors and leaders, in part because “[t]hey learned that there was so much more to the POW experience than they had imagined.”

“From our service academy perspective, we are the guarantors of the ideals our students have vowed to uphold and protect,” she says. “Our POW narratives are some of the most inspiring voices available to educate and bring responsibility to our student body today.”

FIND YOUR AOG CHAPTER GROW YOUR NETWORK

AOG chapters unite graduates, foster involvement and make a lasting impact. If you’re in the U.S. or Germany, there’s a chapter near you! Your AOG chapter connects you with the Long Blue Line at any stage of your career and life.

No chapter nearby? The Association & Foundation encourages you to start a new one. We’ll provide resources to effectively form and run chapters.

Concentrations of USAFA Graduates

Current AOG Chapters

Distinguished AOG Chapters

Distinguished Chapters have made significant service and networking contributions and are being recognized for exceptionally supporting graduates, the United States Air Force Academy and their local communities.

Visit chapter.support@usafa.org to find contact information for a chapter president near you.

Blue Chile Chapter

Mark Neice ’79

Central Oklahoma Chapter Lee Curtis ’85

Granite State Chapter

Las Vegas Chapter

North Texas Chapter

Barb Brennan ’84 & Don Sutton ’68

David Gibbs ’79

Rick Wright ’74

Rampart Range Chapter Dan Beatty ’76

Sacramento Chapter Brian Handshoe ’91

South Carolina Chapter

SW Ohio Chapter

Twin Cities Area Chapter

Mike Rose ’69

Kent Shin ’86

Curt Brown ’78

President

President

Co-Presidents

President

President

President

President

President

President

President

[ My C ool AF/SF Job ]

RANK, NAME AND CLASS YEAR:

CAPT. JORDAN “OFFSET” DOBRANSKI USAFA CLASS OF 2020

MY COOL JOB: B-1B PILOT

WHAT MAKES MY JOB SO COOL?

Flight test engineering requires a multidisciplinary skill set that blends aeronautical theory, mission systems integration and operations. My job challenges me daily to understand and evaluate the limits of next-generation technologies that will imminently end up in the hands of the warfighter. I get to solve a wide variety of technical problems in a dynamic, real-time environment, knowing that many results contribute to dominating our near-peer adversaries.

HOW IS MY ROLE IMPACTING THE AIR FORCE OR THE NATION?

Being a member of Air Force Global Strike Command, I get to participate

MY CURRENT ROLE: B-1 Pilot and Squadron Duty Scheduler

in the bomber task force- and higher headquarters-directed missions. Bomber task force missions are reshaping how the U.S. Air Force projects global power. By deploying bombers to forward locations across Europe, the Indo-Pacific and beyond, bomber task forces demonstrate strategic reach, strengthen alliances and ensure readiness in unpredictable environments. These missions allow aircrews to train in diverse airspace, integrate with allied forces and respond rapidly to emerging threats while signaling U.S. resolve and deterrence. For the Air Force, bomber task forces sharpen operational agility; for the nation, they reinforce global stability and the credibility of American airpower. One higher headquarters-directed example was

a 32-hour sortie in which I launched out of Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, traversed the Pacific Ocean doing close air support training with American Joint Terminal Air Controllers in South Korea, performed a flyover for the South Korean president and his Armed Forces Day parade; I received over 450,000 pounds of fuel from various USAF tankers, then flew back to Dyess.

WHAT ELSE HAVE I BEEN UP TO?

Away from the aviation side, I volunteer for the Developing Enlisted Future Officers program, which has developed significant traction over the past few years and now spans the globe. This program connects officers who have utilized one of the many commissioning programs provided by the USAF to airmen seeking a similar path. As a prior enlisted member, I find it extremely rewarding to assist young enlisted members with aspirations to commission, as many lack the knowledge of the programs or the actions to take to become eligible. Without the guidance from my leadership as a young senior airman, I would not be where I am today. For that reason, I hope to pay that forward.

By Steven Lincoln

The members of the Class of 1976 looked to both the past and the future to design an iconic 50th reunion gift to the U.S. Air Force Academy.

The project — to be built along a new portion of the Heritage Trail north of Doolittle Hall and Wecker Hall — pays homage to the beginning of the Air Force and the Air Force Academy while representing the institution’s first 121 classes — 1959 to 2079 — as a growing and supportive Long Blue Line.

“When we showed up at the Academy, we were following in the footsteps of heroes, legit American heroes,” says Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Jack Catton ’76, chairman of the Class of 1976 reunion planning committee. “As we started our careers, we considered our heritage and looked forward. How were we going to, as a class, make sure that we had a similar impact on America’s Air Force and now Space Force, to ensure that we continued the excel-

lence, innovation and the courage?”

More than 50 years later, 16 members of the Class of 1976, all of whom made their own positive marks on the U.S. Air Force, are on a planning committee looking to create an impact on the Academy grounds, showcasing the spirit of 1776 that they believe lives in every Academy graduate. Their goal is to dedicate the project during their 50th reunion in October 2026.

HONORING ALL CLASSES

The Spirit of ’76 Echelon, the class’s ambitious project, honors all graduates of the Academy. As visitors approach the echelon on the Heritage Trail, they will discover a kiosk that invokes the Cadet Chapel spires and includes a futuristic starship and monolith to connect the past and future. It will

contain additional information about the symbology of and donations to the project.

The first graduating class — the Class of 1959 — will be honored with a B-25 propeller sculpture, recognizing it as the bridge between the Army Air Corps and the Long Blue Line. Immediately after this tribute, each ensuing decade of graduates will be honored with an echelon formation of C-130 Hercules propellers — one for each class — chosen because the C-130’s maiden flight was during the year the Air Force Academy was founded.

— Lt. Col. (Ret.) Larry Weaver ’76, Ph.D., chairman of the class gift subcommittee “

This is designed to help people not only remember but also understand their own position in this and to project into the future and pass it on.”

the Class of 2026, it has also invited this year’s firsties to fill a time capsule. Both will include instructions for the capsules to be opened during the nation’s tricentennial year, 2076.

“The point to this whole thing is to tell a story,” says Lt. Col. (Ret.) Larry Weaver ’76, Ph.D., chairman of the class gift subcommittee. “This is designed to help people not only remember but also understand their own position in this and to project into the future and pass it on.”

As the members of the gift subcommittee have met with classmates, they have heard a lot of excitement about the project. From what will be included in the time capsules to the planning that went into the symbols throughout the project, class members appreciate the way the Long Blue Line is presented and what it stands for in terms of service to the nation.

cause I think this is an opportunity to do a great thing for our class and Academy, but also to do something for posterity on that trail,” Col. Weaver says. “It’s like building a grocery store in the middle of town. Once you build the grocery store, everybody else moves in around it. That’s exactly what’s going to happen with this on the Heritage Trail.”

After groundbreaking in March and construction beginning in July, the echelon should be completed by June 2026.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN ENDOWMENT

The class will include a time capsule that represents their years at the Academy — 1972 to 1976. As the legacy class for

The class committee is expanding its reach with the project as well. Because the echelon will represent more than 120 classes, the committee realizes that others may be interested in supporting it. Graduates can support the project to honor their class, and friends of the Academy can contribute to honor the service of every member of the Long Blue Line.

“I went to Jack and actually begged him, ‘Let me run the class gift on this,’ be-

The class is also cognizant of the fact that many graduates could not effectively serve in the military without familial support. As a result, the planning committee decided that any funds raised above their $4 million goal for the echelon will be included in a new Gone But Not Forgotten Endowment.

“At the end of the day, every family member is part of the military. Just consider what we put our kids and spouses through, moving all over the place,” Gen. Catton says. “We need to take care of them, because they sacrificed a lot for us to serve our nation through the military. For us to be able to give back to them in

WHAT’S ON THE HERITAGE TRAIL?

a service mode, in terms of helping a new widow or a deceased graduate’s child, that’s a good thing.”

The endowment will support the work of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation’s Next of Kin Program. The program includes a dedicated employee to help families and classmates plan and execute travel plans, onsite funeral services, graveside ceremonies and celebration of life receptions at the Academy.

As the endowment grows, it will also support an online repository of submitted memorial articles that will be stored until the time of death before automatically being included in our annual Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten publication.

The Class of 1976 challenges all future 50th reunion classes to consider adding to the Gone But Not Forgotten Endowment to ensure support is always available to Long Blue Line families.

JOIN THE EFFORT AT USAFA.ORG/1976-50TH

The Heritage Trail at the U.S. Air Force Academy celebrates the lives and accomplishments of members of the Long Blue Line and the heritage of the Academy. It was created and is maintained by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation. Visitors access the trail via Yost Plaza, which connects Doolittle Hall and Wecker Hall.

Current projects on the Heritage Trail

• The Class of 1959 Challenge Bridge, challenging all cadets who cross over it to live a life worthy of the heritage of the Academy.

• The Class of 1970 Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion preserves the stories and honors the heritage of graduates who served in the Vietnam War, the first major conflict in which Academy graduates fought.

• A replica of the War Memorial on the Terrazzo within the Cadet Area.

• The Shea Memorial, placed by the Class of 1989, honors the valor personified by Marine Lt. Col. Kevin Shea ’89, the class’s first fallen classmate lost to hostile fire.

• Pedestals that recognize Air Force Academy Distinguished Graduate Award recipients.

Future projects for the trail

• The Distinguished Graduate Memorial will honor the recipients of the Distinguished Graduate Award.

• Spirit of ’76 Echelon

• The Court of Inspiration, sponsored by the USAFA Women Group, is in the planning and fundraising stages. The $2.1 million project will honor the legacy of USAFA women. It will celebrate trailblazers, lifelong contributions, and commitment to service and excellence.

LEFT: Artist’s rendering of one-half of the

for the classes from the 1970s.

BELOW: Rendering of the Spirit of ’76 kiosk and Echelon.

A TRIBUTE TO THE LONG BLUE LINE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE SUPPORT THE SPIRIT OF ’76 ECHELON

The Class of 1976, for its 50th reunion class project, will honor the Spirit of 1776 embodied by all graduates with a new display on the Heritage Trail.

• Each decade of graduates will be honored with an echelon formation of C-130 Hercules propellers — one for each class.

• The Class of 1959 will be honored with a B-25 propeller sculpture, recognizing it as the bridge between the Army Air Corps and the Long Blue Line.

• All support above the necessary funding will help create the Gone But Not Forgotten Endowment, supporting the Next of Kin program administered by the Association & Foundation.

FIND OUT MORE AND MAKE YOUR GIFT TO HONOR ALL GRADUATES AT USAFA.ORG/1976-50TH

READY FOR GAMEDAY?

THERE’S

SOMETHING

FOR THE WHOLE FLOCK

From the Hill

USAFA CONCLUDES WARFIGHTER INSTRUCTOR COURSE

The U.S. Air Force Academy concluded its first Cadet Warfighter Instructor Course on Aug. 1, an 11-day training designed to equip cadet leaders with the skills to teach small-unit tactics and foundational warfighting skills to underclassmen.

Held from July 22 to Aug. 1, CWIC introduced a “train the trainer” model aimed at bridging the gap between classroom instruction and operational readiness. The course featured modules on tactical movement, combat casualty care and drone integration, emphasizing adaptability and decision-making under stress.

The goal, according to Maj. James Moore, CWIC course planner, was to bridge the gap between foundational knowledge and operational realities, ensuring cadet trainers can relay vital information to fellow cadets at the squad level.

U.S. Army Green Berets from the 10th Special Forces Group served as primary instructors, bringing combat-tested experience to cadet-led squad exercises.

“What differentiates and distinguishes Green Berets from other special operations units is that we are primarily combat trainers and advisers,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tom Boehm, commander, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group. “We must be able to take someone with no military experience and train them through a deliberate instruction program

to become an effective soldier.”

The course culminated in a squad-level situational training exercise using Airsoft simulations, reinforcing lessons in tactical leadership and combat decision-making.

CWIC will continue as a core element of the Academy’s Cadet Military Education and Training Plan, preparing future officers to lead, instruct and adapt in complex environments.

TANG SELECTED AS ACADEMY’S 27TH TRUMAN SCHOLAR

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Mark Tang has been named by the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation Board of Trustees as a 2025 Truman Scholar. Tang was named among 54 scholars selected from 743 applicants nominated by 288 colleges, universities and military service academies.

Tang, the 27th Truman scholar from the U.S. Air Force Academy, is a double major in political science and management and intends to pursue a graduate degree in international security. The Orinda, California, native plans to commission into the U.S. Space Force upon graduation.

The foundation selects Truman Scholars from finalists who demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, a commitment to

a career in government or the nonprofit sector and academic excellence. Truman Scholars receive funding for graduate studies, leadership training and fellowship opportunities in the federal government.

ACADEMY WELCOMES NEW AIR BASE WING COMMANDER

The U.S. Air Force Academy welcomed a new commander of the 10th Air Base Wing during a July change of command ceremony at the 10th ABW headquarters. Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91 presided over the transfer of command from Col. Amy Glisson ’01 to Col. Ahave Brown Jr.

Col. Brown now leads a wing responsible for security, medical care, engineering, logistics, communications, personnel, force support and other essential services for more than 25,000 military members, civilians, family members and retirees at the Academy. He comes to the post after three years commanding the 412th Maintenance Group, 412th Test Wing, at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Col. Brown enlisted in the Air Force in 1986 and earned his commission in 2000 through Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

Col. Glisson commanded the wing since July 2023. She departs for the Pentagon, where she will serve as a legislative liaison with the office of the secretary of the Air Force.

BOARD OF VISITORS CONVENES FOR AUGUST MEETING

The U.S. Air Force Academy’s Board of Visitors convened Aug. 7 at USAFA’s Falcon Club to discuss priorities in curriculum, training, infrastructure and athletics.

The Board of Visitors inquires into the morale, discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods and other matters relating to the Academy.

The board consists of six members appointed by the president of the United States, two designated by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one designated by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one each designated by the chair and ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, two designated by the majority leader of the Senate, two designated by the minority leader of the Senate, and one each designated by the chair and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Board Chair U.S. Rep. August Pfluger ’00 emphasized the importance of developing warfighters and leaders of character. He urged the board to “hit the reset button” to sharpen its focus and maintain high standards.

Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91 and senior staff outlined key updates. Gen. Bauernfeind highlighted a shift toward agile combat employment, including peer-led training in tactical skills, battlefield medicine and unmanned systems. The Academy’s core curriculum spans 98 credit hours, with a new minor in future conflict under review.

Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks ’96 detailed a four-year leadership model progressing from teamwork to tactical leadership. Advancement now mirrors active-duty standards, with

tiered consequences for misconduct.

Acting Dean Col. Steven Hasstedt ’92 stressed the integration of academic, athletic and military training. The Academy continues to evolve its curriculum with input from operational stakeholders, offering 10 warfighting-focused minors.

Athletics Director Nathan Pine reported on the department’s dual mission of NCAA competition and military development. New firstie-year courses, including advanced water survival and close-quarters battle, support cadet readiness.

Athletics Executive Director Col. (Ret.) Jennifer Block ’92 reinforced the department’s broader role, explaining that all cadets take 10 physical education courses over four years. The core includes boxing, combatives, aquatics and physical development. As the Academy enhances its emphasis on warfighting readiness, new firstie-year electives are being introduced.

Col. Ahave Brown Jr., 10th Air Base Wing commander, presented the “Fix USAFA 2.0” infrastructure plan, which starts with Sijan Hall and targets aging facilities across the base. Board members raised concerns about the nine-year Cadet Chapel restoration. The superintendent welcomed board support to accelerate the time line.

Pfluger closed the meeting by emphasizing the urgency of the Academy’s mission amid ever-changing geopolitical challenges and technological competition. The board plans to meet four times annually, alternating between in-person and virtual sessions.

Find a complete summary of the BOV meeting at usafa.org under “Stay Connected,” then “News & Media.”

PREP SCHOOL KICKS OFF THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR

The U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School welcomed its newest class of cadet candidates July 10, marking the start of an 18-day basic military training program for the 2025-2026 academic year.

The new class of 229 cadet candidates arrived at the school’s campus, located on the

Preppies begin the academic year.

grounds of the U.S. Air Force Academy, to begin the process of transitioning from civilian life to the disciplined environment of military training. The inprocessing day included a uniform issue, medical screenings and the initial orientation into military structure and expectations.

The BMT program is designed to develop physical fitness, military bearing, teamwork and core values essential for success at the Prep School and beyond. Over the 18 days, cadet candidates engaged in physically demanding exercises, classroom instruction and leadership development activities.

“We’re excited to welcome the new class of preppies and to introduce them to the military way of life,” says Col. Mark Landez ’01, USAFA Prep School commander.

In addition to physical conditioning and leadership development, BMT focuses heavily on instilling the Air Force’s Core Values of integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do. Cadre from the Prep School, military training instructors, and USAFA and ROTC cadets lead the program.

The Prep School’s mission is to prepare selected individuals to succeed at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Many of the cadet candidates have prior enlisted service or come from diverse backgrounds, contributing to a rich and dynamic training environment.

As cadet candidates progressed through BMT, they were evaluated on leadership potential, character and resilience, key traits required for selection into the next Academy class. While cadet candidates are not guaranteed an appointment, they earn consideration and a recommendation from the Prep School commander if they successfully complete the 10-month program.

The Class of 2026 Prep School cadet candidates officially completed BMT in late July and transitioned into the academic phase of the program, where they will continue to prepare for possible admission to the Academy in the summer of 2026.

of 2029

Honor the Line Class

They stepped onto the grounds of the U.S. Air Force Academy as appointees and, following inprocessing, Basic Cadet Training and two weeks at Jacks Valley, they marched back to the Terrazzo stronger, dirtier and that much closer to acceptance into the Cadet Wing. The Class of 2029 has proven its mettle, and it’s here to stay. Well done ’29ers, and let’s go, Falcons!

BIRDS BASH BISON

Falcons put on a show of force in season opener

The Air Force Falcons opened the 2025 season with a dominant 49-13 win over the Bucknell Bison at Falcon Stadium, led by firstie receiver Cade Harris, who scored three touchdowns and totaled 149 all-purpose yards — a career high. Second-degree quarterback Josh Johnson threw for 112 yards and two scores, including a 68-yard strike to Harris. The Falcons’ defense shined, with second-degree linebacker Blake Fletcher tallying a career-best 11 tackles. Fellow second-degree linebacker Isaac Heubert added two sacks. The Falcons extended their season-opener win streak to 19 games and are now 29-0 all-time against FCS teams. They next faced Utah State on Sept. 13, following Checkpoints’ press time.

THE TRANSMISSION

ALLVIN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Gen. David Allvin ’86 — the 23rd chief of staff of the United States Air Force and the sixth Academy graduate to reach the service’s highest rank — announced his retirement in August, less than two years into a traditional four-year appointment. He will continue to serve until his successor is confirmed.

“I’m proud to have been part of the team of airmen who live out our Core Values of integrity, service and excellence every day as we prepare to defend this great nation,” Gen. Allvin said.

GRYNKEWICH TAKES COMMAND

Gen. Alex Grynkewich ’93 assumed duties as commander of U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. Gen. Grynkewich was previously the director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

GOLDFEIN, WILSON CO-AUTHOR BOOK

Dr. Heather Wilson ’82 and Gen. (Ret.) David Goldfein ’83 co-wrote Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership. The book, which highlights leadership lessons learned throughout their lives, is available beginning Sept. 22. All proceeds benefit the ROTC program at UTEP, where Dr. Wilson serves as president. Gen. Goldfein served as the 21st chief of staff of the Air Force from 2016 to 2020, and Dr. Wilson served as secretary of the Air Force from 2017 to 2019.

ANTHONY HONORED

Col. (Ret.) Jack Anthony ’78 has been honored with the Small Satellite Conference’s lifetime achievement award for his significant contributions to the small satellite community.

JACOBS HIRED

Southwestern University hired Trent Jacobs ’98 as the first university architect in its history. He previously served as the first county architect in Williamson County, north of Austin, Texas.

BUTTIE HIRED

The Alexandria (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office hired Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve Buttie ’94 as its accreditation manager. He brings more than 25 years of experience in policy and compliance management, previously serving on the Pentagon’s Policy Board on Federal Aviation.

VAN KLEEF APPOINTED

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon appointed Tom Van Kleef ’84 to the Wyoming Workforce Development Council, where he oversees 18 workforce centers.

KAMPA HONORED

EDWARDS NOMINATED

Daniel Edwards ’91, of North Carolina, has been nominated to be an assistant secretary of transportation within the Department of Transportation. At press time, the nomination was pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Edwards was sworn in as the acting assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs in May.

Maj. (Ret.) Larry Kampa ’74 has been recognized with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years of dedicated service in aviation safety. Kampa retired as a captain from American Airlines in 2010 and remains active in aviation pilot training and maintenance.

ANDERSON NOMINATED

Col. (Ret.) Matthew Anderson ’97, of Colorado, has been nominated to serve as NASA’s deputy administrator. At press time, the nomination was pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Anderson is currently a vice president and Space Force and Air Force client executive at CACI International.

LINARES TAKES COMMAND

Col. Ulysses Linares ’03 assumed command of the 3rd Air Support Operations Group during a change of command ceremony at Fort Hood, Texas. The 3rd ASOG is an Air Force special warfare unit providing tactical air control party operators and special warfare mission support personnel to Joint Force commanders with expertise on the integration of airpower and extends the Theater Air Control System for the Joint Forces Air Component Commander.

GLAESER HONORED

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Chris Glaeser ’75 has been honored with the Tony LeVier Flight Test Safety Award by the Flight Test Safety Committee. He was recognized for his work with the Cirrus Design Corporation and the Experimental Aircraft Association.

KOZMA CONFIRMED

The U.S. Senate confirmed Col. (Ret.) Matthew Kozma ’95, of Virginia, as Undersecretary for intelligence and analysis within the Department of Homeland Security. He oversees DHS intelligence operations, ensuring effective sharing of threat information across federal, state and local agencies.

VAN OVOST JOINS BOARD

Gen. (Ret.) Jackie Van Ovost ’88 has joined Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Board of Trustees. Gen. Van Ovost retired as commander of U.S. Transportation Command in 2024 after 36 years of military service.

KUTA’S

COMPANY JOINS NYSE

Matt Kuta ’05 is president and founder of Colorado-based Voyager Space, a company providing technology solutions for government and commercial clients in space and defense. The company, now known as Voyager Technologies, went public on the New York Stock Exchange on June 11, raising $382 million and an initial valuation of $3.8 billion.

FIREFLY AEROSPACE JOINS NASDAQ

Jason Kim ’99 is CEO of Texas-based Firefly Aerospace, a space and defense technology company enabling government and commercial customers to launch, land and operate in space. The company had its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Stock Market on Aug. 7, raising $868 million and an initial valuation of $6.3 billion.

BOZUNG TAKES THE LEAD

Col. Tracy Bozung ’00, M.D., is the incoming president of the Society of U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeons. She is also the commander of the 55th Medical Group, 55th Wing, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.

ST. ROMAIN TAKES COMMAND

Col. Krista St. Romain ’03 assumed command of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Delta 1 during a change of command at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. Col. St. Romain previously served as deputy executive assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Space Delta 1 is responsible for training throughout the Space Force.

Editor’s note: Send Transmission submissions to editor@usafa.org.

Your network, your connections now in your pocket!

Sign up for Long Blue Line Portal today and gain access to tools and resources specifically designed to bring together and advance the USAFA graduate community. Scan the QR code to download the PeopleGrove app and stay connected.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

This quarter, we learned of the following deaths.

Col. (Ret.) Robin M. Kozelka, Class of 1959, who died May 3, 2025, in Poquoson, Virginia.

Col. (Ret.) Michael P. Reardon, Class of 1959, who died May 9, 2025, in Alexandria, Virginia.

Mr. Robert E. Badger, Class of 1960, who died Jan. 31, 2025, in Browntown, Virginia.

Lt. Gen. (Ret) Dale W. Thompson, Class of 1960, who died May 24, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.

Col. (Ret.) James E. Waddle, Class of 1960, who died June 16, 2025, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Col. (Ret.) William J. Foster, Class of 1961, who died June 7, 2025, in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Col. (Ret.) William L. Ebert, Class of 1963, who died Sept. 8, 2024, in Gainsville, Virginia.

Mr. William J. Flynn, Class of 1963, who died July 4, 2025, in Dallas, Texas.

Mr. Richard D. LaReau, Class of 1963, who died May 1, 2025, in Blaine, Minnesota.

Capt. (Ret.) Kenneth B. Sampson, Class of 1964, who died June 10, 2025, in Miami, Florida.

Col. (Ret.) Eric L. Lindemann, Class of 1965, who died May 14, 2025, in Batesville, Indiana.

Mr. William B. Ashton, Class of 1966, who died June 8, 2025, in Alexandria, Virginia.

Mr. Michael Charles, Class of 1966, who died June 6, 2025, in Sarasota, Florida.

Maj. (Ret.) Stephen D. Cross, Class of 1966, who died May 7, 2025, in Ivins, Utah.

Mr. George E. Van Wagenen, Class of 1967, who died June 9, 2025,

Col. (Ret.) Walter W. Adams, Class of 1968, who died Feb. 12, 2025,

Maj. (Ret.) Raymond D. Broussard, Class of 1968, who died April 13, 2025,

Col. (Ret.) Thomas N. Kramer, Class of 1968, who died April 12, 2025,

Mr. Robert T. Cheatham III, Class of 1974, who died Aug. 3. 2025, in Crawford, Colorado.

Mr. Nicholas Puzak Jr., Class of 1974, who died April 16, 2025, in Sedona, Arizona.

Mr. Owen R. Fonorow, Class of 1976, who died April 2, 2025, in Woodridge, Illinois.

Maj. (Ret.) Gary L. Scoggins, Class of 1976, who died July 5 2025, in Omaha, Nebraska.

Col. (Ret.) Jay S. Steinmetz, Class of 1976, who died June 21, 2025, in Bealeton, Virginia.

Mr. William L. Strell, Class of 1976, who died July 20, 2025, in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

Col. (Ret.) Gregory A. Whaley, Class of 1976, who died June 20, 2025, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Maj. (Ret.) Jeffrey A. Perkins, Class of 1977, who died June 27, 2025, in Niceville, Florida.

Maj. (Ret.) Russell L. Clemons, Class of 1978, who died June 27, 2025, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mr. Mark P. Cebuhar, Class of 1979, who died June 22, 2025, in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gary A. Skubal, Class of 1979, who died July 16, 2025, in Dresden, Kansas.

Ms. Ellen E. (Kincaid) Ratti, Class of 1980, who died May 31, 2025, in Springboro, Ohio.

Col. (Ret.) John S. Brunhaver, Class of 1981, who died May 26, 2025, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Felix E. Morgan, Class of 1968, who died June 22, 2025, in Truth or

Col. (Ret.) Charles R. Bisbee III, Class of 1970, who died May 7, 2025,

Col. (Ret.) Schuyler Foerster, Class of 1971, who died July 25, 2025,

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Daniel C. Ulmer, Class of 1971, who died July 3, 2025,

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steven R. Jackson, Class of 1972, who died May 29, 2025,

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Wyatt R. Fleming, Class of 1981, who died Dec. 6, 2024, in North Pole, Alaska.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Curt R. McIntyre, Class of 1981, who died May 14, 2025, in Whitefish, Montana.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Anne G. (Gettelman) Campbell, Class of 1983, who died May 7, 2025, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mr. David A. Nelson, Class of 1983, who died July 24, 2025, in McKinney,

Maj. (Ret.) Edward W. Phillips, Class of 1983, who died June 4, 2025, in Hedgesville, West Virginia.

Brian E. McCombs, Class of 1990, who died July 6, 2025, in Okinawa, Japan.

Col. (Ret.) Edward J. Hospodar Jr., Class of 1993, who died April 15, 2025, in Redondo Beach, California.

Mr. Matthew T. Lehman, Class of 2004, who died June 25, 2025, in Katy,

Stephen E. Edmiston, Class of 2005, who died May 20, 2025, in Knoxville,

Mr. Landon J. Morrison, Class of 2016, who died July 21, 2025, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

THE ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES AND AIR FORCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION’S ANNUAL MEMORIAL PUBLICATION IS NOW AVAILABLE.

This new membership benefit allows the Association and Foundation to better memorialize fallen graduates, air training officers, cadets and AOG honorary members.

As the Academy graduate population grows and ages, the space allotted to memorials in Checkpoints is increasingly insufficient. This new publication — Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten — honors and perpetuates the legacy of the Long Blue Line through memorial articles, and coincides with the AOG’s mission to support the Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution.

Find more information and answers to FAQs at usafa.org/next-of-kin-and-gbnf

1959 CLASS NEWS

Classmates and families, please read the next couple of paragraphs carefully. A group, including Jim Reed, Don Brooks and Joe DeSantis’ daughter, Christina, are working hard to collect stories and information about us to share with future generations as well as to provide information useful to our families. The task gets more difficult as our numbers diminish. All contributions will help them put together meaningful information.

This from Jim: “The Class of ’59 Facebook page was initially established for discussions of current events. As a result of comments and inputs, the documents section of the Facebook page is also becoming a place for important reference material. The first item in this category is a draft worksheet for mortuary affairs. It is primarily a MS Word document that is a slightly expanded version of the USAFA Mortuary Affairs website information that can be used by families for planning purposes, especially if the planning includes the USAFA Cemetery.

