December 2024          Foster Bitton

Inputs Galore: The Geritol must be kicking in because there were more inputs this quarter than there have been for the last 10 years, and some of them were almost intelligible.

Len Salvemini was inducted into the USAFA Athletics Hall of Fame at the East Club of Falcon Stadium on October 18th, and several of his CS-16 squadronmates were on hand to celebrate the event with him.

The Hacker Classic members held their annual desecration of golf and its courses in Colorado this year. Using Roy Rice’s “unique” handicap system, Rod Hennek was the overall net winner, Tom Popp carded the overall low gross score, and Larry Fariss took home the prestigious “most room to improve” award. At last report Roy is still on suspension for trying to rig numerous state lotteries, and Tom has won enough on golf side bets that his amateur status should have been revoked years ago, so any results from this outing can be taken with a grain of salt. The cabal provided photos of its members obscuring some great mountain scenery, which you can view at your leisure to the right of this column. You may not notice a significant difference between the various mob members because the truth is that all old men look alike, and if you doubt that just ask one of your young granddaughters who doesn’t have a fully developed tact filter.

Hugo Gray went to a Washington Nationals baseball game on Air Force Appreciation Night, where the SecAF, CSAF, Honor Guard, and Singing Sergeants were all in attendance. Also on hand was the current Miss America (and recent AFA grad) 2Lt Madison Marsh. In Hugo’s account, “She was mingling, so I stepped up and chatted. She was nice enough to pose for photos.” The encounter was probably more aptly described as stalking, and there’s at least a 50/50 chance that Hugo photoshopped himself into the picture, but it’s a good likeness of 2Lt Marsh, so it’s being included in our section of CP.

CS-31 had a good turnout for its mini reunion at Lake of the Ozarks in August. Larry Colletti invented “Larry golf” for the event, which allows hitting floating balls out of water, hitting tee shots blindfolded, and other aberrations of the rules of golf that were delivered to the club at Royal Saint Andrews on two stone tablets a few centuries ago. Steve Brown was adorned in a women’s dress for winning the short drive contest, so Larry golf does have its merits. Linking a drive as short as Steve’s to women is an insult to all women golfers on the planet, but it’s being reported here because Steve looks good in the dress, and some of his squadronmates would probably be willing to part with photos of him in the dress for a nominal fee. Rich Chanick’s version of this reunion states, “I stayed young and handsome and my classmates got old.” If you take a gander of the Reapers’ photos in Checkpoints Plus (Below), you’ll see that, apparently, delusions are like parasitic vines in the Chanick family tree.

Dick and Denise Dye are going to celebrate their 50th anniversary by taking a cruise on the Danube River next June. They’d love to have classmates join them, which is Denise’s way of saying, “Please don’t make me put up with Dick all by myself for an entire cruise.” It doesn’t have to be your 50th anniversary to join them, you just need to have compassion. If you’re interested, drop Dick a note. 

Terry and Peg Young attended a small family gathering in Wyoming to honor Peg’s mom’s first husband who was a co-pilot on a B-24J that crashed on a night time training mission in 1944. This was made possible by The Friends of the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum in Casper, WY, which has identified and installed engraved granite memorials on the accident sites of four WW II bomber aircraft based at Casper Army Air Base. Terry donned his Class A service dress for the first time in 22 years, and offered a salute on the accident site to honor those aircrews who “…gave the last full measure.” He said it was good closure for his wife and her brother, and a special link back to our Air Force heritage for him.

Legacy Class News: There’s a relatively new tradition of having the Legacy class (class of ’75 for the class of 2025) present 2Lt bars to each grad at the 40 commissioning ceremonies. If you would like to participate at 2025’s commissioning ceremonies (28 May 2025), Dick Dye will be soliciting volunteers. If you’re interested, contact Dick at DickDye1953@GMail.com.

SAVE THE DATE! Hoping most readers of this column have already heard via their Squadron POCs that Class of ‘75’s 50th reunion will be held 29 Oct - 1 Nov 2025 (Army weekend). Initial survey responses indicate that 80+% of our class will be there. If, for whatever reason, you’ve never been to a reunion, now is a good time to change your modus operandi. The 50th is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone and opportunity. Keep checking the Reunion Website for additional info/updates HERE.

GBNF: Dick Duesing, CS-35 and Chris Soto, CS-23. Details can be found at 75bestalive.org.