Jim Reed is continuing to expand his collection of narratives about things that happened to class members before, during and since graduating in 1959. Rather than a history of dates and places, the result will be a series of stories — Readers’ Digest style — that paints a mural of activities (both professional and personal) in which class members and their families have been involved. Now he is trying to expand the narrative to include family members, such as the ability of spouses to find career work, youths’ problems with frequent changes in schools, etc. But if you have a story of interest, send it to Jim for consideration. It does not have to be in finished form — a couple of sentences to present the topic can be useful — and Jim says if you want to remain anonymous to the public, he can arrange that.”

Last quarter, we congratulated Bobby Blake on becoming the first Air Force Academy graduate to score an air-to-air combat kill. A few days ago, we received a detailed account of the flight. Coincidentally, Bobby sent information on his every 10-year family reunion. Attendance included their three children and six grandchildren, who were directed through college debt-free by Jean. Five have graduated, married and have good jobs, and they now have their fifth great-grandchild. His expertise is still desired, as he is currently employed by his seventh company, GE Aerospace, as a local rep on hypersonic propulsion. He must be a bit touchy, because he vehemently denies not being able to hold a job! Congratulations, Bobby!

Lucky seven! It took Hanni Kolzer seven years, but she finally convinced Bill Toney to tie the knot on June 12 in Alaska.

When Dick “Dusty” Trail was home for Christmas during our last cadet year, the local newspaper, the McCook Daily Gazette — for which he writes a weekly newspaper column and has for 20-plus years — sat him down and interviewed him about what it was like living in the new Academy facility. From him: “In part I mentioned that for us cadets, it was kind of like living in a zoo due to all the tourists that visited the place. After I returned to the Academy, I was called in by someone on the staff and critiqued about the disparaging remark I had made about living in a zoo. I do not remember that I received any punishment, but just a stern warning about things that go into print. Thinking recently, I note that about everybody refers to cadets as Zoomies?” My friend, that name may have come from a longer word, “Zoom”…your friendly scribe. Cheers! Dick also announced that he has let his flight instructor certificate expire after 61 years and 8,000 hours of instruction given! However, he also reminds us of a change from several years ago: His personal aircraft, an Aeronca Champ, is a “light sport” aircraft, so he can fly it with only a driver’s license.

Dick and Jean Carr spent the month of May visiting London, the Netherlands, Norway and Scotland. There were many adventures with daughter, Kelly. A big surprise was meeting an Academy graduate proudly wearing his “Spirit of ’76” attire at Kap Nord, the northernmost point on the continent of Europe.

From Max: “After the Class of 2025 graduation, Brad and Zita Hosmer were here to officiate the retirement of our dean, Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre ’96, who was a cadet when Brad was the superintendent. The next day we took an informative tour of the incomplete Hosmer Visitor Center. The building design is spectacular, with the projected displays very promising. Later we enjoyed a meal at a place selected by Zita, which she remembered as one of the most enjoyable spots in Colorado Springs. She was accurate, so we will follow her lead now.”

We have lost two class members this quarter, and our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of Robin Kozelka and Mike Reardon. Our numbers now are 75. Many thanks to Christina DeSantis as she revives our class website and helps Don and Jim. Thought for the quarter: “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is.” — Yogi Berra

Dick Carr, 3612 San Sebastian Ct., Punta Gorda, FL 33950; H: 941-637-8272; C: 941-585-8280; dickc59@embarqmail.com

Dusty Trail, dickt@swnebr.net; FB: USAFA Class of 1959

1960

Wayne Kendall reports that “on June 18, Jack and Elaine Brush hosted the COS ’60 locals and guests for our monthly lunch. Their house was designed by Jack, with inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright. It is on the side of a mountain overlooking Colorado Springs and an architectural marvel. Despite our dwindling numbers, Jim and Jenny Glaza, John and Deanne McCullough, Wayne and Barbara Kendall, Pete Roe, Fred Porter, and

Gordon Savage all enjoyed the view while eating lunch outside in perfect weather. We even survived John’s extended farmer jokes, Jack’s jokes without punch lines and Gordon’s story about bear bells and bear scat.”

In early June, J.T. Smith rode one of his motorcycles to the annual gathering of his motorcycle group, Los Guajolotes. A friend from Utah flew to Nashville to ride another of his motorcycles. This year, the group assembled in Townsend, Tennessee, to enjoy riding the twisty roads in the area. One such road is the infamous “Tail of the Dragon,” which is a section of US-129 through Deals Gap that connects Tennessee and North Carolina. Boasting 318 turns in its 11-mile course, it is arguably one of the most exciting yet treacherous rides in the country. To mark the treacherous nature stands “the Tree of Shame” at the Deals Gap Motel at the southern end of the tail. It is adorned with many motorcycle parts gathered from the numerous crashes that have occurred over the years.

J.T. with the Tree of Shame in the background

Chuck Hart writes that they had a fifth greatgrandson due in July — congratulations, Chuck and Linda. Linda experienced a fall back in December that resulted in her being hospitalized for several weeks. She continues to convalesce, and Chuck says that “she is still hanging on here in Tucson.” Chuck and Linda recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. He writes, “Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to go with her first coffee and a big pizza of her choice to celebrate while she rests in bed and wheelchair. Celebrations get simple at this age.”

Pam Zimmerman sent the following: “Alex and I took a trip to the south of France this month. We went with our son, Kenneth, and his wife, Nathalie, to visit her mother, who lives there, near the town of Sainte-Maxime. We visited Monaco and Saint-Tropez and stuck our toes in the Mediterranean. Alex still works part-time in Albuquerque.”

Newcomb writes that, in late May, Marvann and he visited their daughter, Holly, and her husband, Scott Ritchie, in northern Tennessee. While there, they visited the scale model replica of Noah’s Ark, near Williamstown, Kentucky. The model is built according to biblical measurements, i.e., cubits (1 cubit ≈ 20 in). “An amazing adventure!! The ark is about 170 yards long, four stories/17 yards high and 28 yards wide. Inside, one sees where the animals (probably between 1,400 and 6,000) were caged, where their food and water were stored, and how waste was disposed of. All throughout, there are comparisons of the biblical creation model versus the naturalistic evolutionary model.”

Gordy Flygare checks in with a quick, “ops normal in Oklahoma. Not very spry, but the IRS is still accepting my money and putting it to good use.”

Barb and Bill Hales celebrated their birthdays by traveling from their home in Greenville, South Carolina, to tour the Luray Caverns in Virginia the last week in June. Bill said that the caverns were well worth the trip.

Dr. Dave Reed has some advice regarding a topic nearly all of us care about: the cost of medications. He writes: “First — Honor Code — I am NOT getting any benefit for saying the following: For many years, I have used Rx Gold to pay for meds. Why? Just do a search for your med and dosage

on GoodRx.com, then indicate your general area of pharmacy interest. The search (depending on your area) will give you a VERY good result, over 6-10 local pharmacies. I believe you will find the variation on costs to be amazing. … AND, if you sign up for their health newsletter, you will get info that even I, as an MD, find to be very pertinent, with no sneaky links — just (IMHO) excellent, useful info. I’d be very interested in anyone’s comments. And if you take Eliquis, let me know.”

Vic Yoakum and Suzanne have relocated to Quail Park of Lynnwood, a multilayered retirement community in Gig Harbor, Washington. Vic divides his time between his assisted-living facility and their independent-living apartment, where he and Suzanne enjoy time together. This arrangement is quite similar to your scribe’s setup in Leesburg, Virginia — and elsewhere where Zoomies reside. Vic’s adult children live nearby and provide outings on a regular basis. Chuck Diver visits from time to time and helps break the routine.

Rich Kingman recently reminded your scribe that the two of us unknowingly were on the same plane on our fateful flight from New York to Denver in 1956. Rich is a true New Yorker, having lived successfully in the same apartment and real estate office building for the past 25 years. For timeouts, he and his wife, Judith, escape to their seaside recreation home on Fire Island, just off the northern coast of Long Island.

Ken Alnwick, 20550 Falcons Landing Cir., Apt. 5204, Sterling, VA 20165-3587; 703-509-7191; kjalnwick1@gmail.com; Class website: usafaclasses.org/ 1960/afa60.html

J.T. Smith, jtsmcrider@aol.com

1961

We lost Larry Freeman (June 4) and Bill Foster (June 7) this quarter. Their death notifications should be in the GBNF section of this Checkpoints. Margy Dingle (Bob’s widow) passed on June 29. Her obituary is available at legacy. com/us/obituaries/name/margaretdingle-obituary?id=58790414.

All is well with the Andersons. They’re not traveling much anymore, but are happy that they were able to visit most places on their bucket list in prior years. Mark is still chasing the golf ball a couple times a week and shoots his age about half the time, so he can’t complain. Ginger stays busy helping their chaplain and many of the widows who live in their

CLASS NEWS

community. So far (knock on wood), no serious medical issues with them.

For a change, Dick and Marty Arnold got to take a trip to Ohio in April to celebrate a niece’s wedding, visit with Dick’s three younger sisters and their families and see a high school chum. Columbus is no longer a sleepy town in mid-state! And in May, they took a fun, if short, five-day Road Scholar trip to Iceland. What a geologically interesting country. They loaded up with all kinds of inclement weather gear but encountered sunny, blue-sky Colorado weather. It was a very interesting and informative trip with a group of 21, all from Grand Junction. He is still introducing a few films a year in their local lifelong learning program and struggling with his golf swing. They’re both well and wondering when to downsize and move to a “facility.”

Bob Best completed his move to Arkansas on July 3. His address is Mt. Vernon, which is in the boondocks. His house is actually 6 miles from Mt. Vernon. Boondocks plus!!! He loves it!

Wayne Jones celebrated Independence Day this year as he has for more than 20 years — by marching in the huge parade in Coronado with the Distinguished Flying Cross Society contingent. More than 100,000 patriots attend this event every year, and it is more than two hours long. He stayed downtown in San Diego to watch the terrific fireworks show over the bay that evening. Wayne is still traveling quite a bit, and he has a wonderful lady friend, Claudia Troisi, who also lives at La Costa Glen retirement center, to share in the fun. They went to Lake Tahoe with several friends in early June and stayed at one of their vacation homes on the North Shore. Later in June, they flew to Cabo San Lucas for a week at the Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort. They were joined in “Margaritaville” by a dozen of Wayne’s rowdy nieces and nephews and their spouses/significant others. He is still playing a lot of golf, and life just could not be better.

Terry Jorris’ daughter visited him in Orange County, California, from Arkansas. They went boating on Newport Harbor in Terry’s 13-foot pontoon boat (with a 10 hp outboard). It’s always fun to be on the water with family.

Lynda and Charlie Neel spent a month in Mississippi with their daughter, Barbara, and her husband, Dan, who flew into COS and then drove the Neels to Mississippi in their two cars … to accommodate Charlie’s wheelchairs. They had a great month with them and it was good for

Charlie to have a change! They are now home and getting Charlie back into his physical therapy. They hope they can make the class get-together in San Antonio, but will probably need their daughter to drive them there and stay with them.

John Payne recently discovered that if you go to YouTube.com and type Air Force Academy in the search window, hundreds of short articles about the Air Force Academy appear. They range timewise from way back to the current days. One of the news items was a discussion on whether the Academy should lose many of its civilian instructors.

Charlie and Sarah Stebbins are doing OK, but the past year has been largely spent with Charlie taking care of Sarah as she recovers from two surgeries: a very successful left shoulder replacement followed by an emergency resection due to a perforated colon. Sarah’s surgeries began cutting a bit (pun intended) into their social schedules starting in April 2024, but they look forward to returning to normal activities as the surgeries continue to heal.

Twy Williams thanks everyone for their efforts to get him reconnected with his classmates. Flu, COVID and pneumonias put him under the capable care of Nancy. This week marks another recovery from changes of treatments/meds for his respiratory problem, COPD (the result of too many years smoking). Today he feels pretty good. They are blessed with a large family (scattered across the country). Nancy and Twy are looking forward to joining many of them at the Williams reunion in early August at the Mill Hole near Lexington, Virginia. They hope this will be the beginning of years of more active lives in spite of travel difficulties. Tom Wilson represents the local Twin Cities AOG Chapter at the annual Presidents Conference at USAFA on Saturday, July 26. He plans to arrive a few days earlier and visit with classmates and friends in the area and return on Sunday. The annual Wilson family reunion is planned for Aug. 7-10 in the Twin Cities again this year. All 22 plan to attend! It’s always a fun time!

Nelson O’Rear, 50582 Stonington Dr., Granger, IN 46530-8243; 574-273-2597; enoandtjo@gmail.com

1962

I needed in time to include it. Tom spent a brief time with SAC after graduation for pilot training, but he then embarked on an extensive career as a fighter pilot, with several assignments in the Pacific, where he served in Misawa and Kadena as well as Clark AB and Da Nang. Before retirement, he was the 12th AF assistant director of maintenance at Bergstrom AFB, Texas; he had a broad, operationally focused career. After retirement, Tom found a home working in advanced flight simulators, such as those at Luke AFB, as an employee of both Boeing and Lockheed. Tom was the Lockheed chief F-16 instructor at Luke. As I sought information on Tom, I was fortunate to have a long conversation with Rick Perlotto, where we spent a while talking about … what else … the original RTBs. Without trying to recall or recreate the details of that conversation, I will say that the primary theme we discussed was brotherhood. We summarized our discussion with several conclusions, among which was the agreement that we were fortunate enough to have experiences that few, if any, classes before or since have had: Lowry, the field exercise prior to the move to C Springs, the march into the Academy, the trip to tour the units in California, the doughnut riot, and the “welcome home” we got when Herb Adamson excoriated us at the first meal after we returned. Adamson asserted that we had embarrassed ourselves, the Academy and the U.S. Air Force. My recollection is that he dismissed us saying, “Get out of here, you Red Tag Bastards.” It all welded us into a coherent unit whose bonds remain intact even today. As we said, “Our classmates will always be our brothers; we may not always agree — brothers don’t always agree — but we remain brothers. Better yet, RTB’s — and proud of it.”

We lost Tom Kennedy on Feb. 7, and I must apologize for not including this in the column last quarter. My efforts to do some research on Tom’s life ran afoul of the deadline for submissions, and I did not get the information I felt

We also lost Tim Travis in June. My thanks to Jack Anderson for help with some of the following. Tim came to USAFA having graduated from the West Point Prep School. His father was a graduate of West Point and was later a U.S. Army colonel. His brother was a WP grad as well. So one might have assumed that Tim was headed for West Point and an Army career — but leaping to conclusions seldom pays dividends. Tim, in fact, elected to go to USAFA, and then into the Navy after graduation, a move that can only be recalled as a classic Redtag move — iconoclastic, inexplicable and unexpected. His career consisted of an unusual (for an Air Force Academy grad) series of assignments. Tim was a faculty member at the U.S. Naval Academy; he served as an operations officer aboard the USS KittyHawk, and he was posted to Keflavik, Iceland, and to Southern Command in the Canal Zone. He was later assigned to Diego Garcia, and then he held a Joint Task Force assignment at MacDill AFB. After retirement, Tim held a series of aviation and project management posts, including positions at Johnson Atoll and in Italy. He finally held regional program management positions with Carter-Burgess, a professional services firm, in Tampa. Tim is remembered fondly by classmates who recalled his participation in hunting forays in the Florida area. Tim was always a welcome addition to any gathering of Redtags.

The picture shows classmates Jack Swanson and Don Shepperd at dinner with General Ron Fogelman ’63, AF chief of staff Oct. ’94-Sept. ’97, at the Vi Silverstone in Scottsdale, Arizona, where Jack has lived for five years and where Don recently moved. On a personal note, Fogelman was the stan/eval flight examiner who gave me my first check ride after my assignment to Vance AFB as an instructor.

Bob Lightsey, 3105 Cunningham Dr., Alexandria, VA 22309; H: 703-360-5320; C: 703-772-2061; bob.lightsey@gmail.com 1963

As of this writing, I have only been notified of the final flight west for one of our classmates: Dick LaReau. Richard David LaReau (CS-08) passed away May 1. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Internment is planned for Crystal Lake Cemetery, Minneapolis. You can read his obituary at washburnmcreavy.com/obituaries/Richard-lareau/#!/obituary.

This year’s Class Cup-Turning Ceremony was held June 2 at Arnold Hall. There were 21 guests at the event, including yours truly. The setup was done very nicely, right by the Class Cups display on the Arnold Hall Mezzanine.

Jim Kuhn, Vic Thacker, Bryan Cary, Tim Gallagher, Stinky Steinbrink and Phil Tate did the honors. The event was extremely well done. I was delighted to have made the trip from Tucson to attend. Sorry about the less-than-professional photo, but my cellphone was quite limited. Twenty-one of our classmates were honored. In order of date of death: Thomas Burns, William “Larry” Meyer, Norman Schulze Jr., John Bellotte, Grady Gaulke, Keith Lockhart, Phillip Patterson, William Ebert, Andrew Nassir, Michael Anderberg, Gary Pfeifer, Dave Beck, Francis Porter, James Thyng, William Porter, Richard Troy, William Booth Mitchell, Edward Boswell, Robert Simpson, Kent Harbaugh and Dick LaReau.

Reunion news (September 2026): Hopefully you received a notification from the Class Reunion Committee concerning the 63rd reunion, but as a reminder, I am including a paraphrased version of their missive.

The 63rd reunion is being planned for June 3-5, 2026. For those who attended the 60th reunion, you will recognize the schedule of events: arrival reception Wednesday evening, Cup-Turning Ceremony at 1400 on Thursday, dinner with squadrons Thursday night, banquet Friday evening. Activities during the day on Friday are uncertain at this time. At the banquet on Friday night, we will have celebratory toasts for our successes of the past 63 years. Toasting will start at 1963 hours, and we will be able to use our own cups for this occasion. We plan to use the new Hotel Polaris (thehotelpolaris.com) as the center of our activities. It is an outstanding venue and full of interesting Academy history and memorabilia. It has already received an AAA Four Diamond rating. It has accessible rooms, of course, and, it is a short walk from the new Visitor Center, which is now scheduled to open one month before our event. Reunion rates for 2026 start at $239 (plus taxes and fees). The prices vary by location (views), but all the rooms are identical (except special suites). We encourage everyone to stay at the Polaris because all the main events will be held there (minimal walking). However, one exit to the north on I-25 is a Fairfield Inn, and one exit to the south is several hotels, including Courtyard Marriott. More information such as costs and payment links will be sent to you in mid-January. We are looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible. It will be a memorable occasion.

In June, Linda and I spent three nights at the Hotel Polaris, and we can vouch for the Reunion Committee’s comments. When you arrive at the Hotel Polaris, you will immediately feel reconnected to the Academy! There is great emphasis placed on the class colors, right down to the color of your room keys. Obviously, a lot of thought went into the décor of the rooms, which are spacious with plenty of lighting, wood finishes and large bathrooms with walk-in showers. There’s a variety of venues for eating, drinking and conversation, plus flight simulators. It is also very pet friendly! The hotel is an experience not to be missed.

A blast from the past: I heard from Jerry Adinolfi earlier this month, and he sent the following words: “Hi, Skip. I came across an old photo of a bunch of newly minted third-class cadets on vacation in Modesto, California, in 1960. L to R: Dan Taylor, Jerry Adinolfi, Jim Eggers (CS-15). We all went our separate ways thereafter. Dan eventually went to heaven, and Gil Merkle later married his widow. I have no information about Jim other than I heard he is living in New England; I settled in upstate NY and married my high school sweetheart after Marsha died. The beat goes on.”

That’s pretty much all I have at this time. It’s mid-July in Arizona — it actually rained today! We hope you all have a great, safe summer and that you make your plans for the reunion. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

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Norman I. “Skip” Lee, 63119 E. Cat Claw Ln., Tucson, AZ 85739-2058; H: 520-825-7980; C: 520-241-3498; 54wrs63@gmail.com; Class website: usafa63.org

CLASS NEWS

A cure for the travel bug(?):

Phil Roberts sent a note outlining some of the travels that he and his wife, Jonell, have accomplished in the 2023-25 time frame. They have been in Sicily, Northern Italy, Scotland, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Panama (the canal), Tuscany and Umbria (Italy), Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Portugal.

Cruises in the two-year period included the Danube River, Douro River, Iberian Sea and Aegean Islands. In recent years, they’ve also been to Antarctica, Canada, and took a road trip to Alaska on the Alcan Highway.

They also spend a month or two in March/April of each year at a campground near Marble Falls, Texas.

Shorter travel — for family: Fred Gregory sent news of family travel: “I traveled to Oklahoma City to attend the graduation of my granddaughter, Caitlin, as she received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Her first assignment as an Air Force medical officer will be at Scott AFB, Illinois. Also there was her cousin, Lauren. So, we had a gathering of rings! Gramps (me) ’64, and two granddaughters, Caitlin ’12 and Lauren ’22, all from the greatest college in the entire world: the United States Air Force Academy! But the highlight was the meeting between me and my great-grandson, Connor.”

Cold travel: Sandy and I just got back from a cruise from New York to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Greenland and Iceland. Did you know that when a ship is in the fog, they have to sound the foghorn (VERY LOUD!) every two minutes? If you’re down on deck 3, like we were, it isn’t too bad, but if you paid the big bucks to be on deck 8, you’re out of luck! Anyway, we had a great time. We finished the cruise in Heimaey, Westman Islands, Iceland. That’s where a volcano erupted in 1973 — right next to the town. The houses on the hill were covered with volcanic ash — about 30 feet of it. They dug up one house and built a museum around it. Very interesting. By a stroke of luck, the fishing fleet was in the harbor that night due to a big storm the day before. They evacuated all 5,000 residents to the mainland. Anyway, I managed to take an ATV drive up into the volcano’s center.

Even shorter travel — for food: Doug Jenkins reported on the Colorado-area lunch in May: “Thanks to those who were able to join us for lunch at Pegasus in Castle Rock! It was a hale and hearty group, and a good time was had by all. The food was delicious, the service was superb, and the camaraderie was the best! It was great getting caught up on all things Academy and renewing lifelong friendships. We are working on a future get-together, perhaps in the September timeframe. We will let you know the details as the day approaches.”

Gone But Not Forgotten: The AOG sent notification of the passing of Ken Sampson (CS-24), who died in June in Miami. As a result of service in Vietnam, Ken suffered from PTSD and bipolar depression for many years. He was the oldest Class "of 1964 graduate.

The AOG also sent notification of the passing of Ken Wentzel (CS-05), who died in March in Ivins, Utah.

Finally, Paul Belmont sent the following notice about the internment of Jeff Levy in Arlington National Cemetery: “On a lovely, pleasant April afternoon at Arlington National Cemetery, another real patriot, warrior and exemplar of ARETE was placed in honored ground, surrounded by countless others who loved and served this country. Well done, Col. Jeffrey Levy, USAF, USAFA Class of 1964 — rest in peace, and thank you for your exemplary service to our country and our USAFA. Thank you for being the ‘glue’ that has kept D.C.-area classmates in direct contact over so many years. We miss you!

“Our classmate and dear friend Jeff was interred at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. Jeff was buried with his son, Jonathon, who died in an auto crash in the 1990s. Our sympathies and condolences were expressed to Jeff’s wife, Donna Citrin, and members of Jeff’s family.”

That’s all for now. Note: If you subscribe to Netflix, you might want to watch the Thunderbirds documentary that’s running now. It shows some great flying!

Hovde, 206 Walker Ave., Huntsville, AL 35801; H: 256-532-3923; C: 256-348-9794; bob@hovde.us

1965

Chuck Coleman: A contingent of CS-10 graduates and their significant others gathered in New Orleans on April 22 for an eight-day mini reunion, as we boarded a river cruise ship, the Heritage, one of the American Cruise Lines paddle-wheelers. We enjoyed the scenic views on the Mississippi, turning around at Natchez, Mississippi, to head back to NOLA. The highlight for many of us was a visit to the National WWII Museum.

George Cardea: My wife, Jane, died May 31 after a long bout with dementia. She died peacefully in her bed, at home, under hospice care. We would have been married for 60 years in December.

Harv Shelton: After 19 years of living on beautiful Lake Balboa in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, Millie

and I have decided to move closer to our family. We are going to Matthews Glen, a continuing care retirement community near Charlotte, North Carolina. We will be close to our older son, Harv Jr., and his wife, Karen. I am having to disengage from many years of commitment to the local Rotary Club, MOAA chapter and Veterans Memorial Foundation, and will miss the fellowship those organizations have provided. However, I expect I will soon find suitable replacements in our new environment.

John Justice: My angora goats won several more prizes at this year’s Texas Angora Goat Raisers Association annual show, including first place in both buck and doe classes and overall Reserve Champion angora goat of the show.

A friend I have in Oklahoma City is Chuck DeBellvue; he’s not a Zoomie, but he is a six-kill ace. Other Air Force aces were Jeffrey Feinstein ’68 (who was in my squadron and on my intramural wrestling team) and Steve Richie ’64. I have coffee with Chuck and other vets each Thursday morning. The link below is an article he wrote. It is about the dogfighting in N. Vietnam and focuses on a guy named Bob Lodge, who developed the tactics and methods for that dogfighting and was later KIA after downing three Migs. Lodge has five silver stars, seven DFCs and 37 Air Medals. I researched him and found out that he was in CS-02, Class of 1964, so I am sure I rubbed elbows with him, as I was in CS-03. He was a man who made a difference and intentionally went down with his F-4 as described in the attached article. This article might be of interest to others, as it is very informative: airandspaceforces.com/article/bob-lodge-and-themaking-of-air-force-vietnam-aces.

Bill Roberts, 9870 E. Golden Currant Dr., Tucson, AZ 85748-7897; 520-342-8002; scribe@usafa1965.org; usafa-1965.org; FB: USAFA '65 Best Alive

1966

Greetings, Redtags! I’ve got pictures and stories from several Redtag get-togethers over the past couple of months; unfortunately, most of them have been from services/burials of our classmates or their wives. I guess that’s to be expected, considering how long ago we started this journey together. But let’s start with a non-funeral gathering:

Dick Oliver reports that “[f]or almost eight years, the Colorado Front Range’s informal chapter of ’66 RTBs has been meeting for a monthly luncheon, typically on the first Tuesday of the month, at the Colorado Mountain Brewery, located directly across from Falcon Stadium. This stellar and always boisterous gathering was initiated by and remains resolutely led by Vic Andrews. Anywhere between 12 to 20 classmates gather to drink beer and reminisce about old times, relate war stories anew and keep current on affairs at our alma mater. Our June meeting was moved up to May 30, so that Ross “Rosie” Detwiler could join us. Ross was in town for his grandson Ethan’s USAFA graduation the day before (he’s now off to Columbus AFB for UPT). Ross was accompanied to the gathering by his son, Brian, who is Ethan’s uncle.”

Local ’66ers and their wives honored Glenda Tooley, beloved wife of Col. Ed Tooley, with a graveside service at the USAFA Cemetery on June 16. Glenda had passed away on Jan. 3, and was laid to rest with Ed, who had died on April 28, 2020. Catholic Deacon Ray Milberg led the graveside service after officiating earlier at a funeral mass at the Community Center Chapel. The Tooley family then hosted a reception at the Eisenhower Golf Course clubhouse for friends and family to reminisce and celebrate the lives of Ed and Glenda.

In the picture, Dick is displaying his now “autographed” copy of Rosie’s 2012 book, The Great Muckrock and Rosie. It relates, in Rosie’s typically humble fighter pilot verbiage, his exploits as an F-100 Misty pilot in Vietnam and includes tales about Tom Mravak and many other classmates, with a few bawdy episodes as well (still available on Amazon).

Jim Simpson writes that he, Bill Dunne and Lou Finch represented our classmates from 7th Squadron in a celebration of life for Brad Ashton, who passed away in June in Alexandria, Virginia. Jim also says, “While we haven’t had our traditional spring fling for a while — age being what it is — a dozen or so still gather on Zoom weekly to settle the problems of the world and rehash the thrilling days of yesteryear.”

Currently, of the 470 of us that graduated on June 8, 1966, 127 are deceased (about 27%). Of that number, 62 are buried, inurned or memorialized at the Academy Cemetery. Dick Oliver writes that “on Memorial Day in years past, local Colorado Front Range ’66ers would gather to place Red ’66 flags next to the U.S. flags on the headstones and vaults of fallen classmates at the Academy Cemetery. This year, the policy was changed — only U.S. flags are allowed. (This is the same policy now in effect at Arlington National Cemetery, etc.) While ’66 RTBs are famously respectful of some rules, we also bend others and are creative! Using a list of deceased classmates provided by Bill Riley, which included a cemetery map, Larry Bagley made us all proud. At about 9:30 a.m. (misting, cloudy, nippy), Larry placed a Red ’66 flag on each grave site, took a picture, drank a toast, and then removed the flag. Every ’66er was toasted (each with a sip of beer from a six-pack), honored and remembered. As a final touch to Larry’s mission, he sent a copy of the picture to any of the widows for whom he had an email address. A proud tribute and toast to all our fallen RTB brothers!”

CLASS NEWS

Two more of our classmates who “flew west” recently are Steve Cross and Mike (Jaglinski) Charles. Steve passed away on May 7 in St. George, Utah, and Mike on June 6 in Sarasota, Florida. Mike’s last name at graduation was Jaglinski; he later changed it to Charles. (Fun fact: There are three classmates from CS-06 who later changed their names.) There are more details on these two and several others on our class website, classof66. usafagroups.org. A lot of other great pictures and information (including pictures of your first cars, firstie pictures and expanded versions of this class news article) are on this website, which was developed and is maintained by Gregg Swanson Take a look! Keep those emails and pictures coming from your latest adventures, and until next time … Happy Landings!

Ryan Denny, 1635 Mary Todd Ln., O'Fallon, IL 62269; 618-670-2298; ryanden@aol.com

1967

Greetings, one and all. The hot summer is upon us — big time. I trust you all are staying hydrated and cool.

I had some great contacts this quarter, first from Bill Powley, who continued his high achievements after the Academy — as an Air Force pilot, educator, and the initiator of a youth-oriented, award-winning flying program, which he describes in his book, Let’s Take ’Em Flyin’. In our conversation, Bill wondered how many other members of our class are published authors and whether there is some AOG listing or database of graduates and the books they have authored. I know of two others — Tom Boettcher and Bruce McDonald — and I have little doubt there are more. If others of you are such, and/ or know of others, please let me know and I can perhaps include a listing in a future Checkpoints Another fun communication came from Mike Langston He described how his Air Force time — starting at the Academy — included some pretty impressive exploits. One of those he calls “the machine gun incident.” “As all will remember, when the Academy played football in Falcon Stadium, a [four-degree] was in charge of a .60 cal machine gun (sic), and when we scored, he would shoot it down on the field. I was the 16th Squadron commander and my squadron’s honor rep. So, the University of Colorado is coming to play us. Hours after the game, I was talked into driving my convertible to Boulder after curfew with the [four-degree] and the WWII

gun. We got there about 3 a.m. and drove up Frat Row with him firing the gun. We got to the top of the street, and he had to reload. We came back down the street and all their lights were on, with a few guys out front. He’s firing away and frat boys are hitting the ground. We drove the 90 miles back to the zoo and didn’t get caught. I was told the boss at CU called our supt to complain, and he pleaded ignorance. The next day, I was walking in the Academic building, and the supt is walking my way. He simply said, ‘Great job, Langston!’ Way too much fun!” Mike was pleased to share a career highlight claim to fame: He was PACAF “Top Gun” three times. He shared some other tales, which I will tuck away for future use.

A while back, I received information that Tom Boettcher was hospitalized and gravely ill. Tom’s family greatly appreciated the fact that many of his old friends and classmates called and left voice messages for Tom. While he could not respond, family members held the phone up for him and “his eyes still lit up hearing each classmate’s voice.” Rich McGill shared with me the sad news of Tom’s death. He and Tom had been close friends since their time in 1st Squadron. Rich related how Tom had served his active-duty AF time in public affairs, including time in Vietnam, and then led a remarkable, impressive life, which is summarized in his obit, available at oklahoman.com/obituaries/pokl1216065.

We lost some other good men in past weeks. I learned of George E. Van Wagenen, Roger Hill, Beau Crosby and Brian Deluca Please see the AOG’s official listing in Gone But Not Forgotten.

Remembering those we’ve lost

Rich has frequent personal and work contact with Chuck Helfebower in their home areas of Virginia, and he had recently seen Gene Lupia, who is dealing with some frustrating health issues. After his activeduty time with the OSI, Rich went to law school and continued to serve in the AF Reserve, attaining the rank of brigadier general in the OSI.

I had a special memory of Brian Deluca. After our graduation, we and other recent grads ended up one night in Munich at the Hofbrauhaus. Brian managed to purloin one of their large beer steins by stuffing it into the crotch of his pants. I think he had connected with an American female tourist who, wittingly or not, served as a decoy, and Brian made it past the German guards and out the door with his prize, which he took back to the states when he traveled home. Each time Brian and I connected over the years, we relived that Hofbrauhaus adventure and laughed about it. I shared that story with his brother after Brian’s death and — of all things — his brother gifted Brian’s stein to me. Their losses are not recent, but if any of you travel to New Mexico and visit the Vietnam

Veterans Memorial at Angel Fire, look for bricks commemorating Dennis Pugh and Mike Bosilevac I was close to these guys long ago, and they are now memorialized with their comrades in arms at this sacred site.

We were “in the neighborhood,” so we visited Abner and Pattie Haynes in St. George, Utah, in May.

As I compose this, today’s news includes updates on the Texas and New Mexico flash floods and their terrible, tragic losses. In the midst of all the other stuff going on in the world, those two events hit particularly close to home. Time for prayer, for those folks and all who are enduring loss and pain. God bless the troops and their families, and God bless America.

Larry Wilson, 13100 Pinehurst Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111; 505-291-8949; Lwilsn628@aol.com

1968

HELLO, ’68! I am writing this column on June 29. Some 61 years ago, we all raised our right hands, swore allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, and joined the Air Force as members of the USAFA Class of 1968. Do you remember our first trip to the barbershop and then having our ID photos taken? Our mugshots were more akin to prisoner photos from El Salvador than visages that belonged on military ID cards. Do you remember the evening meal formation, when the Class of 1965 was directed to fall out and make corrections as we stood in ranks outside of Mitchell Hall? Do you remember hearing the loudspeakers from Security Flight blaring the song Big Man? Do you remember how we spent the Fourth of July in 1964? For my crew in Cougar Squadron, our first-classmen had us

celebrate the day by having us repeat the following after him: He shouted, “Bang!” and we responded, “Bang, sir!” He repeated this two more times, as we barked out our similar responses, and then he said, “Happy Independence Day, squats!” Ah, those were the good ol’ days. NOT!! And so began a legacy that now leaves us with a tsunami of memories across six decades of love and loss, sacrifice and service, and accomplishments that belie mere mortals. We are all offspring of the Greatest Generation. It is my sincere hope and prayer that we have made them proud.

HERITAGE MATTERS: The D-Day remembrance on June 6 elicited stories from a number of classmates and spouses about the roles their fathers played while serving during World War II. Thanks to Neil Starkey, Carl Janssen, Dana Drenkowski, Jeff Parrish, Dick Ewers, Bill Eckert, Steve and Connie Staley, Bob Johnston, and Valerie Gosnell Nash for sharing their fathers’ heroic exploits. In addition, you may remember that Charlie Coolidge’s father was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism during the Battle of the Bulge. For my family, my dad served in the Army in North Africa, and my mom served as a Navy communications officer stationed in New Orleans. We came from a fine stock of patriots who preserved the freedoms we enjoy today.

VIETNAM WAR: For most of us, this was the conflict of our generation. The rows of combat medals and ribbons on our uniforms are testaments to the courage and skill we displayed when face-toface with a determined and deadly adversary. Many came back with Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medals and campaign awards. One of us, Rhip Worrell, was awarded the Air Force Cross. Jeff Feinstein was an ace, with five credited Mig kills. Bill Gauntt, Tim Ayers, Bill Beekman and Tony Marshall were shot down, captured and spent time in the Hanoi Hilton as POWs, while others paid the ultimate sacrifice and returned to loved ones in flagdraped caskets. We remember and honor Jack Duffy, Tex Fehrenbach, John Ryder, Russ Voris, Elmon Caudill, Charlie Kollenberg, Grant Uhls, Walt Sigafoos, Skip Jackson and Ted Hallenbeck, and pray for their eternal peace. They will never be truly lost as long as we continue to remember them.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS: There is no way I could begin to describe the monumental impact our class has had on our communities, country and the world. These achievements encompass military and civilian careers that show demonstrated excellence and acclaimed recognition. Dick Covey “slipped the surly bonds of Earth” and gave the Hubble Telescope the new lens it needed for our scientists to explore the universe. In terms of military leadership, we had 13 general officers: Gen. Bill Begert, Maj. Gen. Mike Boots, Lt. Gen. Charlie Coolidge, Gen. Ed Eberhart, Maj. Gen. Bobby Floyd, Brig. Gen. Mike Guth, Gen. Charlie Holland, Brig. Gen. Mike Moffitt, Brig. Gen. Scott Pilkington, Lt. Gen. Steve Polk, Gen. Tony Robertson, Maj. Gen. Bob Siegfried and Maj. Gen. Tom Taverney. For superior airmanship, we had two Air Force Thunderbirds, Bill Gregory and Steve Mish. We also had our share of authors, champions of industry, winery owners, engineers, scientists, attorneys, medical doctors and elected political

leaders. And, to make the point that we “ain’t done yet,” our classmate Dave Kozak is in the Guinness World Records as the oldest certified ninja, and Chuck Corley recently graduated from the University of Texas (Austin) with a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering, with a dissertation on radiation effects in microprocessors. Oh, what a class!

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS: We were saddened by the loss of three of our classmates. Col. Thomas Noble Kramer (CS-17) passed away on April 12 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. He retired from the Air Force in 1989 as a career pilot, medical doctor and professor of osteopathic medicine. Maj. Raymond Douglas Broussard (CS-29) passed away on April 13 in Stephenville, Texas. While in the Air Force he was a weapon systems officer/navigator, and then he became an environmental engineer for his civilian career. Maj. and Dr. Felix Evan Morgan (CS-25) passed away on June 22 in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. THAT’S A WRAP: Mind the flak; keep ’em flying, and keep those cards, letters, emails and photos coming in to Pat Russell and me. So many of the excerpts with photos mentioned in this column may be found on our class website. I encourage you to click and remember. Ciao for now. Tim

Tim Davidson, 9712 Hidden Valley Rd., Vienna, VA 22181-6094; H: 703-255-5313; C: 703-772-6052; timd1968@gmail.com; usafa68.org

Greetings, ’69ers everywhere. For years now, ’69ers have honored and reveled in the numerous accomplishments of the young men and women we brought into the uniformed military world, nurturing their upbringings and helping them achieve greatness. Only one slot had been missing — that of a uniformed USAF officer of the star level. It gives us all great pleasure to honor newly promoted Brig. Gen. Todd Dyer ’98. Sterling in all he tackles, from 3,500 hours (700 in combat) in the F-15E before a long string of 12 leadership and command assignments, leading to positions as senior executive to the USAF vice chief of staff and two roles in future and advanced concepts. Presently, he serves as HQ USAF director of plans and deputy chief of plans and programs. There is more on the horizon. You can follow his distinguished career, so far, at af.mil/about-us/ biographies/display/article/4206734/todd-r-dyer/. It goes without saying: Todd is a go-to winner who

will continue to make us all proud while he helps the USAF be all it can be. We aging ’69ers salute him for all he has done and will continue to do. Thanks to high-flying Les Dyer and his wife, Connie, and Todd’s wife, Katie, of course, along with young Dyers Camdyn, Ella and William — enduring gifts all. Thanks, Todd, from us all. Keep the hits coming!

Jake Tausch and wife, Debra, reside in Albuquerque and love exploring New Mexico in their RV, where time at USAFA is impossible to forget. We all learned about 20-minute runs at 5:45 a.m. and how to shave, brush our teeth, get dressed, comb our hair, make our beds with sharp corners and report to morning formations in 10 minutes (total). We reveled in notes from friends and family. Before departure to the zoo, Jake was lucky to have a kind young lady — Crystal, with whom he had become good friends — offer to correspond with him. That lasted over the summer and into the fall and winter. By the end of the academic year and 10 months of USAFA, the correspondence had faded.

Unbeknownst to Jake, Debra and Crystal, Crystal’s mother had a surprise. After mom had passed on, Crystal found a neatly stored box of belongings in her mom’s attic, one of which contained the letters from 1965-66, much to Jake’s delight. With these memories of yore, Jake was reminded especially of Cripple Creek, T-33 flights at Pete Field and altitude indoctrination at Lowry. Special thanks go to Crystal for returning those memories and reminding Jake that his post office box number at the Academy was 3412! If the mail room is still set up like it was way back when, he’s certain he could walk straight back to that box. Ahhhh, memories.

Blair Stevenson (aka “Captain Crunch”) is once again on a roll in his annual leadership effort on behalf of an important and worthy cause, eliminating multiple sclerosis. He again represents us all in showing the way to tackle this most worthy cause, one in which we can make a difference. For some 15 years now, Blair has annually devoted time and effort to help battle MS, heading up two days of bicycling to encourage donations from like-minded volunteers. This year, Blair biked full distances with 45 personalized MS medallions in honor of his MS champions who deal with this scourge daily, helping deliver donations of some $25,000. If you would like to contribute to his lead, and the attendant diagnosis, treatments and cures, log onto events.

CLASS NEWS

nationalmssociety.org/participant/Blair-BikeMS-2025 and click on the donate tab to make a muchappreciated gift! Salute to you, Blair, from all of us.

Blair in front

’69er Col. (Ret.) Jim Campbell passed away at age 77 on June 2 and was laid to rest June 6 at the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission, Texas, with full military honors from Randolph AFB. Jim was multitalented, graduating with degrees in electrical engineering, kinesiology and theology at USAFA, and later from the Oregon State University School of Medicine. Subsequently, he anchored his dermatology practice in the Rio Grande Valley, coauthoring 10 peer-reviewed articles. He and his wife, Maria, had three children and eight grandchildren. We all salute him and honor him for his excellence and sterling contributions.

May God bless Jim Campbell.

Adding to our list of sad and weighty losses is that of Daniel Merle Tibbetts, aka Buffalo, better known as “Buff.” Well known for his sense of humor, powerful voice, occasional dart skills (in my basement at least) and love of our class, Buff was simply one of a kind. The timing of his notable loss opened an early opportunity to honor him before interment, and Mike Grenard, Dave Spencer, Tim Ayers ’68, Marty Cavato, TJ Doherty, Marty Page and Don Garrison saluted Buff on an appropriate Florida oceanfront. Alexis has arranged for Buff’s official internment to be held at 2 p.m. on Aug. 1 at the USAFA Cemetery, with a reception to follow at Eisenhower Golf Course Tavern Terrace. Special lives, special friends, special get-togethers, special memories. May your summer be all you wish for and then some. Prayers seem more useful than ever.

V/R, Lindsey

Lindsey Parris, 9 Tilbury Ln., San Antonio, TX 78230; 703-869-0642; howardparris@comcast.net

1970

Arriba Falcones!

It’s July 22, but I am already getting into football mode. Practice should start next week. Hopefully, we will have a few wins before tackling preseason favorite Boise State. We seem to have some really good players at the skill positions and both lines have decent experience. Our punter was selected first team in the pre-season conference rankings. Hopefully, we won’t have to use him much. Getting the right QB is going to be critical. You folks probably won’t read this column before the reunion. Here’s hoping everybody had a great time. A special thanks to Rich Downing for taking the lead on planning the reunion.

Once again Mike Lambert motivated the class to be the number one class for the Academy’s 1Day1USAFA fundraising effort. We had 191 donors contribute over $203,000. We have won this competition every year since it started in 2022. Substantial matching gifts by Bill Clohan, Paul Rossetti, Jerry Bruni and Mike Lambert helped push us over the top against ’68. I am looking forward to Jerry Bruni becoming a Distinguished Graduate on July 25.

Inprocessing is far different than our day. On the day before the appointees checked in, the AOG hosted 3,000 people at its new headquarters — Wecker Hall. They had food trucks, information booths and lots of activities. Mark Ewig secunded Gary Dahlen, Rick Bereit, Mike Torreano, Dave Gaw, Rich Downing and The Phantom to provide tours of the SEA Memorial Pavilion and Plaza of Heroes.

Craig Northrup headed up the fundraising effort for a C-141 plaque at the Pavilion. He also hosted a superb ceremony for the plaque dedication. Several Seventy men were there recounting their experiences flying this long-time workhorse.

You folks continue to set the trend for global travel. Hubers had an eventful trip to Canada and enjoyed a family reunion in Williamsport. Deserts took in many countries in the Far East. Larry and Marleen Bush enjoyed Antarctica, but Larry had some medical issues after returning home. He is on the road to recovery and encourages all of us to do some serious walking on long flights. Carparellis and Waskows enjoyed some Maine lobster. Hemings enjoyed beautiful Kaui. Torreanos raved about their visit to Canada. Russ’ had some awesome eats in NYC. Lipps took a 19-day cruise to Canada and Newfoundland. Must have been interesting as their luggage didn’t make it. Nortons are headed to Indonesia and will miss the reunion. DeFillipos visited Tuscany, Rome and Paris. John Disosway and John DeFillipo hooked up in Paris for some adult beverages. We are trying to get Disosway’s shirt as a registration gift for the reunion.

Some wild and crazy guys enjoying Paris

Bob Mack and Greg Gilles teed it up several times in Arizona. I got in a round with Chuck Weir who was in town for his brother Mike’s funeral. I enjoyed a great breakfast with Craig Northrup and Dan Murphy. The Colorado gang got together for its quarterly luncheon courtesy of Rich Downing. Al and Judy Simoncic are enjoying summer in Pagosa Springs. Al also did some camping with his son and grandson. Jim Mulford participated in the Bolder Boulder Marathon again this year. He ran in honor of our deceased classmates. I think Gary Dahlen, Greg Gilles and Rick Lesch did some serious trout fishing recently. Mark Ewig was selected for his high school Hall of Fame.

Willie Schepens indicated he got together with John and Sylvia Disosway, Jim and Sherry Reel, and Jim and Beth Bechtel in Jacksonville to see an Air Force lacrosse game.

Thinking of early Christmas presents? Check out Mike Torreano’s The Rebirth and Bob Welbaum’s No Limits. I once again had the opportunity to present the Outstanding Wrestler Award in honor of Dick Christie. This may have been my last time as Terry and Janet Silvester’s son, Scott, and family have moved to Denver. I know Scott is thrilled to have the honor of presenting the award in honor of his uncle. I see Mike Ryan was recently selected for the Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame. This is a welldeserved honor and long overdue. The induction ceremony is in October. I know his wife is attending. Hope some of you men might make it. If you have some stories about Mike, I will pass them on. Sadly, we lost Charles Bisbee recently. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Hope I see or saw most of you at the reunion! GO FALCONS!

Dick Rauschkolb, 719-310-6928; AOG70@comcast.net

1971

Greetings from the Front Range, the site of our next get-together!

The votes were tallied, white smoke billowed from the smokestack on Mitchell Hall, and the class has spoken! We will hold our 55th reunion at Hotel Polaris March 22-26, 2026. By now you should have received more details from Frank Morgan about activities and pricing. Andy Ceroni and I had been impatiently waiting for Doolies at the hotel to open and finally had lunch there. The menu is small, but Andy enjoyed his chili dog, and my kimchi dog was pleasantly spicy. Something that few diners have in the basement are three flight simulators (two F-16 and one B-737), which will grab more than a few classmates’ attention. By the time you get this issue, Falcon football should be in full swing. Let’s hope that this year’s team gets off to a better start than last year’s.

The Class of 2029 arrived for Basic Cadet Training in June. Does our class have any Legacy in this or any recent classes? Rus Records, as I recall, has the honor of having the last child graduate.

Jon Stevens’ funeral was dignified and solemn, with several of us in attendance. Scotty Bowen gave a heartfelt eulogy at the service. After the graveside rites, we repaired to the Rocky Mountain Brewery across the way for a remembrance. Tom Berry, Bob Brown, Honi Garvin, J.D. Koch, Bill Richardson and Dan Bohlin swapped stories and enjoyed each other’s

company with Gale and her family. Gale had ordered a mock magazine with Jon’s photo celebrating his love of golf, and we just had to share the effort.

magazine

Gene Kraay sent word that Danny Ulmer lost his battle with cancer and was buried in New York. Geno mentioned that his two-wheel riding days are over, but he is getting distance in on a trike. As he put it, “I just read an excellent book, The Comfort Crisis. I used to use the wind and the heat for excuses not to ride, but I push through the wind and the heat now. I’ve cleared 400 miles this year, which is less than last year, but it’s better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.”

Two comments about social media: First, if you have a Facebook presence, check out the “Class of 1971 – USAFA” group. To misquote Monty Python and the Holy Grail, “Whoever would cross the bridge of 1971 must answer me these questions three, before the other side he see.” Strangely, about half of the trolls and other bots who try to join the group don’t even try to answer the questions. There are a few who are convinced that they deserve entry and lie on the answer. As we all know, there are those who steal photos and try to get others to “friend” them. Paul Dordal is a recent example of a fake presence. If you happen to get a request from someone who claims to be a classmate, do some due diligence. Second, Steve “World Beer Tour” DeHaven sent along a picture of someone who scored an athletic jacket with the Starship squadron patch and then wore it while standing in front of the White House! Not too sure what the other A-jackets would look like, but for you guys who still have yours and wear them, you are still the cool kids! Just sayin’.

John Wahlquist shared the following news: Italian President Sergio Mattarella awarded Col. (Ret.) Michael Dziedzic with the Italian Bronze Cross of Merit of the Carabinieri in June. It is one of the highest honors the Carabinieri (military force and national police force) bestow and it is rarely awarded to international personnel. Col. Dziedzic was recognized during the 20th anniversary commemoration of the formation of the Carabinieri’s Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units for his scholarly and practical contributions to the center’s creation and its role as an international model for military police forces deployed in peacekeeping operations.

According to the award citation: “With tireless commitment, he supported the activities of the center since its inception, organizing high-level events and fostering cooperative relations between the Carabinieri and the U.S. Department of Defense.”

Col. Dziedzic’s numerous publications, enhanced by his field experience in El Salvador, Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan, have fundamentally shaped how the U.S. and UN initiate and conduct peace and stability operations worldwide.

GBA

Paul D. Knott, 5565 Lantana Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80915; 719-570-9162; pk71knott@gmail.com

1972

This will be a short news input, summer edition. I will need more classmate news information to fill up next time, folks.

Mush Brower sent details and a photo of the interment service for Dennis Sbach, who passed away last November. Twenty classmates drove or flew in from out of the local area to gather at the USAF Academy Cemetery on June 27, 2025, for the inurnment of his ashes, sharing in the honoring of our friend, Dennis. As Mush said in his message: “It’s a shame, but our social calendar these days is predominated by doctor’s appointments and funerals.”

CLASS NEWS

From left: Bill Baker, Doug/Mush Brower, Bob Waller, Eric Nedergaard, Bob Schnick, Doug Hill (squatting), Al Jones, Bob Banks, Doug Adamson, Randy Fitzhugh, Andy Gessner, Felix Dupre, Ollie Olson, Tim Whitlock, Dave Klein, Steve Berendt (kneeling), Skip Morgan, Sandy Lewis, Ski Wagasky and Jim Kimmel

A short side story that was part of Mush’s news on Denny Sbach’s service is included here. As many of us know, the class has been carrying on a bit of a recent tradition for our class burials when able. Shots of Jeremiah Weed are shared among the members of the group in honor of the fallen crewmate. Originally known as a fighter pilot tradition, Ski Wagasky reportedly said it had originated at Nellis after an aircraft accident, meant to allow a toast to our fallen pilots with a shot of Weed. The particular bottle being held in the photo by Ollie Olson was procured by Timo Sullivan and presented to Curly at Emily Chamberlin’s funeral last year. That was no small feat since they don’t make it anymore. We couldn’t predict that less than a year later we’d be losing Curly, too. The Weed then was possibly given by Timo to Curly’s son, Jeffrey, at Curly’s funeral, or else Mush and Cheryl picked it up after Jeffrey let them loose in Curly’s house after he passed. In any case, they ended up with it and brought it to Denny’s funeral. All that was to explain why you have a picture of Ollie handing out shots!

Felix Dupre passed along news of a great trip he shared with Carl Stansberry on board Carl’s floatplane. Carl blessed Felix with an incredible experience flying into the Alaska wilderness and doing some fishing, both in the ocean and in one of the rivers across from his cabin. The wheelbarrow full of fish includes several halibut, Pacific cod, rockfish and ling cod that they caught doing some ocean fishing from Carl’s neighbor’s boat out of Seldovia, Alaska. Another banner day on the water.

Last year, Carl took Bill Looney Tunes and Felix out in the plane and they all got a chance to fly and even do some landings. And all are still alive!

Possibly making their first appearance elsewhere in this edition, they also had me submit their entry to Checking in with Checkpoints, where they posed with the latest copy of Checkpoints along with some of the sockeye salmon they caught that day. A note from Merrell McIlwain allowed me to add his name to the list of classmate-authors that I reported in the last issue of class news. Merrell has had a book published and says he wouldn’t call it a light read, though. The title is It’s Not Complicated, and it is a Christian book about God’s will. He says it is easiest to see what it’s about on Amazon, using his last name — McIlwain — to take a look.

This is all I have to report. Keep eyes on your email for updates for our next reunion. I will be in touch for some more class news, ’72.

FPA

Bob Bell, 13 Pacific Ave., Sinking Spring, PA 19608; 302-399-3240; reservist777@ yahoo.com

1973 Illustrious classmates, Plans for the mid-cycle reunion are moving ahead. There will be a cocktail and hors d’oeuvre reception on June 17, 2026, and a sit-down dinner on June 18. Both events are at the Hotel Polaris. Plans are underway for a golf tournament, hopefully June 18. Rather than a memorial ceremony, there will be a display of our classmates who passed away (or who we learned passed away) since the last reunion.

Back at the 40th reunion, we opened a Dropbox account to store pictures by squadron from the reunion and whatever else each squadron wanted to put there — a common, living photo album for the members of each squadron. The class had to pay for the Dropbox account even though only a couple of squadrons used it regularly, and only a handful even had pictures there. Seeking to preserve our class funds, we’ve migrated the capability to a free Google Drive account. It’s there for your squadron to use however you want. If you don’t know who your squadron Dropbox/Google Drive POC is, go to usafa73.org/squadron-contacts.html and click on your squadron patch to send an email to your squadron POC. Some pix are also at usafa73.org/ squadron-fellowship-and-pictures.html. Caution: Our website is public, so any pictures posted there can be seen by anyone. Squadron POCs will control access to info stored in Google Drive.

CS-19 Playboys had a reunion June 21-28 at Amelia Island, Florida. They were all standing and smiling for the photo.

CS-19 Amelia Island reunion. Front row: Patty Clark, John Duncan, Vickie Oalfson (Duncan), Nancy Hanson, Leigh McNeil, Dave Brown, Karen Brown; 2nd row: Beth Blase, Jo Ellen (friend of Randy’s), Randy Randolph, Sherri Maple, Fred McNeil, Bush Hanson, Steve McCauley (head band), Jim Mateos, Natalie Mateos; 3rd row: Tom Blase, Lori Kanipe, Don Kanipe (only see top of his face), Denny Maple (head leaning), Bryan Clark, Patch Patchin, Sandy Patchin, Mary McCauley and Chris Black

John Barry (CS-26) retired in January after eight years as CEO at Wings Over the Rockies Museum at old Lowry AFB. He is now chair of the Air Force Historical Foundation and vice chair of the National Aviation Hall of Fame. In his words: “Now I can fly my airplane more, do more fly fishing and get better at videos using my drone.”

Bob Smith (CS-31) writes: “Lin and I are doing relatively well. Lin is dealing with some heart issues (partially blocked arteries), but nothing requiring surgery at this time. I am continuing to volunteer as a guardian ad litem with the Cleveland County Court in Shelby, North Carolina. We are advocates for children who are in foster care due to accusations of neglect or abuse against their caregiver(s). I encourage anyone with free time to consider volunteering in your community. This is a great way to give back to your community.”

I talked to ex-roommate John Keesee (CS-09) and wife, Carrie, the other day. Nothing much to report. They continue to do well up in Shirley, Massachusetts.

AJ Ranft, CS-11/17, surprised us at a recent Front Range gathering with a new tattoo.

AJ Ranft’s new tattoo. He’s all in!

Jack Hudson (CS-25) rode in the Great Ohio Bike Adventure — seven days and just over 400 miles with his riding partner, Dave Glade ’80. Two flat tires, no accidents, mostly good weather. He’s over 5,000 miles for the year; hopefully another 10K year. Jack also went to the Indiana Senior Games and competed in his age group in two time trials and two road races. Only three signed up in Jack’s 75-79 age group, and only two competed, but Jack brought home four “gold” medals for his age group; there is an advantage in aging up! There’s a pic of Jack wearing his four medals in the Expanded class news section of the class website, usafa73.org.

Just for variety, below is a pic of yours truly with grandson Tyler in Loveland, Colorado. He had wanted to go to the Academy since he was 6 … until a couple of years ago, when he became infatuated with Formula One racing. I took the structures track for my aero degree at the Academy and had to take a lot of mech courses. Tyler plans to get his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at Colorado State, then his master’s in aerodynamics for racing car design. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree — academically, anyway. He’s obviously got about eight inches on me. OBTW, he’s got a line on an internship at an F1 racing firm in Italy along the way.

Our next local ’73 Front Range dinner will be Dec. 4 at the Margarita at Pine Creek. We also meet at a local Mexican restaurant for war stories at noon every third Tuesday of the month. If you’re not

getting notices about Front Range events and would like to, please let me know!

“Here’s a toast…to the host…of the men we boast!”

Mike Arnett, 5285 Copper Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918; 719-310-8100; class.scribe.73@gmail.com; usafa73.org; FB: The Illustrious Class of 1973

Welcome, classmates. Best good news first! On the morning of July 4, Mike Sumida received notification that the Mel Harmon Chapter #128 of the Air & Space Force Association won National Small Chapter of the Year for the fifth straight year, winning six of the last seven years. The year we did not win was when no awards were presented due to COVID. For the record, they also won four other national awards this year, bringing our seven-year national award count to 29. Are you looking to be involved in a similar outreach program? Consider contacting Mike.

Second great news. For decades, Jim Payne has been at the forefront of high-altitude soaring, setting records as the lead pilot of the Perlan 2 glider. His historic 76,000-foot flight — the highest subsonic, wing-borne flight in history — has set a benchmark in aviation. Jim was a 2008 Soaring Hall of Fame inductee. But no pilot flies alone, and his wife, Jackie Payne, has been the “wind beneath his wings,” providing the unwavering support and logistical expertise that have helped make these groundbreaking achievements possible. At this year’s Soaring Society of America convention, Jackie was honored with induction into the United States Soaring Hall of Fame, recognizing her extraordinary contributions to the sport. As chief of logistics for the Perlan Project, she played an essential role in every record-breaking mission, ensuring that every logistical detail was in place to support Jim and his team’s historic flights. Congratulations to Jim and Jackie on their combined remarkable achievements and honors! Thanks to Mark Hyatt for submitting this.