Len's acceptance speech at his
Hall of Fame induction
Courtesy of AF Athletics


Len receiving his award from
Director of Athletics Nathan Pine


Len with CS-16 classmates
at his induction


2024 Hacker Classic participants


2024 Hacker Classic celebration


Hugo Gray with reigning Miss America


CS31 mini-reunion at Lake of the Ozarks


Steve Brown receiving his coveted award


Terry & Peg Young with Peg’s brother, Jim

Checkpoints Plus

Kevin Burns: Retirement A Year Later…I retired from 52 years of combined uniformed and civilian USAF service on 30 Sep 2023. In mid-Dec 2023, I uploaded three LI posts about the realities of retirement (opportunities, challenges). I talked about what the next chapter of my life might look like. I also posted a picture of a button inscribed with “Failure Is Not an Option” (of NASA flight director Gene Kranz, Apollo 13 fame). How true this motto became - God certainly had other plans for at least my near-term retirement future. In my first post, I mentioned that I had a medical issue requiring minor surgery. On Jan 15, 2024, my “routine” surgery turned critical, yielding a life altering/threatening liver/bile duct cancer diagnosis, peri-hilar cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin Tumor, for short). My recovery involved working with 11 doctors around the country; periodic liver stent replacements in Houston; 18 infusions of chemo/immuno drugs; and, pending tumor reduction, either a surgery involving radical liver resection (13% mortality rate) or a lengthy liver transplant and recovery process. Without surgery, statistically, I had less than a year to live from tumor discovery. I prayed alot and I chose to treat this challenge as just another of life’s problems to solve and so far, Praise God, I have not reached a point where it is unsolvable. The doctors were brilliant people, but my medical team was split between a resection solution (characterized by opponents as too “dangerous”) and a transplant solution (characterized by opponents as too late), leaving the decision to my wife and me, who were admittedly ill-equipped to make it. We did the research and ultimately relied on God to guide our steps. I was firmly convinced that if we made the “wrong” surgery choice, God would be swift to correct it. On Nov 7, 2024, my liver resection surgeon, Dr Iswanto Sucandy, at Tampa AdventHealth, gave me a second chance at a cancer-free life. My recovery has been slow, but I’m finally heading home to forever give Thanks and restart retirement. So, what did I learn?

  • God is in Control: God’s Will/God’s Plan/God’s Voice/God’s Timing
  • Bountiful Blessings: Spouse, Clergy, Family, Friends, Colleagues, and Medical Staffs
  • Positive Attitude: Failure is Not an Option (FINAO); Mental Toughness, Extra Prayer (MTXP)
  • Challenges: Negotiating the bureaucracy of securing complex medical treatment is often more exhausting than fighting the disease itself
  • Reality: I had it easy compared to many whose cure protocols were much more debilitating than mine and/or whose problem ultimately became unsolvable
  • Semper Paratus. Your time to be tested may be coming. 2024 brought not only my trials, but my brother’s advanced Alzheimer diagnosis, as well as the rapid cancer diagnosis and death of my son-in-law’s mother.
  • North Star: Through it all, never forget that God is in Control. A great faith-based resource for tough times is The Red Sea Rules, by Robert J. Morgan.


Kevin Burns ringing the cancer-free bell

Rich Chanick: With apologies to Robert Frost

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;"

Where it "bent into the undergrowth" was at a recent 31st Sq Grim Reaper reunion at Lake of the Ozarks. Some golf played, some girls ogled, some truthful stories told and a tiny amount of adult beverages consumed.

"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

Road less traveled–I stayed young and handsome and my classmates got old.

"a tiny amount of
adult beverages consumed."

Paul Kent: I plan on being at the 50th. Maybe if the grass is mowed thin at the Eisenhower golf course, I can get a long drive out to almost 200 yards with the high altitude, cause I sure can’t here at sea level with wet grass. Probably shouldn’t be complaining about insignificant things like golf with large parts of the world fighting for survival, but that’s selfish me. And I won’t even bemoan that the Seattle Mariners didn’t make the playoffs. Best part of our life now is grand sitting; both kids and grandkids have moved to San Diego area and left WA state. Grandchildren are God’s gift to old people. At least when they’re pre-pubescent.

 

Perry Lamy: Linda and I took the AOG-sponsored World War II Band of Brothers' tour in October. It was excellent. We spent two weeks following the exploits of Easy Company starting in England and finishing in Berchtesgaden. The tour followed the HBO series and we visited every site depicted in each episode. In fact, we watched the series during our travels on the bus prior to getting to the next site.

We visited the Normandy beaches and area, went to Holland for Operation Market Garden, went to Bastogne and the Bois Jacques to the actual foxholes used by Easy Company during December 1944, and finished at Berchtesgaden and Hitler’s Eagles Nest. Unfortunately, a heavy snowstorm closed the mountain road to the Eagles Nest and we were unable to visit the mountain top.