Third great news! Tracy Stephens has completed his bicycle tour around the U.S. for the American Cancer Society. He started in New England, headed west across the northern U.S., south down the west coast, east across the southern U.S., and back to his home in New York. Tracy writes, “Done. 376 days, 237 actual riding days and 13,250 miles.” Thanks to Scott McLauthlin for passing this on.

After 51 years, we recently got to re-meet one old friend: Kris Budinger. Kris has moved to Utah to be closer to family. He retired, so he and Gayle are keeping up with 24 grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren. My memory count may be off a bit, but joyful memories are being built in his family.

Maybe not lost: Steve Gress appears to be living in Arlington, Virginia. He’s self-employed as a leadership and defense consultant, using and building upon his past experience with the Senate and House Armed Services committees. Dr. James A. Keagle was last seen as a professor in the National Defense University, at the Eisenhower School, having started there in 2015 … perhaps he’s still there. Jim has authored many studies and several books, to include topics such as mitigating risks of artificial intelligence. Jim and wife of 42-plus years are in Virginia, enjoying three children and one grandchild. Another recent find is Marc Johansen. He retired from Boeing Corporation in June 2023 as VP of satellites and intel programs in D.C. Marc has served on the White House staff with appropriations, authorization and intel on sophisticated and classified space systems. He lives in the Falls Church, Virginia, area. John Rivers retired from Lockheed as the director of research and seems to be working with the Greater Hampton Roads Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association; he and Karen are in the Suffolk, Virginia, area. Dennis Monacell retired from piloting for US Airways and has South Carolina as part of his address. Gailon L. Gentry is still with Debi and living in Yakima, Washington. As an AAMS, Gailon is a financial adviser with Edward Jones.

At a moment this summer, I remembered our fourdegree year at the tables (NOT on the “RAMPs”), when we had to ask to make a low pass and return to formation after we dropped something on the floor. This led to understanding the term “rejoin”: return to the flying formation to continue the mission.

This leads me to a sad note … Nick Puzak passed away on April 16. After complaining about some chest pains, followed by a visit to the doctor, Nick fell asleep in four weeks, losing to cancer. Nick is laid to rest in the USAFA Cemetery. The service was attended by Nick’s family and some DDF (Dirty Dozen Family) members and a few classmates. We met at the Colorado Mountain Brewery on Interquest — the third time we’ve met there after a DDF loss. The picture of those of us attending the rejoin was submitted by Cheryl Lane. Unavailable for the picture was Ed McIlhenny, who came to the service on the grounds. The ’74 members at the rejoin: Charlie Bryant, Ted and Lou Roth, Tim and Cheryl Lane,

Kris Budinger, Steve and Beth Sterne, Rich Bowman, Ted Macey, and Joe and Darlene Brezovic. Also providing support was Riley Steven’s widow, Cindy Lee, who came with their two daughters from Florida.

For reference, the AOG publishes the booklet, Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten, each spring with USAFA graduates’ submitted memorial articles. The next of kin receive one complimentary booklet. Others may order the booklet on the Doolittle Outfitters website, shop.usafa.org. Our class website will continue to carry our version, as submitted by the next of kin, with classmates’ comments. May you find an old friend to re-meet, friends to refresh relationships, and families to build fond memories. May you live long and prosper.

Joe Brezovic, 228 Senior Cir., Lompoc, CA 93436; 832-285-4179; launchops74@gmail.com

1975 A River in Egypt: The call that went out for inputs for this edition of Checkpoints covered the time frame of the 50th anniversary of our graduation, which meant it also covered the 50th anniversary of numerous weddings that took place shortly after graduation. Needless to say, I expected my inbox to be inundated with proclamations from classmates describing in vivid and grandiose detail the happy celebrations of 50 years

of wedded bliss. Uhhh, only five guys fessed up that they were in one way or another even involved in a golden wedding anniversary. My son is a clinical psychologist, so I took this to him and asked for his professional opinion on the matter. Without batting an eye, he said, “Denial.” “Look,” I said, “I know these guys and what they’ve been through, and there’s no way they’re in a state of denial.” “I wasn’t talking about them,” he responded, and then it suddenly became clear. I imagine the conversations that occurred after the call for inputs went something like this:

Hubby: “Hey hon, I got another request for a Checkpoints input from that pesky scribe who tends to create incredulous stories for seemingly no reason. I normally don’t have anything for him, but this quarter I can smother him with glorious details of our 50th wedding anniversary celebration.”

Wife: “Oh babe, uh, that might not be a good idea. You remember the guy in med school, the one I dropped when you came along and swept me off my feet? You know, the one that came up with a cure for halitosis and now has houses on four continents, a private jet and a yacht?”

Hubby: “Yeah, I remember him. What a loser. I never could figure out what you saw in that guy.”

Wife: “Well, the thing is, I kind of forgot to tell my folks and my sisters that I married you instead of him, and I’d hate for them to read it in Checkpoints before I get a chance to clear up that oversight in person. Okay, sweetie?”

Hubby: “Wow, hon, that’s pretty hard to believe. Your family actually reads Checkpoints?”

Wife: “I know! Right?”

The Confessors: The couples that remembered, celebrated and made mention of their anniversaries are Larry and Melinda Bryant (Alaskan cruise), Mark and Cindy Fry (Maui and Oahu), Frank and Jan Dressel (celebrated with the Frys), Rich and Mary Chanick (San Diego), and Wayne and Amy Willis (Kauai). Congratulations to them and to all the other couples who recently celebrated 50 years of a contractually binding merger recognized by the state. It’s intuitively obvious to the casual observer that it was no small feat and a tremendous team effort.

Tom Calhoun reported that his son, Dillon, graduated from the University of Idaho Law School and is now cramming for the bar. Anyone who has been to Idaho is probably surprised to hear the state has laws, much less a law school, but Dillon is living proof that lawyers hide out even in the most unlikely places. After he passes the bar, Dillon plans to join the Idaho Guard as a JAG. Several classmates took part in the Class of 2025’s commissioning ceremonies on May 28. As the legacy class of the graduating class, our class representatives gave short presentations and welcomed the new second lieutenants to the Long Blue Line as they handed them gold bars with “USAFA” and “7525” etched on the backs. Dick Dye coordinated the undertaking, which involved more than 20 classmates from the local area and some from other parts of the country. The Class of 2025 “Psychos” is a worthy addition to the growing list of USAFA graduating classes, and we can expect great things from them in the future.

Rod Hennek hosted the Hacker Classic at his lake house in South Carolina this year. The group used to play seven rounds of golf in four days, but they can’t take enough ibuprofen or Geritol to sustain that pace anymore, so now they play four rounds in four days. In the evenings, they sit out on the deck, sipping their favorite beverages laced with Miralax, and discuss their most recent visits to the urologist. The joints may be a bit rustier than in the past, but they still have memories of past classics, or at least the ones they can remember. The attendees this year were Rod, Bo Montgomery, Larry “Fairway Frankie” Fariss, Dave Pratt (top honors), Jim Corrigan, Tom Popp, Tug McGraw, Craig Matt (most opportunity for improvement), Wayne Willis, Roy Rice and Jim Burling. “Fairway Frankie” achieved a personal best by scoring two rounds in double digits, which normally would have raised calls from his fellow players for a urine test, but instead they all asked him to email them the name of the supplements he was using.

If the photo you sent in isn’t here, go to the Checkpoints page on 75bestalive.org to access it and numerous other recent pictures of ’75ers in action. While you’re there, check out the Index to Checkpoints Extras, which makes a plethora of entries that span our 50-plus years of discipline and occasional buffoonery much easier to locate.

Foster Bitton, 75scribealive@gmail.com 1976

Fellow ’76ers, Had some technical issues this go. If you submitted info and don’t see it in this article, resubmit and I’ll add it next time. Sad News: We lost several classmates recently. Owen R. Fonorow died April 2 in Woodridge, Illinois. William M. Jones died April 20 in Dover, New Hampshire. Craig Moser attended Bill’s service. Gregory Alan Whaley died June 20 at his home in Colorado Springs. Several classmates attended his service at USAFA Cemetery. Jay Stephen Steinmetz died June 21 at his home in Bealeton, Virginia. John Kurtz and Jack Catton attend his service. Gary L. Scoggins died July 5 after a year-long battle with leukemia. Gary will be inurned in the USAFA Cemetery at a later date. Please keep the families of Owen, William, Greg, Jay and Gary in your thoughts and prayers. General Class Stuff: Kevin “Chili” Chilton received the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award for Space from the Air Force Historical Foundation. Congrats Chili! Danny Moore visited grandsons (ages 1 and 5) in Paris last May. Stef Eisen reports he and Denny Rea tracked his 2012 Corvette Grand Sport (built from the ground up as a track car) at Little Talledega Gran Prix Raceway. Eliseo Cuevas’ son, Alexander, was promoted to lieutenant colonel, USAFR, on May 2. Alex is 214 Attack Group/DO at Davis-Monthan.

Dave Srulowitz commented on some of the circumstances of the recent classmate deaths. He reminds everyone to get their checkups and routine exams. Mike Kelly sent an interesting note about H.R.1 Section 70425, impact on charitable deductions. I forwarded the note to the AOG/ Foundation for comment. They recommend everyone consult their tax advisor. T.R. “Spindle” Holtz participated in the July 4th Veterans Day flag ceremony at his local AAA baseball field. John McElwee asked about reunion dates. Charlie Morgan’s son, David Morgan, was the guitar player in the band at the ring dance. Brian Meenan’s daughter, Lt. Col. Megan Anderson, assumed command of the 20th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Shaw AFB, South Carolina, on June 25. Brian and Ali attended, spending time with Megan and Chris and grandchildren, Hunter, Grace and Peter. Doug Fry started coin collecting again. Randy Schavrien visited his son at Ramstein in January, went to Italy in March and had a left knee replaced in July. Bob Norman did the Triple Bypass bicycle ride from Evergreen to Avon across three mountain passes. While it is only 118 miles, the ride involves 10,800 feet of climbing. Del Cornali sent an email update and camped with extended family in the Idaho mountains for the 4th. Hal Getzelman administered the oath for daughter Col. Ellen Canup’s ’06 promotion to colonel at Maxwell while her husband, Lt. Col. Ross Canup ’03, read the promotion narrative from the United Arab Emirates on May 30. She is the new deputy commander, LeMay Center for Doctrine Development & Education.

NSTR: Greg Boomgaard, Mike Byers.

Legacy Events: Thirty-seven of our classmates and the widow of one of our classmates attended the Class of 2026 Ring Dinner and Dance on May 23. The Friday dinner and dance was a chance for some of us and our ladies to relive a moment from 50 years ago and an opportunity for some of our ladies who were not with us in 1976 to experience a part of one of our memorable USAFA cadet events.

In honor of its 50th reunion, the Class of 1976 is raising $3.5 million to create The Spirit of ’76 Echelon on the Heritage Trail at the U.S. Air Force Academy. It will be a tribute to the Long Blue Line and the heritage, legacy and tradition of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force and U.S. Air Force Academy. The project will provide propeller blades and bronze plaques representing each graduating class with their class crest, a brief narrative, and a digital kiosk with the names of graduates.

Our 50th reunion gift will also create the Gone But Not Forgotten Endowment to honor the Long Blue Line and serve their families in perpetuity.

View the project status at usafa.org/1976-50th

50th Reunion/Class Gift: We should have preliminary agenda/schedule and hotel registration information available this fall. Please do not contact Hotel Polaris as they will not take reservations for our reunion until we have a contract in place.

The groundbreaking ceremony for our class gift project, The Spirit of ’76 Echelon, was on May 23. I did not get an exact count, but we had approximately 50 of our classmates in attendance.

CLASS NEWS

’76ers in attendance for the groundbreaking of The Spirit of ’76 Echelon

We will dedicate it at our 50th reunion in October 2026. If you have not yet contributed to “The Spirit of ’76 Echelon” class gift project, please consider doing so. We would like to have every member of THE SPIRIT OF ’76 participate at some level. Classmates, again time to stick a fork in it. Plan to attend and participate in legacy events and our 50th reunion to the best of your abilities. If you haven’t received an email from me in the past three to six months, I don’t have your current email address. Please update. Get your medical checkups. Be careful and stay well and healthy. If you are headed to the Springs, let me and the other locals know. Keep flying your flags, keep our deployed troops in your thoughts and prayers. THE SPIRIT LIVES!

Until next time..................

Beatty

Dan Beatty, 12196 Stanley Canyon Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80921; H: 719-488-1962; C: 719-338-0276; whrlybrd76@aol.com 1977

Greetings. As you read this, we are two years out from our 50th reunion. Please consider attending, and start leaning on your classmate friends and contacts to attend. Planning is already beginning to make this an even more special five days than usual.

Passings: I’m sorry to start the column by announcing the loss of two of our classmates — Jeff Leeper (Lauri) and Jeff Perkins (Leslie). Leeps was an F-15 guy who finished his active career as the commander of the F-15 Weapon School at Nellis. After a brief airline stint, he went to work for Raytheon and Kaman as one of their business managers. Jeff Perkins was a Nav school classmate and a B-52 guy who kept me sane at Mather and was one of the brilliant first adopters of desktop computer technology for daily use

in SAC operations. He was also one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I extend the sympathy and condolences of the class to Lauri and Leslie and their children. Our Benevolence Fund made donations in Jeff’s and Leeps’ names.

Catch-up: Tom Quelly (Susan) dropped me a line — his second in 48 years — after attending his daughter’s wedding at The Broadmoor in June. Tom and Susan spent a few days at the Hotel Polaris (they liked it) and hooked up with Randy Liefer (Deb) for a quick 5th Squadron mini reunion.

I’m going to elaborate a little bit on Tom’s career, since this is only the second time we’ve heard from him. He went directly to MIT for a master’s following graduation and then into a FAIP assignment after UPT. The F-15 world was next, followed by a wing king assignment at Columbus. His last assignment was the deputy DO in AETC, which took him post-retirement to Lockheed Martin’s military training company in Orlando. He spent 20 years developing and managing training programs for LM products and became one of the masters of setting up turnkey training programs in places like Singapore, Australia, and the U.K. He’s retired, although as with so many of you, he is still doing consulting work because companies recognize that his corporate knowledge is simply too valuable to be allowed to go fallow. Thanks for the update and retrospective, Tom. And congratulations on your daughters’ weddings.

Short bursts: The peripatetic Mark Castellani (Susan) celebrated his 70th birthday by getting on the road and heading for a squadron reunion at the Air Force Museum. On the way he stopped in to see Gary Hackett (Donna), just east of Columbus. He sent a picture, which helps me stay within my word count.

Mark, Gary and significant others enjoy a carbfriendly environment.

Thanks, Mark, and I hope the 10th ACCS gettogether was a blast.

On a trip back to D.C., I was able to sit down with Lynn Scott (Cynthia) for a couple of hours. He is fully retired from his various consulting roles with RAND and the Air Force and is enjoying being a grandparent as his grandkids go from high school to college. He also looks great. I think we all have long-term friends with whom we settle in instantly, regardless of how long it’s been since we’ve been in each other’s presence. Lynn is that person for me — something for which I’m very grateful.

Encyclopedic update: Jim Moschgat (Becky) sent me a long and detailed email with the latest on their life changes as well as news on a number of other folks. These kinds of missives make your humble scribe’s life infinitely easier (that’s a hint, people). Many thanks, Jim.

Jim is now (or at least should be) officially retired from his job as the director of the National Security Space Institute, a Space Force school at Peterson. This wraps up 52 years of service to the Air Force, with the last 18 years spent training Space Command and Space Force operators, as well as students from 52 allied nations, on how we fight in space.

Jim’s change of command at Peterson

Jim and Becky are now enjoying retirement in Peoria, Arizona, where he notes that coffee in the mornings and wine by the pool in the evenings is a welcome respite. In addition to his normal hunting, fishing, hiking, camping and traveling routine, Jim

said he’s going to pick up a musical instrument and finish a book that has been in the works for many years about the USAAF’s first WWII ace, Buzz Wagner, who hails from Jim’s hometown. This sounds like an epic project. Jim has not only collected many family records, he actually excavated the crash site where Wagner was killed in a mysterious aircraft accident, turning up personal effects, human remains and evidence about the accident’s likely cause. I can’t wait to see the finished product.

Oh yeah. Jim also has his original cadet Corvette, which gets trotted out occasionally for auto shows.

Jim reports that he sees Ron Ladnier (Pam) pretty regularly, including a Rhine River cruise last summer. He notes that Mark Nixon (Brenda) will be hunting elk with his son in the Colorado backcountry versus going out with Jim’s party.

And that’s all I have room for this time around. Hope the summer treated you all well. Be seeing you.

John “Lou” Michels Jr., 621 Jasmine St., Denver, CO 80220; loumichels55@gmail.com

1978

Greetings, ’78ers…

I hope everyone is enjoying (or “enjoyed” by the time you read this) their summer and the fruits of our many years of labor. Some odds ’n ends this quarter, whilst I attempt to put info in the order I received it, if possible. I think I mentioned before that there is a bit of lag time between submitting the article and it being published. For instance, today is July 14, and publication is in September; this gives it about two months of lag time. So when you heroes send me info, I might not be able to include it in the article I just sent in for instance. I very much appreciate your understanding.

Most of you should be receiving the ZoomiEnews publication every couple of weeks. In the May 15 edition, we had two highly deserving classmates highlighted. The first one was Gordy Curphy, who continues to make significant leadership development/organizational psychology contributions through his Curphy Leadership Solutions organization. He’s authored or collaborated on 25 books; probably the most successful (please set me straight if I’m confused, Gordy) is The Rocket Model: Practical Advice for Building High Performance Teams. Back in May, he was honored with a prestigious fellowship by the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Denver. It’s considered one of the highest honors a SIOP member can receive.

The second highlight was Chuck Sonson, who was one of the owners of Sandman — one of the favorites to win the Kentucky Derby back in May. Sandman didn’t win but showed a respectable finish. Chuck has done amazing entrepreneurial efforts since his United Airlines 777 days. He owns not only a highly respected equestrian stable but also a private jet company with an impressive array of airplanes. He continues to do our class proud. Well done, Chuck! After retiring from American Airlines, Doug Leja stays busy giving discovery rides and flight lessons in an ICON A5 for Spearman Aviation out of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. He flies three to four times per week … pretty much whenever he feels like it. He and bride, Jan, also work closely with a congressman in California, running their service academy nomination panel. He has no doubt that his ICON flying is “certainly one of the world’s best retirement jobs.” I think we all agree, Doug … you look mighty happy below. You can read more about the program and maybe schedule a ride at iconicrides.com if you’re in the area. Thanks for the info, Doug!

Wayne Hermandorfer is the proud father-in-law of President Trump’s very first confirmed federal judge! Whitney was confirmed today to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and is married to Wayne’s oldest son. Sure is a lot to be proud of, and his son obviously married well!

Paul McVinney shared about a CS-15 mini reunion back in May at Roger and Sharon Burg’s amazing home in San Antonio. Quite a few guys and their brides (three guys had to cancel at the last minute, unfortunately) were able to make it out for the festivities that included “wine tasting, eating, talking, museum touring, pastry eating, talking, golfing, spa-ing, talking, pasta eating, coffee sipping, talking, BBQ eating and talking.” Space precludes me from posting more than the group shot, but Sharon did an excellent job of capturing the group.

is in the front; next row, from left: Kim Spears, Francesca Bronder, Suzanne Paterson, Linda Parkhouse, Shannon Morris, Hazel Frick, Doug Morris Rear, from left: Elaine and Paul McVinney, Glenn Spears, TJ Bronder, John Paterson, Roger Burg, Ron Parkhouse, Glenn Frick, Mark Rodriguez and Dennis Kelly. Great work, Paul; many thanks!

Longtime OKC resident Jeff Kindschuh (how ’bout that Thunder?!) is still working and keeping busy. In the past, I’ve shared some of the great things Jeff has accomplished in the civil engineering world at Tinker air patch. He recently decided to retire from federal service (they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse after 21 years) and join the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace. Jeff works on various airport projects throughout the state (108 public airports in Oklahoma, plus the Oklahoma Air and Space Port in Burns Flat at the old Clinton-Sherman AFB, which has a 13,503-foot runway). Projects range from pavement rejuvenation/replacement to new hangar construction. Jeff also conducts airport pavement inspections to analyze pavement conditions, among other criteria, to develop future projects in support of airport infrastructure upgrades. Aviation is an important part of this state, and Jeff is certainly keeping it going.

Dr. Dan Garner is still living the good life in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was doing some serious flight instruction at a local school, but said it became “more work and less fun.” He recently attended a Laughlin air patch UPT graduation of a family member and remarked how the AF is in such good hands. He was not only impressed with the quality of UPT grads but the dedication of their spouses as well … something we can all relate to. Great to know, and keep up the vital “seasoned grad” representation, Dan!

That’ll do it for this quarter. My continued thanks to you heroes who contributed and the normal appeal for info to post in future articles. Have a safe and enjoyable winter.

God bless!

’78 IS GREAT!

CLASS NEWS

Bob Kay, 3040 Drake Crest Dr., Edmond, OK 73034; 661-974-1417; robert.kay78@gmail.com

1979

Greetings from England! Unfortunately, I’m starting with the sad news that Mark Cebuhar passed away on June 22 in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Please keep his loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.

Chuck Franceschi provided some big news: He married off No. 6 of his seven children this past weekend — his fourth son. Just one daughter is left. According to Chuck, she’s smart, beautiful and living on her own. He is open to arranged marriages. Chuck is still working at Jacobs as a design automation software development portfolio manager.

Denny Hugo was recently in eastern Florida and met up with Ray “Bones” Sands, who gave Denny a VIP tour of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum. Denny says it was an interesting tour; he encourages classmates to get in touch with Ray if they find themselves in the Cape Canaveral area. Denny also ran into Burt Coons at an investment conference. Burt is doing well and is still a simulator instructor at CAE in Las Vegas, but he spends much of his time traveling the world and investing in real estate in places like Athens, Greece.

Speaking of Ray Sands, he is the chairman of the U.S. Space Force Historical Foundation, and part of the tour he gave Denny was of the Sands (that name sounds familiar!) Space History Center, which is located just outside the south gate of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The history center is named after Maj. Gen. Harry J. “Bud” Sands Jr., who originally proposed the creation of a museum at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station dedicated to our space history. The museum requires no Cape access pass, and admission is free.

We move from eastern Florida to western Florida to hear from Mark Lukasik, who left the corporate world 30 years ago to start The Bagel Factory in Fort Myers; a true mom-and-pop business. Mark and

wife, Tara, have been joined by daughter, Lauren (an engineer turned bagel-maker), who has come home to continue the business. If you are in Fort Myers and cannot remember the name of the business, just ask the locals to point you in the direction of the place where the staff wear shirts that read “Fast, Neat, Average” and has a framed O-96 next to the cash register. They have sold 20 million bagels and are working on the next million!

Mike “Omar” Bradley writes from way out west, where Don “Chez” McChesney (Erica) hosted Mike “Beak” Beil (Betsy), Charlie Waddell (Kellie) and Omar (Patti) on his 75-foot houseboat at Lake Powell. The week was great fun in the sun, especially for Omar, who included a picture of the four spouses and him floating on the lake while the rest of our classmates were inside the boat watching the U.S. Open!

Scott Chimelski and wife, Dayna, celebrated the marriage of their daughter, Erica ’11, to Michael Orton. Erica is assigned to Nellis AFB and is a boardcertified physician in both emergency medicine and critical care. Scott retired in Corpus Christi, Texas, after being a simulator and class instructor at NAS Corpus Christi for 20 years (who better than a ’79 grad to teach Navy students how to fly).

From Albuquerque, Mike “Gator” Mullady writes that he has given up golf for music.

Staying on our western journey, Ken Snoy writes that he completed another great season of Pro Ski Patrol at Snowbasin resort in Utah. The highlight of his season was a five-day patrol exchange at Aspen Mountain and Aspen Highlands. He checked off his bucket list, a 1-mile, 1,000-vertical-foot hike to 12,392-foot elevation to the top of Highlands Bowl and showed the local patrol how they ski the steeps in Utah!

Heartwarming story from Bill Sawyer, who along with Steve Schmidt, was invited to a memorial service for Capt. Charles Cafferelli, an F-111 WSO who was shot down over North Vietnam on Nov. 20, 1972. They were invited by Kaye Hall, who was not only Capt. Cafferelli’s widow but also the mother of the family Bill and Steve were assigned to as part

of CAFPOW [cadets aiding families of POWs]. They spent many happy hours with Kaye and her two small boys during our last two years at USAFA. Capt. Cafferelli was honored with a memorial plaque at Arlington National Cemetery on May 29.

Pete Bergamini wanted to send thanks to all who supported his bid for an AOG Board slot. Since he came up short, he realized he may have to learn to fish, golf, day-trade, or whatever it is old airline pilots do in retirement.

Finally, remember we are the Legacy Class for 2029. The first events we played a role in were the Appointee and Family Welcome Day (first day), inprocessing (second day), and the Swearing-In Ceremony (third day). Participants included Neil Schoon, Mike Rhodes, Jim Shumate, Denny Hugo, Fred Jacobsen, Korky von Kessel, Doc Colvin, Randy Helms, Rich Peters, Joel Maynard, Mark Pimentel, Steve Lepper, Elden Kocourek, Randy Fulhart, Jon Fago, Ed Wilson, Chris Brown and Tom McCarthy

From left: Neil Schoon, Jon Fago, Steve Lepper, Randy Helms, Mark Pimentel, Korky von Kessel, Rich Peters, Elden Kocourek, Mike Rhodes, Jim Shumate, Randy Fullhart and Tom McCarthy

Next up is Jammer Moore at bandit292@msn.com John Pardo

John Pardo, +44 7939-372784; pardo_john@hotmail.com

1980 Back to the future? It’s a bit difficult to write this, knowing I will soon see a lot of you at our 45th, before this issue is in your hands. Regardless, I do have a few items to pass along. Randy Chow sent me a photo and some words from Craig Carter’s mid-July retirement celebration, after being a pastor for 35 years. Pictured are Randy, Craig, Tom Spicer and Steve Miller

Randy and Craig were roommates back when we were just wearing a single, squiggly line on our shoulder boards. “We’ve stayed close for the past 45 years. Craig was the head pastor at our church in Lynn Haven, Florida, for the past 12 years. He was showered with so many gifts and expressions of love. Quite incredible to witness.” Evidently, Craig is a huge Atlanta Braves fan, and his sendoff was baseball-themed. Oh, you didn’t see Tom and Deb Spicer at the reunion. “We had already committed to a Mediterranean cruise before our reunion date was selected.” As long as we get a post-action report, I suppose we can accept this weak excuse.

We have several classmates still making an impact at the Academy. One of these is Chris Miller. “I’m transitioning from my position in USAFA’s Center for Character and Leadership Development, where I was the Helen & Arthur E. Johnson Chair for the Study of the Profession of Arms. I’m now serving as CEO of the Academy Research and Development Institute, which endows distinguished visiting professor positions and supports cadet academic activities at USAFA. It’s an honor to be able to keep helping our alma mater.” There are also many of you making a difference by having daily or weekly contact with the current crop of cadets, whether by opening the doors to your homes, in their academic endeavors, or because of some other type of outreach.

Steve Webb reminded me of his connection with my family. “I’ll be joining Jim and Joan for our every-other-week Bible study — it’s neat that Joan’s your sister. I’ve been too nice by not asking her or Jim if they have wild stories about you!” Of course, there are no wild stories (and my Pinocchio nose has just grown slightly).

David Vallado has been able to combine his day job as senior research astrodynamicist at COMSPOC Corporation with considerable interesting travel. He and Laura have certainly been busy. “Just back from Penn State, where I gave another keynote presentation, and then a couple of talks at UCCS here in the Springs. Now I’m trying to get some work done!!” An earlier trip included Israel: “A good friend (professor) at Technion invited me to do the keynote. How could I resist — going to the Holy Land and a conference? It was amazing!!” They toured throughout the country but didn’t get to Jerusalem due to the internal protests. “We had a reading in church, upon return home, that mentioned Capernaum, and I said to Laura, ‘Yeah, we were there last week!’ We felt entirely secure, even after Laura saw a missile go up and be intercepted as we drove back from Masada. It was also reassuring

to see Christian, Jew, Muslim, Arab, etc., all getting along in Israel. The conference included the head of R&D for Rafael (they build the Iron Dome system), and it was amazing to chat.”

In late May, we received news from Jim Ratti ’82 of the passing of his wife and our classmate, Ellen (Kincaid) Ratti. “As you all know, she suffered from early-onset Alzheimer’s and advanced ovarian cancer but is now free of those heartbreaking afflictions. Many of you have followed Ellen and me along this journey, and I’d like to thank everyone for their prayers, concern and assistance. Your support eased my burden and helped me focus on the positives throughout.” Why? You might be wondering why you occasionally see repeated names in these articles. That’s because, over the past several years, “the deep well has run dry.” By that I mean I’ve been getting less and less info from the majority of you (or — hint — from your family or fellow classmates) about your great volunteering, traveling, interests, accomplishments, job transitions, etc. Quick review: During the year, I conduct “comms checks” with 40 primary and 40 alternate squadron points of contact — a system designed to quickly disseminate important information to our class. It’s mostly these folks that send a snippet or two my way when they respond to my checks. I’m standing by to hear from you. And I’ll reiterate my periodic request for anyone who would like to help spice up our class news by being a guest scribe — I will gladly do my part to make it a painless — even fun — experience.

All the best to the best. Don

Don Myers, P.O. Box 153, Tyrone, GA 30290-0153; dmyers80@hotmail.com; FB: USAFA '80

1981

’81ers! Summer is here as I pen our fall article. You are probably watching us beat Navy as you read this. Soon, I will be at Falcon football practice watching the team prepare. We had sent out an unofficial inquiry in the spring regarding next year’s reunion asking “if” there was interest in a Fourth of July versus traditional fall event. Fairly split with a lean toward fall, sooo we will have a traditional fall reunion — date TBD based on football schedule release (March 2026) and an unofficial get together at Hotel Polaris over the Fourth of July next year for those interested. Contact the hotel directly. I have been listening to ’79ers talk about attending events for 2029 as their legacy class. Our legacy class — 50 years — 2031, will be here soon, entering in 2027 (yikes!). Class news: In the small world department, I ran into Jeff Thompson at a neighbor’s son’s high school graduation brunch. Always good catching up with Jeff. I had a long call with Mike Schilz, reminiscing about our Academy days and times in the 38th RS flying around the world. I sent him a picture of the Colorado RC-135 gang get together. The laughter was good for the soul. Dan Wyman and Bryan Funke ran into each other in Atlanta at the annual scientific meeting of the Aerospace Medical Association.

Barry Thoma lives in USAFA housing and recently attended the Bluebards show of Legally Blonde. Barry was in Bluebards back in the day, not presently though;). While at the show, Barry ran into John Fagnant. John lives in Monument and told Barry he recognized him. (Barry wonders if John was simply being kind.) Additionally, Barry is researching information on a possible Academy Space Complex as an idea (option) for a class project. Lots more to find out, but Barry is working it. Another class space guy, Geoff Phillips, worked some magic when in January 2024, NASA announced personnel for the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station, which included Col. Nick Hague ’98, USAFA grad and first Space Force graduate to be sent into space. Geoff had a new Starship 19 patch sent to USAFA/ PA in hopes Nick would take it into space. USAFA/ PA worked with SAF/PA and NASA/PA to get the patch to Col. Hague. The mission successfully launched on Sept. 28, 2024, and returned to Earth on March 18, 2025. Col. Hague sent Geoff an email with this photo, confirming the first squadron patch in space. CS-19 will present the patch to Col. Hague this August. Great work as always, Geoff!!

CLASS NEWS

CS-19 patch in space

Maura (Burke) Wingard took on the 60-mile Paris-Chartres pilgrimage over Pentecost (June 8). She said it was a truly amazing experience, with hints of BCT (tents, sleeping bags). A wonderful Catholic spiritual element with daily Mass, prayers and hymns while walking; there were many priests and interesting Catholics to talk with on the adventure. Next, Maura is considering climbing Pikes Peak with her daughter and her daughter’s fiance. Kelvin Manning is still plugging along at the Kennedy Space Center and informed me that the U.S. is still trying to make it back to the moon. He did run into Scott Frost, new UCF football coach and failed former Nebraska coach. Kelvin offered a personal tour of KSC … no words, yet. Gene Stitt and his wife enjoyed time in Bozeman, Montana, and spent time in Wyoming this spring on a black bear hunt. Gene plans an elk hunt this fall in Wyoming. Gregg Montijo, like many of us, is thoroughly enjoying the extra time of retired life. Gregg saw Jerry Seinfeld, James Taylor, and Sting (at Red Rocks); vacationed in San Diego; and did a trip to Indiana to see the granddaughter. Gregg is also a biking machine; he’s not Reggie Jones level, but he’s in a good routine and dropped 20 pounds. Life is good. Threw in a picture of Gene “Pink” and Laura Floyd below from last cycle.

and Laura

It has been a tough 2025 for 1981ers. Too many (5) lost in the past six months. I am still in shock to lose my roommate, Alex Baggett. We would normally talk every month about USAFA, NFL,

AF Falcon football, life and our Academy days. Please keep Alex, Wyatt Fleming, John Brunhaver and Curt McIntyre in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for kind words, thanks and, of course, emails! Life is so short, and I am looking forward to catching up with many next year at our reunions. I did visit the new Wecker Hall (new home of the AOG, Foundation) across from Doolittle Hall yesterday — wow! It was very nice (conference rooms, glass-walled offices, meeting nooks, etc.). I think they are going to update and remodel Doolittle to be a strictly alumni-usage facility. I am off for another walk! Enjoy the fall weather and Falcon football as you read this. Your reunion braintrust (and me) are working hard planning and coordinating for 2026. Go AF, beat Army!

Rich Trentman, 719-640-9586; rtrentman81@ comcast.net; FB: USAFA Class of 1981 1982

Hello, Redtags!

It’s been a very slow quarter for Checkpoints inputs, but I do have a few things to share with you. Let’s start out with something fun.

I traded emails with Kate Smith several times in the past few months. She’s been on a campaign of deliberately planning meetups with classmates and friends.

the Checking In With Checkpoints section near the front of the magazine.

Kate and Marty

Then Kate told me she went to see Marty Wojtysiak, who had a role in a production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in February in Riverside, California. Kate didn’t say which part was his, but she did send this selfie of the two of them.

I exchanged texts with Tom Sylvester in June and learned that he retired from Delta Airlines as an A350 captain back in December 2024. Like most of our classmates flying for the airlines, the magic age of 65 forced a transition from the cockpit. Tom’s journey is even more remarkable because he was medically disqualified from flying in the Air Force, so he put himself through training as a civilian pilot and worked his way up through the commercial pilot ranks all the way to the left seat of the A350. Quite a story, and quite a tribute to his perseverance and dedication in pursuit of a lifetime goal. Hats off, my friend!

Here she is with several classmates when they all got together to visit Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon a while back. You may have seen a similar picture of the group with the Grand Canyon in the background in last quarter’s Checkpoints. It was in

I don’t have any other class news to pass on this time, but before I sign off, I want to send a sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you who’ve written, called, emailed, visited, or sent gifts and charitable contributions since the passing of my wife, Ellen. As most of you know, she suffered from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease as well as ovarian cancer. The cancer finally caught up with her on May 31. She was born July 15, 1958. Even though I’d been slowly saying goodbye to her one memory and ability at a time for the past several years, the finality of her passing was still an indescribable blow. So many of you were there with us, in person and spirit, to help bear the burden, and I’m grateful for that. Between Ellen’s classmates and mine, I know I received at least 250 emails and text messages in the days leading up to her funeral. I tried to acknowledge and respond to all, but I know I missed many. If yours was one I missed, please spot me a point and accept this as my apology. Classmates, friends, relatives and myriad medical professionals sustained us through the entire journey, and for that I give thanks. Hard as this was, it was in many ways a blessing. As with so many things throughout our relationship, I’ve grown and become a better person thanks to Ellen. Even though it was one of the most difficult things I’ve done, being her caregiver was a privilege and an honor.

Ellen (Kincaid) Ratti

’80 — still singing

Since Checkpoints no longer has the space to print GBNF submissions, allow me the indulgence of posting one last picture of her here. This was taken about a year ago at one of the many music programs for dementia patients that we attended. Ellen loved to sing (we met in the USAFA Catholic Choir), and she enjoyed music in all forms all the way to the end. And she never lost that smile.

Until next time, Ratman

Jim Ratti, 2860 Arbor Pointe Dr., Middletown, OH 45042; 937-760-2333; rattijm@mindspring.com

I am excited to be a new Checkpoints scribe for the Class of ’83. I have always believed, and as cadets we were taught, we need to be outstanding citizens. Now, as we move into the last quarter of our lives, we are positioned to do some amazing things and a lot of giving back. It will be fun to see how we each make a difference in our retirement. Thanks for a great response to my plea for class news — relocations, final flights and retirement news lead the way.

Chris Manion moved to Cabo! Tracy (Horton) Brown is building a retirement home on Johns Island, South Carolina. Ken Tingman retired to Edisto Beach, South Carolina, in 2023 and is helping preserve the island’s wildlife! Christine (Oradza) Hill left the Hill, where she was working on the House Veterans Affairs Committee for her last 10 years. They have a condo in Savannah and a retirement home on Hilton Head Island.

Best boat name ever — Christine and Greg Hill

Michelle (Miller) Harris retired in September 2024 from a human resources job in Waco, Texas, and moved to Atlanta! Chuck Dorsey retired from flying MQ-9s and CAP in Syracuse, New York, and moved to mid-coastal Maine in 2024. Don Brazelton recently got married and retired (AT&T for 30 years and three years as a high school physics teacher) and moved to Conifer, Colorado. Holly Franz has moved to Edwards, Colorado, and is an avid skier and enjoys good wine!

Here are all the airline retirements that came in. David Dudney (October 2020), Robert Bown (October 2024) and George Cespedes (March 2025) all retired from American Airlines. Landis Cook is fishing and enjoying MYR after retiring from United. Tom Solomon retired in May from Delta. Mitch Packett retired in February from UPS. Charlie Ross medically retired (battling cancer) from Southwest in June.

Cecil Grant is effectively unemployed as of May after 12 years as a paralegal. He is writing a blog, and I recommend you catch him at cecilagrantjr. substack.com. Dave Shreck left Collins Aerospace in May 2025 in Colorado Springs as a VP. Wynne (Botts) Waldron retired from Booz Allen. Carol (Anderson) Zienert retired from IT PM, and Mark Zienert retired from being a high school teacher in Montgomery, Alabama.

Amy (Weimmer) Cox graduated from Saint Meinrad with a Master of Arts in Theology. She is not done giving back. Glen Marumoto still works as a civilian in the Hawaii ANG as a logistician. He is on track to complete his fourth round of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. He is one of about 24 in the world to do all six majors four times!

Joe Aldaz was recently appointed to the Air Force Academy’s Falcon Foundation board. He has led the Spring’s Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for seven years.

Gen. (Ret.) Richard Clark ’86, left, with Joe Aldaz

Tom Evans shared that he plans to work eight to 10 more years and recently married Thi. They live in Austin, Texas.

Don Marbach has an amazing story to share. He went into cardiac arrest in January. His son, C1C Jake Marbach, did CPR for six minutes and saved his life. (Only 10% of CPR recipients outside of a hospital survive.) Don is done flying and not sure what is next for him. His son will receive a medal!

Dr. David Jenkins retired in June 2025 as a general surgeon (AF, private practice and finally, VA). Finally, there are some interesting military retirements. Dave Remendowski retired from USAF SERE school as a curriculum developer at Fairchild AFB. Chris Cicere retired from USAFA after 17 years and 42 total years of service. Chris Leak is retiring from Wright-Patterson AFB in October. Kim (Korzeniewski) Pratt accepted a deferred retirement in September, with more than 42 years in civil service. Her next step is to teach a class on countering WMD at the college level.

Our class reunion at sea sails out of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in February 2026, to the ABC Islands. Hugh Funk won the T-shirt design contest. Finally, 1983 grads who were able to gather at the opening of the Madera Cyber Innovation Center include Brad Feldmann, from left, Dave Geuting, Tamra Rank, Gary Harencak, Phil Dismukes, Cindy (Fujimoto) Norman and Dan Schneph

CLASS NEWS

That’s all for this quarter. GO AF! Send your news to Dave Ruffley by October at dlrwy@yahoo.com.

Gayle (Johnson) Denny

Gayle (Johnson) Denny, 22 Coventry Close, Savannah, GA 31411; 513-604-0764; gdgardener@comcast.net

1984

Attention in the Area: Apologies to Scott Henn, whom I failed to mention in our last article. My fault. No excuse, sir. I got caught up in Tom Wilson’s description of the Pickleballmania that has taken over the DFW contingent of our class. When Scott is not organizing the next match or enjoying friends and family, he is circling the globe as a 777 captain at AA.

Tom VanKleef shared some lively updates from Casper, Wyoming, catching up with classmates and savoring the twists of the future. He recently connected with Jack “Kanga” Roosa, who’s CEO of CMLaser Technologies. Roosa, despite joking about graduating near the bottom with VanKleef, is tackling cutting-edge, Ph.D.-level work that’s turning heads. Sounds like Kanga’s still got that spark. Kevin Zeeck swung by Casper for a sporting event with his grandson from Cheyenne — sounds like a great kid — who patiently endured an evening of old Zoomies swapping stories. Zeeck and his wife, Kathy, are doing well, enjoying life and family. During the visit, Zeeck reconnected VanKleef with Ward Worster, though pinning down Worster has always been tricky. He’s busy piloting international flights and playing text tag across time zones. VanKleef himself is navigating the many roles in Wyoming. He’s selling his share of an FAA repair station and maintenance shop in Casper while still involved in oil and gas. He and Julie are loving the freedom, flying their plane to visit grandkids and hitting the golf course, but not really getting to that retirement. Wyoming’s governor tapped VanKleef for the Wyoming Workforce Development Council, volunteering him back into action. In addition, Class of ’84’s 40th reunion sparked a lively group chat among the Smack Redeyes, keeping the camaraderie alive. Jerry Sellers, Jaime Rosado, Ron Beyers, Rocky Reston, Kathy Gotch-Staiger, Wayne Lo, Al Crews, Bret Mayhew, Chuck Gruber, Scott Fenstermaker, Nicki Deselet-Bixler, Dean Sollmann and Tom Bruno are all in the mix, swapping stories and laughs like it’s the 1980s all over again. Court Collier ’83, ever the good sport, shared a gem for Checkpoints He took an epic RV trip to Panama City, catching up

with our classmates who are now family members, Brad Dufaud, Doug Romig, (the brothers-in-law) Maurice “Mo” Gutierrez and their wives. Collier teased about squeezing an ’83er into the ’84 article, promising a great photo of the group, and he did not disappoint. It looked like a blast and that RV’s probably got some stories of its own.

Paul Suarez keeps the Magpie Magic alive with his update. Of course, he had a chance run-in with Eric Wallace in Meservey, Iowa, of all places, during RAGBRAI, the famous bike ride across Iowa. Wallace, still the CEO and co-founder of Left Hand Brewing in Longmont, Colorado, is pushing to expand his brand beyond state lines. The ride had a strong Air Force presence, which was inspired by former SECAF Sheila Widnall, who championed the AF cycling team. Suarez, based in Des Moines, is holding down the fort in cybersecurity for Casey’s, a major Midwest and Southern convenience store chain. He’s staying active with joint-friendly workouts, fighting the march of time with a grin. Gotta keep those knees happy.

Suarez also enjoyed drinks with Tony Senci, maybe the only other ’84 classmate in Des Moines, and Tony’s wife, Susan. Tony is fully retired, spending his days watching grandkids, taking cruises and hunting for new hobbies. Sounds like he’s embracing retirement with a smile. On the bucket-list front,

Paul and Chris Myers, along with their spouses, tackled the Camino de Santiago via the Camino Portugués in June. They walked 117 kilometers from Tui, Spain, over six days, braving some of Galicia’s hottest weather. The group had been in Porto, Portugal, for the wedding of Myers’ son, Chandler ’14, and seized the chance to make the pilgrimage while still feeling as spry as their cadet days. Thanks, Paul, for sharing your photos to capture the adventures.

Smiles abound and happiness prevails in the Suarez and Myers families

Our Class of ’84 continues to shine, and the Redeyes’ group chat buzzes with memories, while Collier’s RV adventure and Suarez’s RAGBRAI rendezvous show that chance meetings and shared laughs still define us. Here’s to more updates, more reunions and more stories that make the Class of ’84 proud. Send me an update, please, and GO FALCONS!

In honor of its 40th reunion, the Class of 1984 is raising funds to endow perpetual support for cadet clubs focused on the USAFA pillars of academic excellence, athletic development and military training. The class will impact most cadets, enrich the Academy experience and build well-rounded, strong future leaders.

The class is over 60% of the way to its $1 million goal. Give cadets “wings to soar” when you support cadet clubs and help fund the remaining 40% of the goal.

Contact the class giving committee: usafa1984@gmail.com

Join the class efforts at: usafa.org/1984-40th

Mike Jensen, 6547 N. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80918; 719-338-3570; usafa1984@gmail.com; usafa84.com; FB: USAF Academy 1984; Twitter: @USAFA84

1985

Greetings ’85ers!!

I’m afraid this is going to be a short one this quarter. I did not receive any input. Hopefully, everyone is saving their news to share at our 40th reunion in September. I won’t be attending due to prior commitments. I haven’t managed to make one yet. Maybe our 50th will be my first. I just got back from a week in Niagara Falls, Ontario, and will be heading to New York City shortly. I’m still looking forward most to spending a few weeks over Thanksgiving visiting South America.

I am still in search of someone willing to carry the torch next as class scribe. I haven’t been back to USAFA or any other military installation in more than 30 years, and I don’t have a network of classmates “in the know” on what is happening with our class to pass on each quarter in Checkpoints. It is disappointing to fall short of my expectations in keeping our class apprised of class news. Hopefully, someone more in tune with USAFA and class happenings will step forward.

I am looking forward to hearing all about the reunion and seeing pictures of classmates I haven’t seen or heard from in 40 years. Wow! Has it really been that long? Time sure has a way of sneaking up on you.

Enjoy the rest of your summer. As always … ’85 Best Alive!!

Scott

W. Scott Carney, P.O. Box 5, Pembroke, ME 04666; 207-214-4836; usafaclassof1985@ gmail.com

1986

I’ve got a bounty of updates, so I’ll let the article “write” itself. I just returned from the Class of ’25 graduation, where I had the honor of commissioning my cousin’s son, Dylan Murray. Of course, I was completely upstaged by our classmate, former Superintendent Richard Clark, who commissioned about half of the Jedi Knights

While in the Springs, I had dinner with the local power couples: Julie (Danke) and Bob Mansfield, Dennis and Bridget (Burton) Malfer, and Don ’85 and Kim (Lewis) Kochanski. Great food, even better company.

Speaking of Jedi Knights … I heard — for the very first time ever! — from CS-39’s own John Sacks:

“Bob, you magnificent scribe! After reading the amazing June update, I realized how desperate we are for news, so here’s mine. I retired from paid work on July 9. My wife says I now ‘work for the house.’ After 21 years in the AF (helicopter pilot, USAFA Management Dept. instructor, and U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh), I spent 18 years as a business architect with USAA and Tesoro. We’re in San Antonio now, and I’m reacquainting myself with old hobbies.”

John and Jodi Sacks

Next up, an update from Dave Maharrey: “Bob, you amazing scribe. Checking in from Starkville, Mississippi, where Judy and I have been since 2018, after spending six years down in Baton Rouge. We’ve got a 1940s farmhouse on 10-plus acres just south of Mississippi State. It’s not exactly a full-blown farm, but we keep a garden going, have a few barn cats wandering around, and Judy runs a pretty slick freeze-drying setup out back.

“I made the move to Starkville to switch jobs from LSU over to Mississippi State Utilities. This part of the state has deep family roots — my dad grew up near Tupelo, and we’ve still got a bunch of family close by. My brother and I even bought a place across from the old family homestead so our parents, who are still in Ohio, can spend more time down here (not easy convincing them to leave the house they’ve lived in for 57 years, though).

“About two years ago, a buddy recruited me over to AECOM. I’m now the on-site project engineer for the Columbia-class SSBN beddown at Kings Bay

Sub Base in Georgia. It’s about a 10-hour drive from home, so I rotate in for six weeks, then back home for a bit. It’s been interesting working with the Navy — honestly, it feels a lot like an Air Force base. I’ll be there through July 2027, and before this gig, I spent some time working in the U.S. Virgin Islands — tough duty, but someone had to do it.

“This summer, Judy and I hosted Legion of Dave’s Palooza 2025 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. (Let’s be honest — ‘legion’ just sounds cooler than ‘clan.’) We had four of our five kids and their spouses, nine grandkids, and three great-grands all together. My parents and sister joined us too — total headcount was 25. We had an amazing time, and no kidding, three different bears tried to crash the party.

“Looking forward to the 40th next year — hope to see you there!”

I heard from my former partner-in-scribe-crime, Gary “Ice” Burg:

“Bob ‘best scribe ever,’ after seeing the latest Checkpoints, I figured it was time for an update. I’m currently living in Mesa, Arizona, helping care for my mom and working part-time at The Home Depot — a gig I loved back in 2009-10 and again in 2014, so I’m back to stay active.

When I’m not in Arizona, I’m enjoying semiretirement at my home in the Philippines, which I built in 2021. It’s near the old Clark Air Base — and yes, life there is pretty great. If any classmates are planning a trip to the Philippines, drop me a message. If you fly into Clark International, odds are I can pick you up.” (Unless Mount Pinatubo blows again, then we will pick you up, Ice!)

And finally, “Big” John Miller weighed in:

“Bob, best scribe on Earth! Writing this while sitting in a high school parking lot waiting for my son to finish his driving lesson. Figured I’d share a few early summer highlights.

“A TDY to Colorado Springs let me grab pizza with my son, Nathan (Class of ’28). Mid-bite, a guy sits down next to us, and I tell Nathan, ‘I went to the Academy with that guy.’ Turns out it was Tod Fingal, and we had a great catch-up. Tod’s living in the Springs now.

“My brother, Steve Miller ’87, and I also hit up our nephews’ graduation party — Brent from college, Brendan from high school. Steve’s doing well and is a big cheese at GTRI in Atlanta.

“The big adventure this summer? My wife, Teresa, and I completed the Camino de Santiago — 76.46 miles in six days across western Spain. I may or may not have prayed for forgiveness for ever doubting

CLASS NEWS

why classmate Matt Shepardson keeps doing this walk. All kidding aside, it was incredible: stunning views, amazing food and Matt’s tips helped us make it. That said, European showers (and towels) are NOT made for 6’7” guys.”

Big John and Just-as-Big Nathan

No new news on our 40th reunion, but be sure to check the USAFA Class of 1986 Facebook page; it’s the easiest place to get timely updates.

Bob Colella, 9247 Northedge Dr., Springfield, VA 22153; 571-422-0367; robert.colella.86@gmail.com

Wings from Heaven, hope you all have enjoyed a wonderful summer and are ready for some Falcon football! Col. (Ret.) Carolyn (Moore) Benyshek was selected for the 2025 USAFA AOG Leadership Achievement Award! She will be honored during the Distinguished Graduate & Long Blue Line Awards Dinner on July 25. Carolyn was nominated by a panel of general and colonel graduates for her amazing achievements throughout her USAF career, most notably for her congressionally selected appointment as USAF Academy Admissions Officer, where she served for eight years providing awareness opportunities to high school students throughout the country to ensure they had the information to choose to dream the dream of being a USAFA cadet. Congratulations to you, Carolyn! We are all so proud to have such an inspiring classmate! Terrance Andre sent an update on the Madera Cyber Innovation Center ribbon-cutting ceremony held on April 25. The three-story, 48,000-square-foot facility will support more than 1,400 cadets annually, providing hands-on labs, classrooms and secure spaces for cyber-related studies.

From left: Class of ’87 attendees at the Madera Cyber Innovation Center grand opening Jeff Rhodes, Terence Andre, BJ Shwedo, Bruce McClintock, Mark Fitzgerald (April’s husband), April Sullivan Fitzgerald, Jeff Frient and Alex Gilbert

Paul Hastert wrote: “This summer, I crossed something off the list I never set out to complete — but did anyway. With a visit to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, I’ve now been to all 50 states and all five major U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands). Huge thanks to the USAF, which sent me to every territory — except the Virgin Islands. All’s well here. Our youngest graduates from HS next year, and we’re planning a move back to Colorado next summer. I’m flying as an Airbus captain for United — and living the dream!”

Jim Abbot has had a unique journey for an Academy grad. After leaving the AF, he moved to Seattle and jumped into stand-up comedy, opening for acts like Franklin Ajaye, Jeff Dunham and Bob Odenkirk. He also worked in theater, earning strong reviews for performances as Taylor in REACT’s Prelude to a Kiss and Renfield in Open Circle Theatre’s Dracula. His commercial work includes ads for Philips CDI, First Federal of Charleston and Peter Piper Pizza. On the TV side, Jim has appeared in shows like Mad TV, General Hospital, Bill Nye the Science Guy, The Hughleys and Will & Grace, where he got to work with one of his longtime heroes, director Jim Burrows. Film credits include Monkey Man, cult favorite Crispy, Crackers and Beans, and Mission Impossible III. In 2018, a workplace accident left him with spinal cord injuries; after a long recovery, he hopes to return to stage and screen. He’s still based in LA. He volunteers at Echo Glen Juvenile Correctional Facility in Washington state, teaching improv to incarcerated teens. Jim — here’s to a strong comeback, we’re all cheering for you!

Special thanks to Erik McCroskey for his updates on Rodolfo Llobet’s courageous fight with cancer. Erik shared this message: “With a heavy heart and a deep sense of loss, I must share that our classmate Rodolfo Llobet passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family. He left this world to be with his God and Savior. I miss my friend.” Rodolfo was laid to rest following a meaningful and emotional ceremony. His wife, Kelly, and their sons — Rodolfo, Ignatius, Nico and Augustin — are doing well but deeply miss their husband and father. We’ll see you again on the other side, brother. Here’s a toast in your honor. Read his obituary here: singletonfuneralhome.com/obituaries/ rodolfo-llobet

Jim Palmer wrote that he and Pete Parsons met some military buddies they flew with in the Arkansas ANG 184th FS in Pagosa Springs for a few days of outdoor activities. We took a hot air balloon ride, did some off-road driving and went trout fishing for an excellent weekend!

right.

Marc Shaver wrote: “I am still in the AF Civil Service at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, wrapping up a four-year stint as the AF Southern director of staff, where I led the CSAF’s initiative elevating our command from a component-numbered AF under ACC to the first service component command aligned under the CSAF and SecAF to support/advocate for AF support to U.S. Southern Command and their 31 partner nations. It has been a very rewarding experience, and Tracey and I have enjoyed the warm weather and amazing sunsets. The fates have decided a change is in order, so at the end of July, we will head back to Wright-Patterson AFB, where I’m slated to be the tech director for the HQ AF Materiel Command A3 Directorate, serving as the engineering and test SME to the A3 director and AFMC leadership. I’m excited for the challenges and getting back to my test roots. And while Tracey is not looking forward to colder weather, we are heading back for our third tour and a slew of friends and a daughter in Cincinnati. On the family side, our oldest daughter, Emily, got married this year, and our youngest, Caitlin, will get hitched next spring. As Tracey puts it, ‘They are someone else’s problem now.’”

Bill Page, 562-209-1158; nextpage87@yahoo.com

Anne Benovil-Murphy, 703-599-6235; benovilmurphy@gmail.com

1988

Greetings, ’88! Jim Lee, my fellow ’88 EE alum, wrote in and kindly stated, “Reading your writing ... with a commitment to excellence and humor ... has motivated me to send something in.” It’s been said (and is true, in my experience) that people don’t remember what you say, but they remember how you made them feel. I remember only positivity and serenity emanating from Jim Lee, and I’m so thankful he reached out to update us on his beautiful family.

Jim and his wife, Christie, reside in Colorado Springs and just celebrated the marriage of their youngest daughter (making it 4 for 4)! Linnea and husband Lukas are starting their married lives in Minnesota, aka God’s country (which means their kids will be better hockey players than their cousins, especially any from Ohio). Their son, Jake ’15, married to Rachel, is an intel officer in Florida; daughter, Anna, is married to Ben ’16, an intel officer stationed in England; and daughter, Jenna, is married to Payton ’20, a pilot stationed in Kansas. Jim has been serving with the Navigators Ministry in the Springs since retiring from the AF — “still trusting in the Lord and thankful for His faithfulness.” (In addition to trusting in the Lord, he appears to be hedging his bets a bit by installing a bevy of intel officers around the perimeter, just in case.) God bless Jim and Christie and their wonderful family.

Last issue, I spelled Kris Mineau’s name wrong (used Chris) so that he would contact me, thereby affording me the opportunity to extract a BTD update. It only half worked. He indeed called to highlight the orthographic error, but passed on sending an update until after he and Margot see

their daughter, Emily, and her soon-to-be husband, Yanni, tie the knot on Cape Cod in August. That sounds like a great place to spend the weekend, so Theresa and I will be flying to Massachusetts for the wedding, corralling any and all 88ers, snapping a pic, and soliciting updates for you. Such is the life of a dedicated ’88 Scribe.

Chris Hauth checked in to let me know he’s living in Reston, Virginia, and is on the board of the local Air Force Academy Society of Washington, D.C. He’s in touch with CS-35 squadmate Mara (Garcia) Smith, president of the greater D.C. area USAFA Parents Club, and her daughter will be Class of 2027! Per Chris, “If any ’88ers are interested in getting our emails, maybe six a year, just sign up on the website.” Thanks, Chris, for checking in; I look forward to hearing more updates from you both! Bill Revelos of Tiger 10 fame and his wife, Laura, are living large in Moraga, California, where they recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. It was a double celebration, as their youngest, Joe, also graduated from high school, soon to be a TCU Horned Frog. His older brother, Charlie, is a senior at Chapman University, majoring in business. Billy is an amazingly talented, dedicated and organized patent and IP attorney who helps MedTech companies do their thing. (I also happen to know that he hates when anyone moves the plates, silverware and cups around to different cupboards in his kitchen). He holds patents from his time in the military as a mechanical engineer and used that technical skill set to launch his legal career. He and Laura are now plotting their post-empty-nest chapter of their lives. I’ve heard they may be planning a move to Thule, Greenland, but I might be mixing up the timing on that story a bit.

Jim McWeeney and his wife, Bridgid, recently headed to the motherland (Ireland, in case McWeeney didn’t elucidate) with the family, “splitting the G” (it’s a Guinness drinking thing!) from Dublin to Galway and Killarney.

Dave Stimac bailed me out with a last-minute update text and pic as my deadline approached. Quinton “Q” Roberts is working our 37th USAFA anniversary and producing podcasts highlighting service academy football rivalries. I understand Kip Turain is the course director at an interesting organization called Falcon AeroLab, about which I’d love to learn more. I’ve no context for the pic I received of these two, but after close scrutiny, my assumption is they are excitedly portraying knowledge of the correct restroom to use at a Mexican restaurant. Perhaps they will update me further next quarter!

Here’s a few quick hitters to round out the update: Rich Hartlaub, the hardest-working guy who ever worked for our company, says his life is too boring to send me an input. What a boring input! I should have asked his (Falcon Love) wife, Kim (Schiller) Hartlaub, the humble fighter pilot. She would have performed better. Here’s a shout out to Grant “Greedy” Morris, who was promoted a few months ago to vice president of flight operations at Southwest Airlines, where he’s been crushing it since 2005. Way to go Greedy! If he had sent me a note, I’d know more about it, but I heard about it through my Italian pilot friend Filippo. Chad Severson and his wife live in Bradenton, Florida, where Chad just became CEO at RL James, a fast-growing PE-backed general contractor.

Lastly, I will work for ’88 BTD updates and pics, and I’ve included proof. Email me. Call me. Text me. Karma is real. Do it today.

Brian “Radz” Raduenz, 858-705-0252; brian@radz.com; FB: USAFA Class of 1988

1989

Greetings Classmates! From our class FB page, Derrick Dykes (and others) posted a USAFA news release stating the Class of 1989 arrived for inprocessing and Basic Cadet Training on July 5, 1985. Derrick commented: “By this time 40 years ago, we all were tucked away for a good night’s sleep with fresh haircuts and a host of new friends. Hope y’all had a Mighty Fine day! Seems like the blink of an eye… Posted earlier, but wanted to share to our class page also. Happy 40th Gotcha Day, Class of 89!”

Also, from our class FB from Holly (Campbell) Thompson, posted on June 18, with the following comment: “Thank you to everyone who showed up to pay respects to Steve yesterday. Special thanks to Dan Lykins, who gave a tremendous message. I am

CLASS NEWS

overwhelmed by the turnout of USAFA classmates. Fine 89!”

Memorial service link: youtube.com/live/ hvW55efR2xQ

Classmates join together at the memorial service for Steve Thompson

That’s a wrap for this quarter. Keep those cards and letters coming. Take care and God bless!

Paul W. Tibbets IV, 5422 Cypress Point Ln., Gonzales, LA 70737; 225-289-2000; p2a2tibbets@gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 1989 1990

Greetings, Red tags! First things first. The reunion is right around the corner! We will be in the Springs at the DoubleTree, Sept. 25-27, cheering on our Falcons to beat the Rainbows! Sept. 14 is the last day to register — see you there!

Best news to start this column. Greg Born is a published author! I’ve downloaded his book from Amazon, and if you like business books and you like flying (who doesn’t?), this is the book for you! Greg posted this to our site: “Well, Mighty ’90 — I’ve been a lurker for a bit too long. I live in Nashville and truly love it here along with my wife of 30 years and two kids who just graduated ... one onto grad school. My wife is in the medical space. Me? I’ve run a handful of businesses and done more than my share of mergers and acquisitions. After my last CEO role, I finally finished putting pen to paper. [My first book], “Built to Soar: Stop Flying Blind,” uses flying metaphors and an edgy, humorous tone to demonstrate how to build a resilient business based on the countless turnarounds and transformations I’ve run. It’s not an electrical engineering book; I was an EE and used to read those to put me to sleep while my roomie, Mark Lucas, did the same with his aero! Hopefully, it will make you laugh a bit, and yes, all the flying and biz examples are real.”

Guy Barni sent in a comprehensive update! “Big job news. After being COO of Saxon Aerospace, a small UAV OEM for six years, I was recruited to lead the defense-focused spinout from a successful, commercial 3D mapping and autonomy company, Exyn Technologies. Our new company markets industry-leading software to DoD and our NATO defense partners. We supply SLAM and autonomy software for small UAS, UGVs and robotic dogs. [I’m in] my 14th season as a Texas High School Football official and sixth as an official in the Southwest College Football Conference. Football isn’t God, but Friday Night Lights and Saturday afternoon college games are as close as you can get in Texas!” We did receive some unexpected, sad news that our very own Brian McCombs passed away unexpectedly from natural causes at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Okinawa, Japan. We remember Brian fondly as an outstanding classmate and for his service in counterterrorism operations. Eddie Hebron sent us a great photo of Brian and his squadronmates from back in the day — the photo may be grainy, but our memories are crystal clear. Here’s a toast…

We also shared a great memory of our legendary late quarterback Dee Dowis Dee was selected as the “1980s All-Decade Team QB” winner! Karl Hall had this to say about Dee. “Dee actually came out to baseball practice prior to the season our junior year. He was so happy Fisher let him try out and was excited to play ball. Next time I saw him, he told me Fisher said he couldn’t play baseball anymore. Said Fisher never thought Dee would come out, and that’s the reason he gave him permission. Dee definitely had skills and would have helped us!” It wasn’t just baseball — the Bo Jackson of our class could really compete! Paul Nichols had this fond recollection: “I’ll never forget the time firstie year when Dee came to the gym to play some pickup basketball with us mere mortals. We thought we were pretty good, but Dee ran circles around all of us, smiling and friendly the whole time he crushed us!” Rob Dickens summed up the football accolades, accurately reminiscing with Greg Johnson: “You were pretty good yourself, Greg. I’ll never forget that long TD pass you caught from Dee during the Notre Dame game. I remember the hype running up to that game, with Lou Holtz aptly describing Dee as ‘quick as a hiccup.’ Unbelievable speed and execution!” Jay Updegraff had a different vantage point. “I played on the JV football team in the fall of our four-degree year and sat next to Dee in English class, so I’d say I knew him pretty well that first semester. Dee did not enjoy our first semester. He told me there were some key facts the recruiters

left out of their pitch ... small things like marching to lunch every day, room inspections and Contrails! Every time in English class he’d tell me, ‘Jay, I’m not coming back after Christmas, I’m not coming back.’ I tried to play the role of the supportive classmate and every class tried to talk him down off the cliff, but he was dead set on departing the fix after the semester ended. He even said goodbye and wished me well the last class of the semester. But luckily for us all, Dee did return, became an icon of our class, and finished 6th in Heisman Trophy voting our firstie year — not bad for a guy who thought he wasn’t coming back to USAFA after Christmas break!”

Again courtesy of Eddie Hebron, Mighty ’90 classmates Eddie, Pat McNelis, Mark Weber, Tom Kafka, Terri Carr and the late, great Dee Dowis

Great memories of our classmates, and ready to make some more at the 35th! Get those Kraft singles ready! Mighty ’90! — Flash

The Class of 1990 is fundraising to complete its 30th reunion project, which will support a Tuskegee Airmen memorial at Davis Airfield. The project will include full-scale models of a P-51 Red Tail and a T-7 Red Hawk, currently being built at the airfield entrance.

It will embody and reflect all that the Department of the Air Force holds dear and expects of all airmen, guardians and cadets — integrity, service and excellence.

Redtags of 1990, THANK YOU for your generous support of character development, military and academic excellence, and true airmanship.

Learn more about the project’s status at usafa.org/1990-30th

Mike Shepherd, 3801 Derby Cir., Quartz Hill, CA 93536; michael.j.shepherd@hotmail.com

It’s always a pleasure to share the latest updates from ’91! Our classmates exude greatness professionally and personally. Paul Watson continues an outstanding commercial aviation career, having racked up 25 years at Southwest Airlines. He and his wonderful wife, Patty (a fellow ROTC alum from Notre Dame), are enjoying the well-deserved chaos of five grown children. From Army intel to health care finance, a future vet and a Texas energy industry welder, their brood is as diverse as the types of aircraft Paul has probably flown. And then there’s Nathan, who, with Down syndrome, is inspiring the whole family to tackle projects in the disability arena. When not wrangling their impressive offspring, Paul and Patty are globetrotting, often landing at their favorite Pensacola beach bars with other ’90 and ’91 grads!

Our very own Col. (Ret.) Sean McKenna has officially hung up his uniform! While we’re not entirely sure how many of the original 1,400 “bold golders” from June 30, 1987, are still on active duty (Sean speculates perhaps a half-dozen, and now one less!), he certainly finished strong. The last three years saw him as the PACAF public affairs director — a truly fantastic way to sign off. Gen. Kevin Schneider ’88 even presided over the ceremony in Hawaii, ensuring Sean went out with a bang (or at least a very well-photographed salute). Sean feels incredibly blessed to have worked with so many amazing folks over his 38-year career. He and Claudia are now making the smart move back to San Antonio this fall, where we fully expect them to become regulars

at all the best Tex-Mex spots. Welcome to retirement, Sean. May your days be filled with margaritas and no more “urgent” press releases!

From Chattanooga, Tennessee, Mike Czarnecki sends in a “full sitrep from the home front!” His daughters, Gabriella and Calabria (clearly named for their “bold gold” spirit), recently added “combat zone resilience” to their resumes after finding themselves in Israel during the spring’s Iranian-Israeli conflict. Callie was interning, while Gabriella was studying at the International College of Business. Both had to shelter in place as ballistic missiles lit up the skies. Callie’s “exfil” involved a cruise ship to Cyprus — an “oddly relaxing evac plan,” which frankly sounds like a dream compared to a C-130. Gabriella, however, doubled down, choosing to remain and support Israel while continuing her studies. Mike reports both are now “thriving, battletested, and officially tougher than their old man.” We’re not sure if that’s a challenge, Mike, but we’ll take your word for it.

Not to be outdone, Mike’s wife, Tracy, just launched her own clinical psychology practice, specializing in family and trauma counseling. So, she’s busy helping others find peace while managing a household that Mike describes as resembling “a command post during a recall.” As for Mike himself? He’s gone full “extreme everything,” lacing up for multiple Spartan races in a “long-range strategic initiative to return to his [four-degree] year fighting weight of 185.” Good luck with that, Czarnecki — we’re rooting for you (and maybe a little jealous of your metabolism). He also continues his annual pilgrimage to USAFA, conquering the Manitou Incline and checking out the new Hotel Polaris. His review? “A far cry from Vandenberg’s charm, but it’ll do.” If your flight plan takes you near Chattanooga, the Czarnecki compound offers hot coffee, cold beer and a spare bed for visiting Zoomies. Mike says the door’s always open, “unless we’re out running obstacle courses or dodging incoming missiles … which, apparently, is a family hobby now.” Peace and long life, Mike — and maybe consider a less adventurous family hobby, like stamp collecting?

Ah, Kevin Quamme. He proved to be quite the challenge to extract information from, initially claiming, “Ohhh, Heidi, if you’re looking at me, well, I’m about the bottom of the barrel. Literally … I’m nobody… livin’ in the middle of nowhere … doing a whole bunch of nothin’ much … all while trying to stay out of Checkpoints.” After much digging (and possibly a few highly classified information retrieval techniques), it turns out our “nobody” was a U-2 pilot who retired after 20 years! He now lives in rural Virginia and is engaged in “ongoing battles with the squirrel population” (a noble pursuit, truly). He’s been married to Michelle for 21 years, and they enjoy traveling to exotic islands and scuba diving — clearly, his “nothing much” involves a lot of passports and wetsuits. And the center of his world? His granddaughter, Dawsyn. Oh, and his daughter, Megan, was “quite the volleyball player!” So, it seems Mr. Quamme is anything but “nobody.” Perhaps he just enjoys a good game of hide-and-seek with the class scribe!

That’s all the news that’s fit to print (and slightly exaggerate for entertainment purposes) for this quarter! Keep those updates coming, even if you feel like “nobody.” We promise not to make you fill out a DD Form 214 just to get your story. What’s the most unexpected hobby you’ve picked up in retirement?

Scott and Heidi (Cizan) Scheppers, 318-453-2293; 1991usafaboldgold@gmail.com

1992 I appreciate all the response to my hints last quarter. I heard from several new and occasional contributors. The column shares both happy and sad news, but all of it is part of our lives. Checking the INBOX. A little over a year ago, I shared news from Pete Ohotnicky’s

CLASS NEWS

2023 Christmas letter. Pete’s wife, Sherry, was diagnosed in December 2023 with a recurrence of brain cancer that was originally found in 2016. Unfortunately, the cancer took Sherry last December, the day after celebrating Christmas at home with their oldest son, the newly ordained Father Charles Ohotnicky, saying Mass for the family in their home. Sherry passed peacefully at home surrounded by her family, including her three grandchildren. Pete still has two boys at home, and he continues teaching online. This summer, they plan to backpack the entire 500-mile Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango over five weeks. That’s an amazing adventure! We look forward to photos and stories in a future column.

Happier news. Edie (Pittard) Brantley works part-time for the AOG proofreading Checkpoints to include the class news. She got married last November to a longtime friend, Mark Brantley. They met 30-plus years ago in Bible study at Malmstrom AFB, where Edie and her first husband were friends with Mark, and they remained so over the years. A year after Edie’s first husband passed away, “Mark called to share some good news — 10 months later we were married.” She recently moved from Colorado to Centreville in Northern Virginia. From one area densely populated with Zoomies to another. It’s been a pretty good and busy year for Edie. I haven’t announced a wedding in the column in quite a few years … congratulations!

A legacy in the making. Chris Colbert checked in with an update. He retired in 2018 from the Pentagon and moved to where else? Colorado Springs. He recently got back into flying and is now a United 737 captain based in Denver. He was proud to share that the Colbert USAF legacy continues with his oldest son, Zach, who enlisted four years ago as an aerial porter at Tyndall. And now, his son Jacob was just commissioned from ROTC and is headed to RPA training. For the Colberts, that’s two down and two to go until they’re empty nesters.

Will Roff retired from the AF Reserves on June 27, 2024, exactly 36 years after we arrived at the “base of the ramp” for our Academy and AF journeys. Paul Kirchhoffer, Rik Bowman and Monte Anderson made it out to Will’s retirement weekend.

A new calling. After retiring in 2020, Suzy Streeter took a yearlong sabbatical to catch her breath after a stellar career, culminating in helping stand up the U.S. Space Force ISR. She felt a calling to pursue a master’s degree in pastoral ministry, focusing on lay ministers and returning to volunteer work serving those who are unhoused. As part of her degree, she established a military spiritual mentoring ministry. Since graduating in May 2024, she has been working with the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and the Diocese of Colorado Springs. So far, Suzy has trained more than 50 military Catholic service members and veterans and has matched 22 mentees. Her goal is to scale this for a worldwide ministry, having already trained mentors in Europe and is ready to train some in Asia. Next is the launch of “MilSpouse” spiritual mentoring ministry. If you want to find out more or help Suzy, here’s a link to her mission: milarch.org/ spiritual-mentoring.

Here’s a toast… It was a tough start to summer for the True Blue class, as we lost two amazing human beings. On June 29, Kelly (Kirkpatrick) Menozzi passed away unexpectedly and is survived by her husband and classmate, JJ Menozzi. Kelly and JJ were enjoying great success at their winery in eastern Washington after they both retired as colonels. Our collective heart goes out to JJ and their families. I fondly remember Kelly in basic training and throughout our four-degree year together in CS-39. She was impressive from day one throughout her career.

Unfortunately, just two weeks later, Eric Moore passed away; he’s survived by his wife and three children. Eric also retired as a colonel and was working at Booz Allen Hamilton. I don’t remember all the details of the many times Eric and I crossed paths at the zoo, but I remember him well. He will be missed by his family and many others.

PSA. Finally, a short public service announcement. DeAnna Franks ’99 is leading a group of USAFA grad women to honor the historical achievements and memories of USAFA women. April 23-26, 2026, a multiday event will be held at USAFA and Hotel Polaris to honor 50 Years of USAFA Women. Visit usafa-women.org for further information, and click on the events tab to register for next year’s historical celebration.

Thanks for tuning in again. I hope to continue to hear about your remarkable successes and interesting endeavors. It’s awesome to see what 1992 continues to do in the world. Until next time, take care of one another and get ready for another season of Falcon football. True Blue ’92, James.

James S. Mehta, 2813 Davis Ave., Alexandria, VA 22302; 571-830-7095; jamesmehta92@gmail.com

1993

Greetings, Mighty ’93! I hope you are all healthy and doing great! Looking forward to Falcon football and a significantly better season than last year … for all our sports, for that matter.

Great news, as reported in our Checkpoints … Air Space Intelligence, a pioneer AI-powered operations software, has named Leo Kosinski its chief strategy officer. He’ll help guide long-term strategy, forge key partnerships across government and industry, and accelerate the company’s mission to transform decision-making at “the speed of relevance.” Congrats, Leo! Andrew Boyd was appointed operating partner at AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm specializing in national security, aerospace and industrial services. Andy has more than 30 years of intelligence and security experience! Congrats! And lastly, congrats to our first 4-star! President Trump nominated, and the U.S. Senate confirmed, Alex “Grynch” Grynkewich as the first USAFA grad to be selected as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and commander, United States European Command. Alex was formerly the director of operations (J3). Gen. Grynkewich assumed command from Gen. Chris Cavioli. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,

Gen. Dan Caine, presided over the ceremony. I’m very proud that a fellow military history major and classmate has ascended into this position at this time in history! We are so proud of you, Alex. Thanks for representing the best USAFA class to the world! We’re here if you need us!

I recently heard from a much-appreciated first-time contributor to Checkpoints … Stacey Anason. She retired after 21 years in the Air Force in 2014. She loved her service as a civil engineering officer. She keeps in contact with Elderick (Rick) Hill, who runs a financial investment company in Colorado Springs, and her old four-degree roommate Debbie (Parlin) Torkelson through Facebook. When she and her husband retired, they moved to Rochester Hills, Michigan. Her husband is an ROTC graduate whom she met at her first assignment. They have three kids. Her oldest son is currently a lieutenant in the Navy and is stationed in Washington, D.C., working as an aide to the naval secretary for shipyards. He recently got married, and Stacey states that it’s crazy for her to think she is old enough to have a daughter-in-law, yet she is happy to report that she does. Her middle son graduated from Michigan University and lives and works in Chicago. Her daughter (the youngest) is headed to Michigan State University at the end of the summer, so Stacey and her husband will officially be empty nesters. Welcome to the club! Stacey enjoys serving in her community and volunteering with different organizations, as well as helping at the local high school.

and

at

Quick update from Phil Franklin, who recently moved to Northern Virginia. Phil took a GS position at the Pentagon. He says, “Being new in the building is fun!” He moved from Montgomery, Alabama, where he worked as a contractor for five years at Maxwell AFB. He spent Mardi Gras with classmate Eric Morrow and his family in Maryland. Phil’s wife and son both like the DMV area, and coincidentally,

his brother (not a USAFA grad but is a former Air Force Special Forces) is in the building, one office away from Phil. Thanks for the update!

Classmates Phil Franklin and Eric Morrow with Eric’s brother during Mardi Gras

’93 ladies, I have a special request from USAFA Class of 1999 graduate DeAnna Franks (deanna. franks.99@usafa-women.org) about the USAFA Women event April 23-26, 2026. She’s joined forces with many USAFA grad ladies in hopes of building an outstanding event to honor the historical achievements and memories of our USAFA women. “Attention in the area: USAFA women grads, check out information at usafa-women.org/copy-ofhome-3 for an upcoming historical celebration of 50 years. Registration will begin in October 2025.” Congrats to Maj. Gen. Ali (Ward) Treviño, after her 32-year leadership chapter, retiring from her position as deputy assistant secretary for contracting, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, stationed at the Pentagon. Ali and her husband, Ray, recently moved to Nashville and have hopefully finished unpacking and begun immersion into their community. Congrats, Ali, we thank you for representing ’93 so amazingly!

I look forward to hearing from additional ’93 members … don’t be a stranger — give us an update. Until next time … peace — Mike

Michael D. Sundsted, 5805 Bent Creek Trl., Dallas, TX 75252; 703-307-0903; mdsundsted@gmail.com

Having never done the jump program at USAFA, imagine my surprise to learn my flight departing American Samoa for the country of Samoa would be on a Twin Otter at last! Pictured with my wife, Eriko, as we depart Pago Pago on the world’s weirdest commercial aviation flight courtesy of Samoan Airways. We left at 11 a.m. on a Wednesday, and after all of 25 minutes airborne, we landed in Apia, Samoa, at 11:25 a.m. on Thursday. My best to fellow Redtags everywhere! Ollie” Sounds like an awesome trip, Ollie! Thanks for sending.

Ollie and Eriko on Pago Pago.

I got an email check-in from Michael “Hook” Rider, who said, “Morning from the Florida Panhandle! Bill Douglass was just in town for a family vacation and messaged, so Norm Summers and I met up with him for dinner. Bill retired and is working on his 15th year as a GS in the Space Force in the Springs. Norm “Chili” Summers retired from flying F-15Cs in the Air National Guard and flies A350s for Delta while living down in Panama City. I retired from active duty last summer at Nellis as the Nevada Test and Training Range CC after 30 years, 1 month, and moved down here to Niceville and now fly F-16As for Top Aces as adversaries at Eglin. Impromptu CS-36 Proud Pink Panther meet up on the Florida Panhandle picture attached.” Thanks for the update, Hook!

Chili, Hook and Bill in Florida

Hello, ’94. Happy fall football season. I hope your summer was nice. First up, I heard from Oliver Leeds, who wrote, “Recently finished my ‘Grand America Tour,’ visiting all 50 states, D.C. and all five inhabited U.S. Territories. My last stop was Pago Pago, American Samoa.

I got some more ’94 updates from Mike Cranston Cranny seems to see people all the time out there in the airline operation. First, he said he flew Rich Ladue from Chicago to Austin. This was the narrative: “I flew Rich ORD-AUS. He’s a bigwig lawyer for Mark Zuckerberg. He was getting off the jet and I said, ‘Hey man, aren’t you ’94?’ He turned around and I knew. Met him at the top of the jet bridge, and we caught up and took a pic.” I found this encounter interesting, because six to eight years ago, I went to the bar at my neighborhood HEB grocery store, sat down, and the guy next to me looked familiar. ‘Hey, are you ’94?’ It was Rich Ladue. Small world. Cranny also saw Donald JR Wiesmann on that Austin trip.

CLASS NEWS

Also, he sent an update from the solemn occasion of Jeff Rengel’s funeral. In attendance with Cranny were Carrie (Bischel) Jensen, Jeff Thurlby, Matt Croon, Bryan Nobs and Matt Glover, who led the group in the third verse of the AF song at the funeral lunch. Thanks for sharing, Cranny.

I got a Viking 9 airline update from Andy Dean ’93, who recently flew a trip with Dan Veal, my former roommate. Andy said it was totally random that they flew together because they are based in different places, but the Viking 9 reunion happened. Great to see it! In other Viking 9 news, Rob “Berto” Calderon texted me that he was just at his daughter’s graduation from Duke medical school. Berto also went to Duke for his residency in hip and knee reconstruction. He said his daughter is off to UCSF for her residency in radiology. Congrats! Finally, Colleen and I were recently able to attend the wedding of Mark “Cougar” and Jen Rusk’s daughter, Zoe. This amazing event took place outdoors at Mark and Jen’s gorgeous homestead in Eagle, Idaho. Also in attendance were Brent “Raygun” and Meredith Brockinton. It was great to see everyone and an honor to attend. I guess we’re all at that point in our lives now where we’re attending the weddings of our friends’ children. Pictured below, we’re in Cougar’s bar/wine cellar, which is awesome. The bourbon collection alone is very impressive. Congrats, Rusk family!

The Class of 1994 30th reunion gift will enshrine the Red Hot ’94 legacy at Hotel Polaris at the U.S. Air Force Academy, benefiting future leaders and graduates.

The Class of 1994 is the only class focused on fundraising for the hotel, and it is 67% of the way to the gift committee’s ambitious goal of $1 million.

Keep on going, and don’t bring it weak! Please support the project or find out more at usafa.org/1994-30th

Thanks for all the inputs this time. It’s more fun writing this article when I’ve heard from a lot of Redhots. Let me know what’s going on this fall. Best wishes, ’94! — Kegger

Craig Allen, 660-864-5374; craig.d.allen94@gmail.com

1995

I hope you all survived the heat of the summer and were able to take some much-deserved time off and spend some quality time with your loved ones. Me, I’m ready for a fall full of fellowship and football (and whatever other fun that comes our way)! Since our last update, Amanda Steffey and friends got together at Beau Bilek’s house in Alexandria, Virginia. Nikki (Gumina) Ballinger and Rex Ballinger have a son who started Plebe summer at USNA, and they all gathered to send him off with his last “real” meal for a while. Also present for the festivities were Beau’s wife, Katie, Jonathan Hamby, Ken Butler, and Ryan Tankersley ’96. It didn’t take long for the kitchen to fill with good memories, laughter and all their teens and tweens getting to know one another. Murali Krishnan checked in from D.C., where he is running a lot of Northrup’s space business. He was able to catch a Washington Capitals game with his CS-28 roommate, Dave O’Malley, who is also living in the D.C. area. Murali was able to catch up on some good memories with Kenyon Bell at a rocket motor static test in Utah, where Kenyon is running the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill AFB.

Jon Tinsley wrote in to say that we are looking for some new class officers to reinvigorate our gold pride. He plans to step down as our class admin lead, and Tara Sweeney has stepped down as the class vice. Please reach out if you are interested in filling any of these class positions.

Our 30-year reunion is just around the corner. I hope you all are able to make the trip. Stay safe out there, and continue to take care of each other! As always, please keep sharing updates via email to me at marksotallaro@gmail.com or Amanda Steffey at amanda.j.steffey@gmail.com. KTP!

Amanda Steffey, amanda.j.steffey@gmail.com

Mark Sotallaro, marksotallaro@gmail.com

There was no submission by the Class of 1996 this quarter. Please submit content to david.englin@gmail.com

The Class of 1996 is fundraising to complete its 25th reunion project, which will support a Tuskegee Airmen memorial at Davis Airfield. The project will include full-scale models of a P-51 Red Tail and a T-7 Red Hawk, currently being built at the airfield entrance.

The Class of 1996 is nearly 55% of the way to its $250,000 goal. Help support Tough as Bricks character development, military and academic excellence and true airmanship. Give at usafa.org/1996-25th

David (English) Englin, david.englin@gmail.com

1997

What is up, 97? It’s your friendly classmate and class scribe, Noah Oviedo, here for another update. This is Episode 10 for me and I appreciate the contribution from several classmates. I do appreciate the help. I am writing in a hurry this time around. I am regressing into my old cadet ways. It seems this contribution deadline crept up on me and I am up at 2 a.m. trying to finish up, just like sophomore English class. So let’s get started.

First up, I received an email from Rudy Cancino Rudy and I were preppies together and played football against each other in high school. Rudy sent me a picture of all the 1997 classmates who are at the Pentagon. Rudy said the Pentagon began to tilt as members of the class of 1997 mustered for a picture on May 28, 2025. With Thunderstruck playing in the background, our classmates lined up for the picture. It’s hard to believe that 28 years have gone by. Thank you for carrying the torch.

1997 continues to Keep it Revvin’ at the Pentagon. From left: Jared Johnson, Steven Newstead, Col. Abel Ramos, Col. James Finlayson, Col. David Patterson, Col. George Buch, Rudy Cancino, Stephanie Brown (Jardine), Brig. Gen. David Epperson, Brig. Gen. Bridget Gigliotti, Col. Anne Marie Contreras (Chaffee), Brig. Gen. Timothy Welter, Col. Shariful Khan and Col. (Ret.) Jiffy Seto.

Next up, Timothy Welter sent me an email with an update on himself and some classmates. Tim and Michael Parks are reservists at Dobbins ARB, Georgia. They were working at the MAF DT at Buckley in Denver. Michael and Tim took the time in Denver to catch up with DJ Blakemore and Matt Vann. DJ and Matt live in the Denver area and both fly for the airlines. Thank you for the picture, Tim, it’s much appreciated. You guys look great.

Finally, I received an email from Nathan Scopac He is living in Niceville, Florida. He recently had a chance to catch up with Christine (Callahan) Kelly. She lives in Niceville as well. They recently had the opportunity to go flying together. Thank you for hitting me up, Nathan. I am saving the rest of the stuff you sent me for the next installment.

Noah Oviedo, 132 Walnut Grove Rd., Boerne, TX 78006; 210.502.1238; noah.oviedo1997@gmail.com

1998

Whew, so glad that scorching RED-hot summer is behind us, Dominators! (Not that I am writing this in a thunderstorm hitting Columbus AFB on a mid-July night). Our first point of order is congratulating our Baby Dominators on completing Basic Cadet Training and getting well into their first semester of academics. Next, to our Baby Dominators who graduated with the Class of 2025, we hope you are enjoying your first assignments and hopefully did not have to do a first reporting in while wearing service dress, but good luck on that first uniform inspection!

Now adding to a long list of hall of famers, we have Michael Freeman being inducted into the Military Hall of Honor by the Charleston RiverDogs. This is in honor of his work with the community around Joint Base Charleston as the commander of the 628th Air Base Wing. It was from that assignment that he retired earlier this year.

As requested and glad to support, I have the following cut and paste that makes my life easier on making a full Checkpoints article, but more so it is for our best Dominators out there in the world. “Attention in the area: USAFA women grads, check out information at usafa-women.org and under the event tab for an upcoming historical celebration of 50 years of women at USAFA! Registration will begin in October.” Works cited: DeAnna Franks, Class of 1999,

Shiner 1 each…per email date June 5, 2025. So, by the time this is read, the registration should be open.

As we come up on our first picture shared, I recently heard from Damian Schlussel about relinquishing command of the Barnes Center for Enlisted Education in Alabama on June 26. If the person being handed the flag looks familiar, that is one each Maj. Gen. Parker H. Wright (the same Parker Wright who trained us from the Class of ’96). As reported by Damian himself, it’s funny that a guy who graduated 901st academically and was on academic probation half the time at the Academy led the enlisted education formation. Congratulations, Damian, on your command, and take that Dominance with you as you head back to the Pentagon to be the associate director of resource integration (HAF/A4P). Huah.

Next, we have some Dominators heading to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in a pressurized tube with wings. Jeff Lin ran into squadronmate and fellow Dominator Dave Shachter while flying the friendly skies. As far as we know, they all made it there fine, and no one ended up being escorted off the aircraft. Well done, gentlemen!

Speaking of moving up in the world, we have this year’s list of Dominator generals that recently came out, with some maybe having those stars on their shoulders already. For the Air Force, we have Henry Jeffress and Nathan Rusin becoming brigadier generals. For the Space Force, we have soon-to-be Brigadier Generals Nikki (Vigil) Frankino and Nick Hague receiving the nod. Congratulations to you all, and proud to see some strong Preppies getting their stars! In the words of Master Sergeant Benjamin C. Apple, “You gotta be $h**ing me!”

CLASS NEWS

The Dominators have done some pretty amazing retirement ceremonies, showing their pride in being huah. This one is definitely one for the books, and I would say it takes the cake if I could use a fourth picture in this submission of Mickey Artolachipe’s retirement cake, ordering her to Dominate Retirement! We know she will, but to still put the Dominance to type, she retired as the deputy commander of Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill Air Force Base. When? May 27 (Dominator Day); but wait, there’s more! This was 27 years after graduating from good ol’ USAFA … wait for it… out of Cadet Squadron 27! The 27 hat trick! Very well done, Mickey; feel free to visit all of the Dominators that seem to be settling in Utah.

Now, as the Class of 2029 Baby Dominators have that march back from Jack’s Valley under their belts, one of the youngest among our class just marched in the Little Patriots parade in Great Falls, Virginia. He was dressed to huah with dad Craig Fitzpatrick. Even more inspiring was learning that his 16-month-old son is named Pace. Another huah point there. Will sneak the extra pictures in on the Dominator Facebook page of Pace and dad, as well as the Dominant retirement cake and some more Damian Schlussel.

Keep on keeping on, Dominators! So glad to continuously hear about the greatness you continue to bring into the world. Big congratulations to our Class of 2029 Baby Dominators on being accepted into the Cadet Wing! We are proud of you and cannot wait to get your assistance with reunion hijinks in the fall of 2028.

Keep calling out your classmates to make sure we know of their dominance, and don’t let a 98 be uttered without a “Huah!” Remember to play Alive at least once a month! Finally, when the juice is on the turnaround and your hot pilot has been on point to tell those in earshot of the legends of the Class of 1998, then take two for Tony!

Kevin Divers, 615-681-2539; kevindivers@gmail.com

1999

Hey, Shiners

DeAnna Franks volunteered to provide this quarter’s column. Thanks, DeAnna.

“Pants are on, doors are open, BASICS.” It’s been 30 years since we felt the shock and awe of our wake-up call, of course set to the incredible symphony of Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC to jar us out of those old wooden beds! Thirty years, SHINERS! That is quite an accomplishment, especially when ’99er parents are now snickering and smirking because they have their awesome offspring taking in the full cadet experience. Congrats to so many of our classmates who have new basics or upper class cadets at USAFA. I loved seeing a picture recently of Naviere (Hall) Walkewicz and her two sons, ’27 and ’28, in their classic USAFA T’s and Stefanie (Nocum) Santarina and Paul Ferguson showing off their next gens on our USAFA Class of 1999 FB page. Follow along! You succeeded in grand trickery, or really your kids were ready to join the Long Blue Line.

Celebrating USAFA women

Speaking of Long Blue Line, LADIES, this is for you, the USAFA Women 50th Celebration, April 2326, 2026, to honor the 50 years since women were admitted to USAFA. The foundation began with the class of 1980. We’ve seen incredible transformation, inspiration and amazing accomplishments over the past 50 years, worthy of reflecting and celebrating. I encourage all our women USAFA attendees (grads, preppies, admitted but not graduated, all who formed bonds from your first steps up the ramp!) to visit usafa-women.org to review the upcoming event and plan to register this fall to attend the 50-year mass reunion! Please spread the word about this event to all ladies from ’80 to ’29!

decision to retire and keep my boots on the ground. I’m closing out my Air Force career in Colorado Springs as the C-130 operations group commander for the 302nd at Peterson. After flying Hercs, being a T-37, T-6 and T-53 instructor pilot, along with the privilege of a USAFA AOC and a Pentagon warrior, I’m excited to stay near USAFA and take on the next journey! My first service is involved in the USAFA Women 50th Celebration, so I really hope to see all our ’99er ladies there in 2026! Congratulations to many more of our classmates who also retired or started chapter two of their life journey this year!

Bobby Wolfe, 984-664-1999; robert.wolfe. usafa@gmail.com

Howdy, classmates. I hope your summer is going well and not flying by too soon. Before you know it, we’ll be at the start of fall and we’ll be at our TWENTYFIFTH reunion. Please take a moment to send your class the latest on you — we want to know! And on with the news.

Pat “P2” Parson and Tracy (Tinianow) Bozung ran into each other at the Military Health Conference in Cleveland recently.

Pat Parson and Tracy (Tinianow) Bozung posing with their favorite publication

Speaking of years and experience (instead of old, I like to use distinguished), after 26 glorious years, yep, ME, Col.

the

P2 is currently the MDG commander out at Travis AFB, and Tracy was the MDG commander at Offutt, but just finished up with a change of command; she and Tom Bozung just moved back to San Antonio, where Tracy is now the deputy wing commander for the 59th Medical Wing (Wilford Hall) at Lackland. Meanwhile, she notes that Casey (Tinianow) Parini retired from the Indiana Guard, out at Fort Wayne, in June.

The Grahams — Matt Graham and Bridget (Blanco) Graham — have both retired and are living in the Black Forest area of Colorado Springs. I also heard that Lamont Morrow had many classmates at his Fort Dix, New Jersey, retirement ceremony. I am hoping we can get some pics of these retirements for the next issue.

Class of 2029 is now underway, and in the news of classmates with cadets at academies: Larry Gabe recently dropped Basic Cadet Gabe off for BCT. Larry notes that he and the rest of the family are moving to the Phoenix area. Sarah (McGuane) George and Paul Schwennesen dropped off their oldest daughter, Katherine Schwennesen, at West Point for her summer of BCT fun too.

Kristen Bakotic retired last year and joined Washington, D.C.’s premier national security rock band, Villians and Saints, as the bassist and back-up singer. The band plays in venues around D.C. and Virginia, so find them on Facebook or Instagram if you want to see them perform.

Four classmates met up for the inaugural meeting of the NoVA Lunching Group. This was a result of classic rock band Riptide playing in Chantilly in April, which is under the rockified leadership of Doug White. Chris Boileau reached out to classmates Kris Malloy and Steve Ramsey to attend the gig. Although only Chris was able to go, the three met up with Doug for lunch in Oakton. More lunches are being planned to include Susie (Murphy) Adamson and whoever else in the area wants to participate. Reach out to one of them to get added to the list.

Please start your planning to attend the class reunion on the weekend of Sept. 24-27. Go to reunions.usafagroups.org/class-of-2000.html to get registered. We have the classmates that the AOG and our team are missing contact information on,

so see the list and reach out if you can link us to missing folks.

Finally, I round this class news off in celebration of Lauren (Maher) Courchaine, Matt Reilman (ANG), Kristen Haley (ANG) and Adam Rogge (ANG) who are now brigadier general selects. Huge congratulations to them and their families!

That’s it for now. Hit our class Facebook page to stay up to speed on the reunion and information on your classmates!

BALLS!

Jason “Cueball” Simmons

Jason "JW" Simmons, 5756 Range Rider Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80923; usafa2000@ outlook.com

2001

There was no submission by the Class of 2001 this quarter. Please submit content to faithd03@hotmail.com.

Faith (Hitchcock) Dunn, faithd03@ hotmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2001

2002

Class of 2002! How was everyone’s summer? I hope you enjoyed some time off and created some memories. I traveled to Hawaii with my family in July and we stayed at the Hale Koa and also spent a few nights at the Disney hotel, Aulani. It was a fun trip and it was great to hang out with my brother, Eddie ’04, his family, and watch my kids play and hang out with their cousins. While at the Hale Koa, I was splashing around the infinity pool watching the waves off the beaches of Waikiki, wearing an Air Force hat when a young

man swam up to me. He asked if I was a grad and told me that he had just graduated in May and was still on his 60 days of leave. We talked a little about the zoo and he asked what class I graduated in. After I told him 2002, he said, “Oh that will be easy to remember because 2002 was the year that I was born.” I felt like an old man and wanted to yell, “Get off my lawn,” knowing that the current grads were born after we graduated. Please continue to update me with pictures and job or family updates whenever you want to share good news. The AOG created a mobile app that you can download to your phone if you want to keep in touch with USAFA happenings.

(Luciano) Edmondson celebrating her Air Force

Class Sightings: Angela (Luciano) Edmondson celebrated her retirement ceremony with classmates Carlos Jayme, Nick Alcocer and Chris Keller. Reb 11 alumni Tony Straw and Dustin Brown flew together in Randolph as part of Dustin’s brother’s fini-flight. Elliott Leigh celebrated his retirement from the Air Force at the Wright Flyer Museum in Dayton, Ohio, with classmates Isaac Bell and Brian Flusche in attendance. Todd Moore and Rebb Jones crossed paths at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas while walking to fly separate jets.

Job Updates and Promotions: Newly minted Hollywood superstar, John Caldwell was Thunderbird #1 in 2021 when Netflix filmed a documentary showcasing the team. Jeromy Guinther assumed command of the 35th Operations Group at Misawa Air Base, Japan, in June. Meredith Beavers is currently stationed at USAFA. She was the Basic Cadet Training commander at Jacks Valley this past summer. Christopher Hubbard assumed command of the 388th Operations Group in June. Prior to his move to Hill AFB, Chris was the senior military advisor for the director of the Operational Test and Evaluation Air Warfare Program Division at the Pentagon.

CLASS NEWS

and Sean embarking on an Alaskan odyssey with their family before their eldest son leaves to join USAFA Class of 2029. Past adventures, zoo nightmares and future plans were discussed. Paul Golando and John Baize met up in Hawaii during the Resolute Force Pacific 2025 (REFORPAC 25) exercise. The exercise was the largest contingency response exercise ever conducted by the Air Force in the Indo-Pacific. Creighton Mullins and Robert Barnes met up in June for a change of command in Florida.

Brian Strock’s celebration of life in Colorado.

Gone But Not Forgotten: Classmates Matt Joseph, Jesse Newberry and Dan Pupich met up in Colorado to celebrate Brian Strock’s life and share memories and stories of Brian with each other and his family at his celebration of life at LaVern Johnson Park outside of Denver. Here’s a toast….. Check in with Checkpoints: As always please continue to update me with your latest job moves and family updates anytime something cool happens! Keep taking photos and posting them to Facebook or email me anytime so I can keep our classmates updated on what’s new! We now have a Facebook page and a class page on LinkedIn, so come join the party!

Eric Ballew, 850.543.9936; ericballew86@ yahoo.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2002

2003 Hey, Bongers–I hope 2025 is going well! We’ve cleared our picture backlog after the reunion and need more updates and pics. So, if you’re reading this and thinking, “I should submit something,” please do!

Rudy Taute checked in and shared about the CS-22 mini reunion at Col. Joshua Sullivan’s retirement ceremony on Nov. 9, 2024, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Josh retired after a career flying the AC-130W, and his last assignment was the commander of USAF ROTC Det. 045 at San Jose State University.

, Lt. Col. Rudy Taute and Col. (Ret.) Josh Sullivan at Josh’s retirement ceremony.

Dave Thompson also checked in and sent a picture from the Founders Day lunch at Ramstein Air Base with several Bonger sightings.

Van

for

We also heard from Jeff Davis. He and his wife, Katie, and youngest, Brooks, dropped off Clark Davis to join the Long Blue Line as part of the Class of 2029. Congratulations, dad!

The Davis family dropping off Clark to join the Long Blue Line

Have a great fall. Please keep the updates coming and send them to our class Gmail account, usafa2003@gmail.com. Take care, Susan

Susan (Doyle) Maly, usafa2003@gmail.com; FB: Usafa Zerothree; LinkedIn: USAFA 03

2004

Class of 2004 … RFW!

Thank you for updates and for supporting our classmates. As many retire, promote and change careers, let’s share and celebrate! Your updates are falcon amazing! Updates and Retirements

Starting with Tina (Williams) Kent, she shared this picture from her retirement ceremony on June 27. Congrats, Tina!

Gravitt, Tina (Williams) Kent, Julie (Baker) Augustine and Jason Constantine

Retiring as a lieutenant colonel effective Sept. 1, 2025, let’s congratulate Edward Hurd of Viking 9. Congrats and best wishes!

Col. Sarah (Thilo) Brehm took command of USAFA’s Cadet Group 1, where she will lead more than 1,000 future Air Force and Space Force officers. Congrats, Sarah, and First Group first!

As many classmates are going to the airlines, we are starting an Airline Officer Commanding class council role. Ryan Walker of United Airlines will serve as our overarching POC. Thanks, Ryan! Joel Bier graduated with 1,000-plus jumps, flew A-10s and happily retired this summer. Joel moved to Wisconsin with his wife, Nicole (Nguyen) Bier, Ph.D. Joel is starting work as a contract CAS pilot with Valkyrie in September.

This summer, Sarah (Towler) Nichols returned to Colorado Springs with her husband, Rob Nichols,’02 and their three children. Sarah plans to continue serving clients as an agent, investor and corporate housing manager, offering valuable cross-market insights between Oklahoma and Colorado.

Pay it ’04ward!

In honor of its 20th reunion, the Class of 2004 is proud to establish an endowment to enhance programmatic support for the National Character and Leadership Symposium at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The class aims to raise $250,000 to ensure cadets gain the skills and knowledge necessary to lead with integrity in an increasingly complex world.

Make your donation and take advantage of classmate matching gifts at usafa.org/2004-20th. Be sure to tap into your employer’s matching gift program as well!

Contact Dyan Gibbens at 2004usafa@gmail.com with any questions.

Camden Copper is the “first American-made, American-owned” copper foil ever. With the administration’s focus on revitalizing American industry for national security purposes, this is a huge step forward. Camden Copper, formerly Denkai America, was on the cusp of closing due to bankruptcy. The DoD approached Principal Mineral. Not only did Principal Mineral acquire the plant, they hired back 95% of the original workforce, changed the name to reflect the city and the mission, and reduced the U.S.’s reliance on foreign countries, making the only ED copper foil in North America, which is vital to printed circuit boards, high-frequency RF and microwave systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles and drones.

Also, if you’re not on our class update email distribution list, email or text me at dyangibbens@ me.com or 719-229-1171.

Quarterly, I share updates on class finances, expanded class council, and ways to convene, collaborate and contribute.

Blue Skies!

Dyan

Dyan (Medina) Gibbens, 719-229-1171; dyangibbens@me.com

2005

Class of 2005, No updates for this issue. We look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion, and hopefully our next update will include a lot of photographs from the event. Remember, we have arranged for a class event on Thursday afternoon at Haps, and our class dinner and memorial will be held at the Flying W on Friday evening. A big thank you to our Reunion Committee team for putting everything together!

You can get additional updates on the reunion through the class Facebook page and on our new LinkedIn page (just search “USAFA Class of 2005 reunion” if you are not a member yet). We have also started a class website for the reunion. You can find it at the following address: classof2005.usafagroups.org. If you are interested in being a part of the planning team, please send me a direct message on Facebook or email me at jgtamasitis@gmail.com.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in September! — John

John Tamasitis, 803-360-2970; jgtamasitis@ gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2005

2006

Hello 2006. I hope this message finds you well. A big leadership congrats to Matthew Lohmeier, who was just confirmed as our number two for the Department of the Air Force. Get out there and continue to do great things. Also heard from a new faculty member, Rob Newton, who wanted to pass along the following: “Just made it to USAFA on the math department faculty. We plan to be here for a good long time. HMU if I can be of any help with class stuff on this end. We were most recently at Edwards AFB, where Michael “Switch” Coleman, Brandon Hardy, Dick Wille and I each finished up squadron command. Alex “HUD” Longyear is also at Edwards running the C-12 FTU. You should hear soon from the crew who attend Tina Matejik’s wedding at Lake Tahoe next weekend. Tripp Johnson and Carly (Siefken) Johnson are also on their way to USAFA (to work with the WoB) from South Korea. I saw Louis Nolting and Ryan Fancher on the list of incoming faculty, too. Excited to be here! Looking forward to seeing everyone at the 20th next year.”

Well, that was a solid rundown of what you got going on Rob, and thanks for compiling the list of others and what they got going too! Can’t believe we are all throwing around the 20th already. YIKES!

Got a quick note from Team Skinner: “Tom Skinner and Erin (Warddrip) Skinner moved from North Carolina to Houston. Tom is transitioning to the Guard and is working as a physician at the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Lab. Erin is keeping her group functional nutrition practice (Thrive) and is hoping to open a second location in Texas.”

Way to go you two, out there making it big on the outside. Always think big when in the Great State of Texas.

And finally, I met up with Michael Chua who is a Renegade dancing like Mr. Roboto because he’s got Too Much (Time On His Hands). Anyone get the reference? Yeah, he and I along with our brides, Emily and Olivia, attend a Styx concert here in the DMV. We drove through a wall of water to get there and it was totally worth it. Great times!

Enjoying the Styx concert

That’s all from me this go. I hope to hear from more of y’all next time. Let me know if you are in the D.C. area or Pentagon, maybe we can meet up if you are passing through! As for me (ShawnSchuuuuulz), I will continue to support each of you any way I can.

Shawn “The Schulz” Schulz, 3603 Lakota Rd., Alexandria, VA 22303; 915-309-5612; usafacad@hotmail.com; FB: AFA Checkpoints 2006

2007

’007, It looks like our class has had a busy summer, with plenty change of command ceremonies, PCSs and even retirements.

On June 18, Paul Taggart took command of the 32nd Student Squadron (Centurions) at Squadron Officer School. Paul works right down the hall from another classmate, Johann “JP” Pambianchi, as he commands the 30th Student Squadron. Paul and JP will work with 50% of active duty USAF/USSF captains as they attend SOS in-residence. Both are excited to lead the next generation of officers as they overhaul the SOS curriculum for the first time in at least 20 years. Paul and JP are excited about the rewrite and are huge advocates for junior officers to become SOS instructors.

Jahmil Edwards sent a great update as he relinquished command of the 316th Training Squadron at Goodfellow AFB, Texas, on July 11. Jahmil is moving to JBSA-Randolph to work in the A2 office. Jahmil also sent word that Willie Lloyd recently completed his command tour of the 41st Airlift Squadron at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, and that a fair number of our classmates made O-6 BTZ: Shaun Lee, Chad Reger, Kaelin Thistlewood, Brandon Dues and Annie (Williamson) Amigleo

Tim McBride retired on Feb. 1 after a 24-year and nine-month career of distinguished service. Tim started his AF journey as a boom on the KC135 before attending the Prep School (C-Squad!), returning to the tanker after USAFA and UPT. Tim’s back at American Airlines full-time now. Tom Talafuse finished his command tour at the Community College of the Air Force and is moving to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take command of AFROTC Detachment 30 at the University of Arkansas. Tom went to Arkansas for grad school, so it’s a sort of homecoming. “GO HOGS!”

Gabe Yoder and his eldest son, Zegen, just completed their annual wilderness camping trip, this time conquering Isle Royale National Park. They hiked more than 56 miles across five full days. Their longest hike was 22 miles, and Zegen did great!

Thanks for all the updates, and congratulations to everyone who took command, relinquished command, or was promoted!

Cheers and best wishes,

Chris

Chris Donohoe, cdonohoe07@gmaill.com

Hey, fellow Richter classmates!

We had quite a few updates submitted this quarter! I’m excited, so let’s jump right in.

Lt. Col. Brad Seehawer (CS-01) and his family moved to Naval Station Rota, Spain, in June to take command of the 725th Air Mobility Squadron. The unit provides maintenance, supply, and command and control to USTRANSCOM flights traveling to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. His squadron is part of the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, where he serves alongside fellow 2008 Mighty-Mach Oner Chris Halbleib, commander of the 721st Mobility Support Squadron.

Brad Seehawer and family at CoC ceremony.

Lt. Col. Dan Wright took command of the 319th Operational Support Squadron at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, on June 30. After departing a J8 staff job at Special Operations Command HQ, working with people again is a great counter to “pushing electrons around a screen.” We expect great things from Dan and his new squadron this assignment ... as well as a hefty amount of snow over the winter!

Lt. Col. Phil Amrine and family just moved to Dover in June after leaving sunny San Antonio. He took on the role of deputy commander of the 436th Operations Group. He plans to finish out his career flying the C-5 for one last assignment!

Kendra (Giboney) Tullson and husband, Drew ’07, are in Maryland now with their family. When Drew retires in 2027, they plan to move to 50 acres they purchased in rural Virginia and build a house with their children. Currently, they have 13 kiddos, with number 14 due just before this publication in September. Hopefully, we’ll have pictures of a new Richter heir next issue! Kendra stays busy homeschooling and being commander of the “Home Logistics Squadron.” When Drew isn’t working or completing DIY projects, he stays busy planning details for the new home in Virginia.

Kendra (Giboney) Tullson and family

Bryce Johnson recently convinced his gym in Omaha, Nebraska, to run the USAFA cadet fitness test for a Saturday workout event ... a humbling event when it came to run times for some 40ish-yearold grads. However, Bryce put up a good showing for the pullups and long jump. His dad, Alan Johnson ’79, participated as well! Bryce is beginning year two as a nursing care transformation program manager with CommonSpirit Health in Omaha. While it is a long way from his AF job, he uses that Richter determination to do great things!

Rick Loesch (CS 28) promoted to lieutenant colonel on July 2 and celebrated with kids, wife, mom and dad, mother-in-law, sisters and their spouses and kids, about half of his church, and several USAFA grad friends. Lt. Col. Dan Moss ’06 (and RTB) was the master of ceremonies, and Col. (Ret.) Andy Katz was the guest speaker and provider of the oath. Col. Katz’s kids are a recent 2024 grad and a future 2026 grad. Erin (Beeler) Loesch (CS40) just rounded out her one-year anniversary at On the Grind and is working toward management. She is an assistant scoutmaster for her Scout Troop 239 in Live Oak (San Antonio), Texas, and just completed a 10-day camp in Boxwell, Tennessee. She plans to teach handicrafts as an area director for the winter camp in December. Her third year as the codirector for AWANA begins in September.

I believe these are all the updates we received. If we missed anything at all, we’ll include it in the next update for you. It was great hearing from so many of you and seeing all the wonderful things you are doing in your jobs and families! Richter!

Erin Loesch, 325-721-7141; checkpoints2008@ yahoo.com; FB: USAFA 2008 Checkpoints Updates

2009

Hello, fellow HUBsters! It’s Angélica (Plazas) Bergoo here. I hope you all have had a fabulous 2025 so far.

Thank you to everyone who sent updates via Facebook and email. If you would like to share updates for future editions, feel free to send me an email at angelicabergoo84@gmail.com or comment in the USAFA Class of 2009 Facebook group. Here are some updates from our fellow ’09ers: Bradley Henicke graduated from Harvard Law School with a Juris Doctor degree in May. Dan Jackson moved to Colorado Springs, where he’ll begin teaching history to the Class of 2029 in the fall. Lots of Academy grads at the PACAF Squadron Commander’s Course! Brig. Gen. Shane Vesely ’98 mentored their team through a week of preparations for command. From the Class of 2009 HUB!, Samantha (Buccholtz) Saenger took command at Yokota, Adam Otten took command at Andersen, and Madison Gilbert took command at Hickam. The heritage and future of the 386th EOSS has been passed down and commanded by three rotations of HUBsters (OUR TIME). The Scorpions are now in the steady hands of Lt. Col. Robbie “STUN” Glenn, after Boston McClain relinquished command in the spring. Dan Davis and Mike Knapp completed three weeks of training ahead of their PCSs to Travis AFB as DOs of contingency response squadrons. Daniel Hendren let Jeff Maciejewski and his kids pet the jet back in May! Jeff’s son wants to be a fighter pilot, so this was an awesome experience for him! Troy Kinchen headed to Greenland on July 10 to take over as the 821st SPG deputy group CC; it’s gonna be a fun year ahead! (8+2 = 10 … minus 1 = HUUUUUB!!!). Melissa (Edwards) Jamison relinquished command in June. Three years and two babies in command — that’s impressive. Enjoy maternity leave and your next chapter in D.C.!

Course.

Katie Grieshop had her Perpetual Profession of Vows on July 29 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Congratulations! Roni Yadlin graduated from Harvard with a Ph.D. — Congratulations! Kurt Silsby moved to Monument, Colorado, in June with Chelsea (Fitch) Silsby and family. Harvey White created a business where he finds short-/ mid-term rentals for people going TDY or PCSing, so they don’t have to spend the time researching. You tell him your requirements/desires and they present options that fit those parameters. The service is free to the military member. Check it out at crashpadconnections.com.

Tim Donlan proposed back in May and also got her with the fabled six-pack icing the next weekend. He doesn’t know which one is more impressive. Corbin Sanford got married May 1 to Lt. Col. (Ret.) Matt Young, bought a house May 2, and is trying to settle in … very busy with kids and work! Julie (Luce) Rainwaters took over as the commander of the 71st Student Squadron at Vance. Kim (Robinson) Shinabarker is officially an anesthesiologist. Jesse Moulton took command of the 317th OSS at Dyess. Ryan Clisset took over the 8th Fighter Squadron at Holloman AFB in May. Congratulations everyone! Forrest Underwood moved into the Joint Reserve Directorate at OSD (R&E), graduated from MIT Sloan’s EMBA program, and moved back to San Diego. William Wickliffe Kelley moved from Joint Staff J2 Cyber/ EW/IO to J3 ISR Ops; is living in Arlington, Virginia; and is a reservist at INDOPACOM JIOC. He also added another tiny dog to the family.

Roni Yadlin at her Ph.D. graduation at Harvard

’09 Baby Time: Dan Jackson’s household grew with the birth of Annie Joyce in December. Christopher Vicari welcomed baby No. 4, Kyle Andrew Vicari, born in June. Daniel Montilla

CLASS NEWS

welcomed bébé No. 2 in April: Charlotte Elise. Congratulations!

OUR Time!

Angélica (Plazas) Bergoo, angelicabergoo84@gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2009

2010

Hello, class of Luke! I have been getting tons of emails and updates and have so much exciting news to share this quarter!

Ashley (Reinig) Gunn is at USSOCOM. Her and Seth’s son, Graham, is 17 months old, and they were expecting twin baby girls at the end of May! Seth Gunn took command of the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron in April.

Cory Tintzman and Kevin Gross were fortunate enough to fly from Dulles to Venice this spring on a United Airlines trip! Cory and Kevin have been stationed together since graduation, attending UPT and flying C-17s and C-32s, and now they’re both at United flying the 757/767.

Annie (Hansen) Klausner and Andrew Klausner moved to Juneau, Alaska, in 2016 to be near family. In June of 2024, they welcomed a miracle baby! They both worked for the Coast Guard, but now Annie is chasing around the little one full-time.

Lastly, Maggie (Blackstun) Ballard took command of the 445th Test Squadron at Edwards this summer. Her former squadronmates are very proud of this accomplishment!

Thanks for keeping in touch with the lovely updates and photos, everyone. I love hearing from you all! I hope everyone is well and had a nice summer, and I look forward to more emails and messages in the coming months.

Erin

Erin (Keane) Killion, 847-764-9434;

Lots of life updates this round, so thank you to everyone who sent them in!

As always, we love to see grads together! Recently, Joe Bledsoe shared a dollar ride with Marcus Rosenthal. Joe is just starting the upgrade and had the awesome opportunity to have Marcus, both classmate and squadmate (CS-38), give him the dollar ride. Marcus only had to take the aircraft from Joe 11 Olds times! Marcus is currently in the Reserve with the 70th FTS and is a soaring IP, and Joe is back at USAFA as a fellow with the Institute for Future Conflict.

Meanwhile, Alex Chesney has just completed the School of Advanced Warfighting at Quantico and is currently serving at the White House as a senior economist on the Council of Economic Advisers. This fall, he will join the faculty at USAFA, where he will work in the Office of Labor and Economic Analysis and teach in the Department of Economics and Geosciences. He and his wife, Katherine, had their first child, James, in July — a proud future member of the Class of 2048! No pressure, James!

Chesney and his wife, Katherine, welcomed their first child, James, in July.

Lastly, Laura (Sturdevant) Dean is thrilled to announce her Ameriprise Financial Franchise in Alaska — opening July 23! As the only Certified Military Financial Advisor in Alaska and the third Ameriprise franchisee in the state, she is deeply honored to bring personalized, military-focused

financial planning to our community. Her CMFA designation equips me to address the unique financial needs of veterans, active-duty personnel, Reserve and National Guard members, and their families. Alaska’s military community (and beyond!) now has local access to someone trained specifically to maximize benefits and plan for the future with confidence. Establishing this franchise is about more than business for Laura; it’s about serving those whose service inspires her! If you are in Alaska and need financial planning, reach out to Laura at laura.dean@ampf.com.

Laura (Sturdevant) Dean with her husband, Colin, and son, Clark (3)

Until next time, ask yourself, WWROD?

Jocelyn (Cravens) Watson, 513-320-6234; usafa2011updates@gmail.com

2012Hap, Matt “Bolt” Jerrell sends a 12-plus-year update and hopes everyone is doing well and thriving wherever life has taken them. He recently completed his first year at the Army’s version of ACSC at Fort Leavenworth and elected to stay for a second. While “post,” “PX” and 0600 PT were outside his usual vocabulary, he’s looking forward to returning to the blue next year. One highlight has been the opportunity to learn from international classmates and neighbors from countries including Brazil, Georgia, Kuwait, Ireland, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Korea, England, Moldova, Vietnam and Benin — each offering a unique perspective on leadership, service and partnership. In true Zoomie fashion, Matt was recognized for his cross-service excellence with the “Hap” Arnold Award from the Air Force Element, a fitting nod to the enduring spirit of our

Academy’s namesake and the legacy of joint-minded officers leading across the force.

Bolt grinning and winning with Hap in hand.

Jake Allen, Ben Kopacka, Colt Reid and Trae Span have remained connected through a meaningful mission with High Flight Heroes. This nonprofit provides high-performance rides and backcountry experiences for veterans and first responders. The goal is to help them reconnect, recharge and feel recognized. This August, Colt and company will support six veterans and first responders from East Tennessee for a weekend known as the Smoky Mountain Salute. The itinerary includes an epic drive on the Tail of the Dragon (Highway 129), time on the lake for water sports and rest, meals at top local spots, and a Southern BBQ dinner with live music to wrap it all up. The team called it a chance to give back to those who put their families, communities and country first — and to offer a slight tailwind as they return home with their tanks a little fuller.

Kirsten (Buslinger) Ornelas reached an incredible milestone this spring, graduating from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program with a Master of Medical Science on May 16. It marks the fulfillment of a lifelong goal, and she plans to begin practicing medicine in Wichita, Kansas. She, husband Ted Ornelas ’10, and their two daughters will relocate to McConnell AFB this summer as he prepares to take squadron command. From cadet days to command and calling, their family continues to live out service and growth in step with each other.

Peter

their second child, Oliver, to the world. Big sister Eliza (3) has embraced her new role with enthusiasm. The Broughtons are currently stationed at Langley AFB, where Peter serves as the flight surgeon for the 7th Fighter Training Squadron. Peter reports that life is full — but good — and sends a shoutout to any classmates passing through the Virginia tidewater.

Hector Valladares recently took command of the 53rd Computer Systems Squadron at Nellis AFB after completing a successful tour as an instructor at AFIT. With one foot in cyberspace and the other firmly in leadership, Hector says he’s enjoying the challenge and looking forward to pushing his team to the next level. He also humbly claims the title of “coolest redhead in the Class of 2012,” pending any credible challengers.

Justin Beranek made an international move this year to join his wife in the U.K. and is now living in the Manchester area. While adjusting to driving on the left side of the road and refining his appreciation for British tea culture, he welcomes any visiting grads and says the door is always open for a pint and a story or two.

Nathan Shanks offered a powerful reflection this year, marking a decade since a red-light-running driver nearly ended his life near Tyndall AFB. The crash left him with a traumatic brain injury and extensive physical trauma, requiring years of recovery and ultimately leading to early retirement from the Air Force. Perhaps it was Nat’s fellow pilots flying by his hospital window ... dipping their F-22 wings in his honor ... hoping he would hear the roar of the Raptor engines and wake up. Against all odds, backed by stubborn resilience and the support of family, friends and the broader military community, he has rebuilt a life full of purpose. He has accomplished so much since that dark day, including starting a new career, adapting, staying active in the veteran community and pursuing athletics. Today, he is engaged and preparing to marry his fiancee in Colorado Springs, with a reception at the newly opened Hotel Polaris near North Gate. In sharing his story, Nat reminds us that healing is a long road, but joy can still be found at the far end. Fair skies and tailwinds, indeed.

Nat and fiancee Marie enjoying engaged life

Another lap around the sun, and the Long Blue Line rolls on. Whether leading squadrons, starting families or finding new ways to serve, the Class of 2012 continues to represent well. These updates are just a glimpse of the grit, heart and hustle we saw

CLASS NEWS

back at Hap’s Place — and still see in each other today. Keep the stories coming, and as always: Hap’s ’til taps.

Cheers, LeRoi “CRIC*” Edwards

*Coolest Readhead in the Class

LeRoi Edwards, leroi.edwards@gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2012

2013

There was no submission by the Class of 2013 this quarter. Please submit content to usafa2013news@gmail.com

Karen Johnson and Dymond James, usafa2013news@gmail.com 2014

Hey there, Class of 2014! I have some awesome updates from a few members of our class.

Former Barnstormer roomies

Alex Thomson and Jean Luc “Ducky” Duckworth both celebrated academic milestones this May. Jean Luc graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a master’s in computer science. Alex graduated from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis with a Master of Business Administration (his second graduate degree).

Since graduation, Jean Luc has flown the C-130 and is currently assigned to DCMA Fixed Wing Marietta in Marietta, Georgia, where he is testing the new C-130s from Lockheed Martin. When he’s not flying, he volunteers his time sustaining NIPR GPT, and he’s one of the lead founders of a DevSecOps software factory called Dark Saber, which aims to deliver innovations to airmen in weeks versus years. In November of last year, Jean Luc’s talents were recognized at the GovCIO Media & Research AI Summit, where he received the AI Innovator award. Jean Luc and Daniella also just welcomed their second child, a son named Luca! Alex, on the other hand, has been living with his family in St. Louis since 2018, after transitioning out of active duty and into the Reserve. Most recently, he was assigned as a staff cyber officer to HQ AMC/ A6 (Scott AFB), where he garnered the 2023 HQ AMC Staff Reservist of the Year award. This summer, he moved to the U.S. Transportation Command to augment the J6 staff. In his civilian capacity, he is an IT manager at Ameren, an investor-owned utility company. He has strong ties to the STL community as a board member and volunteer with numerous local nonprofits.

Alex with his wife, Emily, and sons, Arthur and Conrad, at graduation

The Duckworth and Thomson families were able to reunite a few years ago and are planning more trips between STL-ATL, so their children can become friends!

Erin Grindstaff, erinrost1317@gmail.com

Bros!

Happy September! By the time you read this, we will have officially made it to reunion month, and I hope to see all of you there! I am beyond excited to reminisce on all we have accomplished and experienced as a class since we first wore those gold hats on June 23, 2011, which, for those keeping track, is more than 14 years ago. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get the chance to shock another commandant by taking the hill at a wildly inappropriate time. Here are some highlights of where life has taken some of our fellow Bros recently.

I had the privilege of catching up with fellow CS39 grad Mike Spiotta, who I discovered is living just down the road from me in D.C. Congratulations are in order for Mike, who recently separated from the Air Force, having completed his time as a missileer. Mike initially worked in finance after separating but has since found his passion putting his Air Force career and experience to good use in defense technology sales.

I also got to talk with John Miller, who is still crushing it as a tactical air control party officer in Germany. When he is not leading his team of JTACs and calling in close air support, he is clearly keeping his head in the books, as he just received acceptance to Cornell University through the DAWN-ED program. John will use his time at Cornell pursuing a systems engineering degree. Just to prove he isn’t letting his new academic adventures get in the way of his fire support roots, I included a picture of John firing the Mk-19 on the range. I’ve had the privilege of shooting this weapon once, and can confirm, it’s a real … blast.

Closing with some very exciting news! From C15_All, please wish a very happy congratulations

to our most recent newlyweds, David and Samantha Burleson David and Samantha (Dunlap) tied the knot recently during a beachside ceremony in Hawaii, where David flies the C-37. Congrats, you two!

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t include one final plug for our class gift. As a reminder, the Class of 2015 is seeking to raise $40,000 as a gift to the Academy during reunion weekend. The funds will go directly to morale projects that will positively affect the cadets who are joining us in the Long Blue Line. You can find the website by searching for Class of 2015 at give.usafa.org. As always, please reach out to share your milestones or to simply catch up!

— TJ Mullins

In honor of its 10th reunion, the Class of 2015 has launched an effort to raise at least $40,000 for cadet morale and enrichment. We aim to provide each squadron with $1,000 to invest in improvements that reflect their unique needs and priorities.

Your support for current cadets will foster camaraderie, encourage balance amid demanding schedules and instill a lasting sense of pride in squadron communities.

Together, let’s give back to the Academy in a way that celebrates our legacy while empowering the next generation of leaders.

Give at usafa.org/2015-10th

TJ Mullins, mullins.timothy.j@gmail.com

Hey, Kleptos! I hope you’re all doing well! I have quite a few updates for us this quarter, so let’s get into them!

In April, Jordan Boone and his wife, Lauren, had their first child, Charles Todd Boone, in Napa, California. They have since moved to Tinker AFB, where Jordan is an Advanced Instrument School (AIS) instructor at the Air Force Flight Standards Agency (AFFSA). Clare (Sakovich) O’Reilly and Ryan O’Reilly also welcomed their first baby, Bridget Anne O’Reilly, in April. While the first days of Bridget’s life were extremely difficult, she is home now, safe, healthy and hitting her milestones. Clare wanted to say, “We are so grateful to our classmates and fellow grads who reached out to offer support and prayers. It meant the world to us on what were probably the most difficult days of our lives.” The faith and fortitude Clare and Ryan displayed during the first few days of Bridget’s life were incredible. Bridget’s life is such a blessing, and we’re so happy to celebrate with the O’Reilly family!

In May, Mandy (Fanning) Boh, Mitch Boh, and big brothers Calum and Liam welcomed Summer Reign Boh to the family. The Boh family is currently residing in Austin, Texas, while Mitch is working on his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering. Mandy is a fulltime mom and is loving every minute of it!

Landon Smalley and his wife, Faith, welcomed their son, James, in May, making Joanna a big sister! They are currently stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida. Landon is at the 65th SOS as an ADO and MQ-9 IP.

Congratulations to all the parents!

Judith Nainggolan recently got married in Vegas! She told me that after some time navigating distance, she separated from active duty and relocated to Fort Hood to join her husband, Brayden. Judith is a reservist and serves as the deputy A2 for the 3rd Air Support Operations Group, supporting TACPs and the greater AFSPECWAR community. She said, “I’m grateful to be together and enjoying life as a family in Texas while continuing to serve.” Congratulations, Judith!!

Onto our WIC graduates! We had a lot this June, and I wasn’t able to contact all of them.

Dom Troilo got his patch and is headed back to Barksdale to continue to fly the mighty B-52.

Cody Donahue earned his patch in only the second KC-46 WIC class and gave me a quick life update since graduation. He married his wife, Izzy, during our 60 days. He went to Columbus AFB for UPT and dropped KC-10s to Travis AFB. He was at Travis from 2018 to 2021 before PCSing to McConnell AFB, where he has been flying the KC-46 for the past four years. Last June, he was one of four pilots on Project Magellan, a 45-hour global circumnavigation flight in the KC-46 from McConnell AFB. Cody is excited to show people the suite of tactical mission systems that enable the 46 community to be so connected to C2 and the intelligence community during their operations.

and Izzy

Josh Bezold also got his patch; he will be heading from Mountain Home AFB to RAF Lakenheath to fly the F-15E.

Bri (Dutcher) Rocha earned her patch. Her husband, Evan Rocha, graduated TPS in 2021. They are both RPA pilots headed back to Creech AFB this summer.

Bri “Paw” and Evan “Rage” showing off their sweet patches.

CLASS NEWS

I’d still like to share some other names I heard were in June’s WIC class, but wasn’t able to catch up with! A big congrats to Caroline Bates (KC-135), Ben Kern (F-35), Joe Lesar (F-22), Sam Sabin (KC-135) and Cece (Tuma) Shelley (F-15E).

We have another Thunderbird announcement! For the 2026-27 show season, our very own Susan (Hurtado) McLeod will be T-bird 11! Susan is currently stationed at RAF Lakenheath as the chief of maintenance tactics. She is an aircraft maintenance officer and has been stationed in fighter aircraft maintenance her whole career: A-10s at Davis Monthan, F-35s and Depot at Hill, and F-16s at Kunsan, with an F-35 deployment to CENTCOM. She told me, “My reason to apply to the Thunderbirds was to be a part of the Air Force recruiting mission and a team much bigger than myself. I’m a first-generation American, and my parents gave me this American Dream, a dream I am grateful for and just looking forward to the opportunity with the team!” Congratulations, Susan, on your hard work and selection to the Thunderbirds team. We know you’ll crush it!

Miranda (Bray) Livingston and Matt Medara completed the Ironman 70.3 Victoria this May. Unfortunately, the swim was canceled due to poor water quality, but 69.1 miles is still crazy impressive! Miranda and her husband, Will, are still stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB!

Back here in Valdosta, the Rosenthals were overjoyed to welcome home Drew from his deployment, and I finished the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta this Fourth of July, which is the world’s largest 10K!

As always, it’s a pleasure getting to reconnect with all of you and share in your celebrations! I try to stalk you all on FB to collect your good news, but a girl can only be so creepy. So please, send me your life updates if you’d like me to share them! Thanks, y’all!

Charli (Kemp) Rosenthal, rosenthal.charli@gmail.com

There was no submission by the Class of 2017 this quarter. Please submit content to austin.anderson13@yahoo.com

Austin Anderson, austin.anderson13@yahoo.com

2018

Ladies and gents, it is my distinct privilege to start the class news off with the introduction of the Airman of the Year from the Military Times for 2025 as our very own Carla (Nava) Adams! Carla was recognized with this award for her extraordinary leadership and composure during a large-scale missile and drone attack against Israel in April 2024. From the back seat of the F-15E, Carla intercepted multiple swarms of one-way attack drones launched by Iran in a barrage of more than 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft. Carla is also the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and is now teaching the next generation of CSOs at UCT in Pensacola with her husband, Ryan. Transitioning to the growing families in our class, a big congrats to the first-, second- and even third-time parents over the past few months! Molly (Phillips) and Erich Drollinger (both RC-135 pilots) welcomed their first son, Henry; Madison (Gray) Deardorff (a MC-130 pilot) gave birth to sweet Emma; Jordan (Schumacher) and Collin Grahl, who is at AFPC and in the final year of a psychiatry residency in San Antonio, respectively, had their second child, Hazel Clara; Lizzy (Denton) Mauer (a T-1 instructor at Columbus AFB) and her husband, Tyler, welcomed their first child; Ryan Gailey, who flies the KC-135 in England, and his wife, Kyla, had their second daughter, Poppy, in June; Dave Arenberg and Cadi, in San Antonio, Texas, are first-time parents to baby John; and Desiree (Hopkins) and John Walsworth welcomed their second child in June and are both serving in Global Strike Command at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.

Additionally, Molly (Ferguson) and Noah Taylor adopted two children (biological siblings), ages 12 and 7, into their family in June. They always wanted to adopt and have hearts for caring for children who are without a stable home. The Taylors started the process last year and welcomed the kids into their house last fall. After six months of living together, they were able to legally welcome the kids into their family. On top of that, in July, Molly gave birth to their first biological son! It has been a very busy time for the Taylor family, but they are doing a great job and living out their faith day by day as they care for their family of five. Molly and Noah are both C-130J pilots at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas.

The Taylor family just before the birth of their son.

The formation of a new family comes with the wedding of Jackson Bednar and Chloe. These two tied the knot in May in California. They then honeymooned in Canada, biking and hiking through Vancouver and the Cascades. Jackson is an HH-60 pilot in Tucson, Arizona, at Davis Monthan AFB. In engagement news, Whit Valentine proposed to Emily Snyder, who gave a resounding yes! The two have been friends since the Academy (actually in the same squadron four-degree year) and reconnected to start dating a few years ago. It has been long-distance for the most part, with Emily being stationed in D.C. and Whit in Montana. Emily is now teaching political science at USAFA (her dream job), and Whit is instructing in the mighty Huey at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. They plan to get married in D.C. next January. Last, but not least, Eli Harmon proposed to his girlfriend, Marie.

That’s a wrap on this edition of the ’18er class news. Keep fighting the good fight, Zamps, and let me know all the cool things you guys are up to!

In service,

Liza Matson

Liza Matson, Lkmatson18@gmail.com

2019

Howdy, y’all! Let’s get to it! Back in April, Athena (Eccher) Robb and her husband, Ryan, announced they are going to be moving to Scott AFB after their time concludes at Travis AFB. Back in May, I checked in with Adam Brown. He and his family are out in Altus, Oklahoma, where Adam is working through ACIQ for the C-17 before heading to Charleston. If you find yourself in “Mobility’s Hometown,” feel free to reach out! You may catch him on the tail end of his training. One of my four-degree roommates, Yuri Borodenko, popped the question this past May to his fiancée, Natalie Hoag, in front of a gorgeous backdrop. She said yes!! Congratulations, Yuri!!! Beth (Hartman) Mueser and her husband, Will, moved over to Mildenhall and Lakenheath, respectively, in May as well. Beth is known to be seen riding her bike all over the streets of Cambridge when she is not flying the tanker, and Will is probably out training for an ultramarathon or flying the F-35. If you see them, say hello! Garrett Amy also recently moved out to Lakenheath, joining the F-35 squadron there around the same time. He’s pumped to be in Europe and can be found at a local pub reading about bitcoin and the forecasts of the macroeconomy. Speaking of our cheery ol’ chaps in England, Sean McGinty and Nick Lopez are excited to be headed back to the good ol’ U.S. of A. this upcoming year. Sean is headed to Fairchild AFB, and Nick will be going back home to Scott AFB, outside of St. Louis.

According to my LinkedIn, Marissa JacobsHofmann is excited to announce she completed her Doctorate of Medical Science at the University of Lynchburg. Congratulations, Marissa! It takes dedication to continue through that much schooling! Over on the East Coast, Rachel Golding is finishing her tour at the NRO in August, and then she is headed down to Cape Canaveral to do launch. Otherwise, she has been busy doing various horse competitions.

April 2026! Congratulations to you both, and cheers to love and happiness!

That wraps up this brief class update! I hope you all are doing well. Please feel free to keep sending me updates if you can. My phone is always ready. Peace and good vibes, and remember that nobody kicks a** without tanker gas ... nobody. — Mike

Michael Grindle, 419-215-3067; mcgriddle96@gmail.com

Well, that was one heck of a June, wasn’t it, folks? One issue I’m using these pages to josh around about how my favorite color is blue, and the next I’m penning an update beneath the specter of a full-scale regional war. I’ll tell you what though, I’ll take Team USA (and its elite backbench of ’20ers) over recalcitrant middle powers ANY day of the week. I mean, check out our very own Chandler Claterbaugh popping up in a BBC feature about the Space Force. He’s got one slick haircut and the command presence to match. That BBC video actually reminds me a lot of my ops Air Force experience at Vandenberg Space Force Base with Chandler, except that it didn’t show any farmers’ markets, surfing, or sick trips to Los Angeles. Now that I really think about it, that video was nothing like our ops Air Force experience, although I don’t think Chandler believes the Earth is flat anymore (but I could be wrong). While clearly telegenic, Chandler still has a ways to go before he’s ready to be featured on NATO’s Instagram account, like me.

representing our class well to our Spanish-speaking allies and partners. I’d also have eyes on Larry for a potential Distinguished Graduate. His dance moves (but maybe not Spanish) outperform Angel and Fern’s any day of the week. Stay tuned for the results of this truly cutthroat competition; they’ll be published next quarter!

Larry, Angel and Fern representing the Class of 2020 at International Squadron Officer School.

The only other significant update I have for the class is that Liam Smith wanted everyone to know he spent the evening of Sunday, July 20, watching “Transformers” (2007). While this film only reeled in a 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I, much like Liam, find it to be a timeless classic on par with such icons as “The Godfather” and “Lawrence of Arabia.” I’d also like to close this issue with an apology that Brad Ellis wasn’t your featured guest columnist, as promised. He’s been busy focusing on his upcoming FAIP drop down at Laughlin Air Force Base with some more of the ’20er class. You can expect a full update on how that goes for the gang next quarter. Catch you then!

Finally,

The Class of 2020 isn’t just raising the bar in the Space Force, however. Fernanda González, Larry King and Angel Zelaya are currently attending International Squadron Officer School, in San Antonio, Texas (think normal SOS, but in Spanish). If I know one thing about these three, it’s that they’re

Hello, ’21ers! I hope everyone is having a beautiful and somewhat relaxing summer! Just a few updates this go around. Austin Cavallin is continuing to reach for the stars. After completing an assignment as a T-38A IP, he was hired for the U-2 and completed his first solo in the “Dragon Lady.” Keep up the stellar work, Austin!

CLASS NEWS

Austin Cavallin piloting the U-2

Sadie Wilson and Charlie Goss welcomed their second beautiful baby girl into their lives in May. Quincy Truth Goss entered the world weighing 7lbs. 11oz. She is already asking about USAFA and studying her contrails ;).

Finally, Giles McGillick and I will be PCSing to Seymour Johnson this August. Reach out if you’re in the area or passing through. As always, we love hearing from you! Whether it’s life updates, exciting changes, or just a note to stay connected, feel free to reach out through email, text, or social media. Keep Riseing!

Angelica (Schumacher) McGillick

Angelica (Schumacher) McGillick, 4422 Georgia Loop, Columbus, MS 39705; 423-313-4206; angelicaschumacher7@ gmail.com

Another wedding congratulations this quarter for the Class of 2022! Jordan Graham got married in October 2023 to his beautiful new bride, Katie. Rumor has it he carried his gigantic, metal, one-gallon water bottle down the aisle with him. Jordan proposed in June 2023, when he flew out to Arizona from Wright-Patt to pop the question. They are buying their first house together in Ohio,

and they will be staying at Wright-Patt for Jordan’s second assignment after AFIT.

Jacob Ellison, jacob.ellison623@gmail.com

2023

Hello, fellow Sec — wait, no — FIRST lieutenants! Congratulations on the promotion and two years of service. Two years doesn’t seem like that long until you realize that means that the ’30ers are at the P right now … that’s crazy to think about. Anyway! I got to promote with some fellow grads while TDY with some other developmental engineers, Jessica Ahner, Kamri Heath and Mac Steiner. Jess finished her reign as a Baltimore Ravens cheerleader while in grad school and is now cheerleading for the Las Vegas Raiders as a Raiderette. My little update is that I moved to Florida and work with AFRL! So if you’re ever in the panhandle area, please come say hi. :) Kamri is leading tests down in the desert with her cute new puppy, Koda. Mac is moving up north from Florida and cannot wait to bike up there with actual elevation.

Overall, lots of engagements, weddings, track nights, drop nights, even trop nights. Lots of deployments, training and further education. I’m sure we can all relate to that little feeling of home when you run into someone you know from USAFA; a wonderful community to have. That being said — now that we’re two years out, I will be bothering you more — so if I reach out for a life update, don’t say I didn’t warn you, unless you’re not reading this, which is likely. BUT! I do have one fun tidbit from someone who reached out, most certainly as a joke, but I will include it anyway because it felt serious to me. Emelia McLaughlin would like everyone to know she now has a cool cat mug. That is all, until next time.

Eva Damon, usafa23news@gmail.com

2024

Hey, class! Happy fall season! Just a few updates from some of our classmates this quarter.

2nd Lt. Othniel H.J. Wetlesen graduated from the Basic School at MCB Quantico on May 16 and is now a member of the USMC! Congrats, Niel, on this huge accomplishment!

Othniel Wetlesen, center, with Capt. Joel Wetlesen, Capt. Samuel Wetlesen, Capt. Daniel Wetlesen and Lt. Col. Michael Wetlesen ’07

Also, please extend your biggest congratulations to Zoe (Iwu) Harris on her big wedding day! Zoe and Cameron Harris ’23 got married in Cancun, Mexico, on July 7. Congrats to their beautiful family!

Zoe (Iwu) Harris and Cameron Harris are all smiles on their wedding day!

That’s all for now. I know many of you are finishing up training, PCSing or PCAing, so stay strong in this season of change and enjoy the journey! As always, send me any fun updates of you and your friends to hboudreau.usafa@gmail.com.

Holly Boudreau, hboudreau.usafa@gmail.com

Howdy,’25! It is me, Henry Taylor, sometimes known as HT in 21, Hank, or other names, which I shall not utter here. I am your newly appointed scribe for the Class of 2025. Congratulations to all on graduating and commissioning, and I hope you are all enjoying the reclaimed freedom of being a regular adult outside of USAFA’s walls. I suppose I’ll introduce myself quickly before updating y’all on our class news!

If you were unlucky enough to be acquainted with me at USAFA, then you’ll know I was in Squadron 21 and was its supreme overlord — I mean, squadron commander — in the fall. I’m currently enjoying 60 days, but will be stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama, to begin helicopter training in August. If you find yourself trapped in Southern Alabama, give me a call, and I’ll help you escape!

Several of us ’25ers have gotten married since graduation! First up is Corinne (Hanson) Dietrich, who married her high school sweetheart, Elias Dietrich, on June 14 in Covington, Georgia. They honeymooned in Jamaica and then went to Greece for some rock climbing. Corinne was especially

thankful for all her USAFA friends who were able to make the trip out! Kolbe Villa and Madeline (Davis) Villa also married on June 14 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Isaiah Land and Brynn (Crownover) Land got married in the Springs on June 2.

Colton Stoub and Ally (Simpson) Stoub got married on June 14 in Allegan, Michigan. Joe Shealy married Lauren (Johnson) Shealy on June 6. Paden Ketter married Reese Eileen Schares — now Reese Ketter — on June 6 in Gilbertville, Iowa. They have been spending time in Port Washington, Wisconsin. Paden will be going to Wright-Patterson AFB for a graduate studies program and will eventually return to the Academy to teach!

Gunnar Gott married Grace (Boulden) Gott on May 30. Caroline (Guiler) Gloster married Conner Gloster on May 31 in Colorado Springs. They met at USAFA in the Drum and Bugle Corps and Russian class during their four-degree year. Conner is now attending CU Boulder, as he was medically retired from the military. He is studying aerospace engineering and will graduate in May 2026. I’m sure many others tied the knot, as they say. Hopefully, I will be able to track everyone down and include them in my next column. Congratulations to all on your weddings! Since everyone is currently out on 60 days, there isn’t much in the way of military, academic, or athletic competitions/accomplishments to be celebrated. However, a lot of our class has been traveling nationally and internationally before reporting to our first bases. After going to Paden’s wedding, Michael

Brown went to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for a week, then to Wildwood, New Jersey, for a couple of days before flying to South Korea. As of this writing, he is on a 10-day cruise that goes from Seoul, South Korea, to Tokyo, Japan. After that, he’ll be in London, England, for a few days.

Ryan Collier went to Kyrgyzstan with some friends from USAFA for part of his 60 days. First, they went on a three-day horse trek through the mountains, and then they went to a lake in the southeastern part of the country called Kel Suu.

They ended the trip by watching/playing Kok Boru, a traditional Central Asian sport played on horseback that involves two teams of riders competing to grab a headless goat carcass and essentially playing polo. Ryan and his friends stayed in yurts the whole time, enjoying the amazing Kyrgyz culture and people. If you are interested, I went to South Dakota with some friends, then to North Carolina for Ryan’24 and Evelyn (McBride) ’24 McClung’s wedding. After a quick trip to Moab, Utah, with friends, I am now in Alaska, driving to Kasilof for some fishing.

That’s all the news I’ve got for now. Please keep sending me updates of things y’all are up to!

LT. GEN. (RET.) RICHARD CLARK ’86 HONORED WITH OFFICIAL PORTRAIT

The U.S. Air Force Academy honored Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Richard Clark ’86, its 21st superintendent, on Aug. 12, with the unveiling of his official portrait — now displayed alongside other former superintendents near the entrances to Arnold Hall Theater. The portrait, created by artist James Tennison and funded with private support, was revealed during a special ceremony attended by USAFA faculty, former cadets and Gen. Clark’s family, friends and colleagues.

The portrait unveiling served as a significant moment in recognizing Gen. Clark’s service and legacy at the Academy. He dedicated 11 years to USAFA in various roles — including cadet, football coach, commandant and superintendent — marking more than four decades of service to the Air Force.

Following the ceremony, Gen. Clark participated in a mission brief and toured both the Honor Room and the Outdoor Leadership Complex.

His distinguished military career included roles such as deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration at the Pentagon and a White House fellowship. He also completed three combat deployments, earning honors such as the Distinguished Service Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Gen. Clark now serves as executive director of the College Football Playoff in Irving, Texas.

SEPTEMBER

20 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE AF VS. BOISE ST USAFA, COLORADO | 2PM - 4PM*

27 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE AF VS. HAWAII USAFA, COLORADO | TBD

2025 EVENTS

OCTOBER

4 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE AF AT NAVY ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 9AM - 11:30AM ( Eastern Time)

18 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE AF VS. WYOMING USAFA, COLORADO 10:30AM - 12:30PM*

*ALL TIMES ARE LISTED IN LOCAL MDT UNLESS NOTED.

**FALCON PASS IS NON-TRANSFERABLE, NAVY GAME IS NOT INCLUDED.

PURCHASE YOUR 2025

Join the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation and Air Force Athletics all season for home game tailgate fun. Each Falcon Pass includes all-you-can-eat food and two drink vouchers. Additional beverages will be available for purchase.**

NOVEMBER

1 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE AF VS. ARMY USAFA, COLORADO | 7AM - 9AM*

22 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE AF VS. NEW MEXICO USAFA, COLORADO | 2PM - 4PM*