The tour included two cast members from the series. We had Ross McCall on our bus who portrayed T-5 Joe Liebgott in the series. Shane Taylor spent a couple of days with us and he portrayed T-4 Eugene “Doc” Roe. These actors help the World War II Museum on its tours as they serve as “stand-ins” for the original member of Easy Company. In the course of filming the series, they interacted with the vets and consequently have first-hand knowledge of the men of Easy Company. They also provided interesting insights into the production of the series and how the sets were constructed. I found them to be a nice compliment to the tour.


Linda & me at St. Mere Eglise courtyard near the church made famous in “The Longest Day”. You can see the paratrooper mannequin on the church spire representing Private John Steele (played by Red Buttons in the movie).


Me with Shane Taylor & Ross McCall at our farewell dinner.


Our flight from Munich to London was
cancelled and delayed two days. To pass
the time, we celebrated Oktoberfest.

Jim Mahoney: Temps in Vegas this August were in the 110’s so Cyndy and I took off for a cruise to a cooler clime. Started in Southampton, UK with stops in Scotland, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and Northern Ireland. Three weeks on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator brings our 2024 travel day count to 131 and allowed us to log both the Antarctic and Arctic Circles in 2024. Possible pic on the Where’s Checkpoints page. Atlantic Ocean crossing on the books for November. Retirement does not suck.

 

Bill Murray: One of the absolute pinnacles of my trip with Judy to Colorado recently to see the Navy football game and to visit with buddies from my squadron was our private meeting with Dr James Dobson, (Focus on the Family founder, and now founder of Family Life Ministries), a life-long mentor of mine that I had never met, but admired greatly… We talked about many things during this hour, but the entire visit was an absolute joy for me… We left hugging and fulfilled. I knew I had been in the presence of one of God’s favorites, a humble, quiet, straight-talking Man of God. What a blessing and what a life-time memory.

Jim Carlson: My 5-year old, Aya, is helping me swap out my Hawaii "AFA 75" plates to my Virginia "USAFA 75" ones.

Checkpoints Extras

High Strife

The Class of 1975's poet laureate (A.K.A the Class Scribe) has again penned a piece both for your entertainment and to motivate you into contributing to his quarterly efforts.

(with apologies to John Gillespie Magee, Jr)

Oh, I have slipped the solid bonds of Earth,
          And smacked the ground with neither style nor grace.
Heavenward, I’ve cursed the lack of turf,
          Then cursed again the court that took its place.
Groaning now, I roll on aching knees,
          While silently I vow to rise with verve,
And pray once more no vital joints will seize,
          Then bid my foe to carry on and serve.
The limping, wizened maiden feigns concern.
          “Are you okay? Perhaps you’d like a break?”
I know her kind. To stop her one must learn,
          Walk softly, and carry a wooden stake.
She serves, I volley, and then she errs
          By lobbing the pickled orb too high.
Up, up, I climb, on invisible stairs,
          The vengeance I seek is but nigh.
My arm extended to maximum length,
          I relish this Heaven-sent gift,
Swinging the paddle with all of my strength,
          I make...an inglorious whiff.
And then, in silence I slink out of sight,
          Homeward to tend to bruised ego and skin,
“See you next week,” she says, knowing she’s right.
          I’ve been pickled...but I’ll never give in.

 

Association of Graduates Class Advisory Senate          Bruce Mitchell


CAS Minutes


USSF at USAFA

Here is a customary overview for your consideration and use (as applicable to your efforts on behalf of our class) from tonight's (25 October) USAFA AOG Class Advisory Senate meeting, just concluded.

Overview – Agenda topics:
a. Briefing on USAFA Cadets pathway(s) into US Space Force
b. AOG Issues from CEO and Board Chair and Grad Relations VP
c. Update on Honor Code toleration administration for 4 degrees and 3 degrees
d. CAS Election of officers and Executive Committee members in two weeks
e. USAFA AOG election of officers and by-law revisions in Jan/Feb 2025, details to be rolling out in coming weeks
f. CAS discussion of ad hoc topics
g. Sidebar with USAFA '74 reunion chairman.

a. USAFA cadets have multiple avenues now embedded in active curriculum, extra-curriculars, leadership options and clubs to learn about and aim for involvement in Space Force careers, or to better understand the contribution of space missions to the overall Air Force mission and the joint fight. We now have 300 USAFA grads/lieutenants on AD in the Space Force, with another 100 slated to join from class of '24. (16000 total members of Space Force, 4000 total officers at present). All of ROTC (130 some-odd detachments) to commission 124 into USSF this year. USAFA applicant to selection ratio is about 6 to 1 right now. USMA and USNA share about a half-dozen accession billet opportunities per year. '24 will be the last class (given current AFMPC structures) to be able to request a preferred AFSC within Space Force in their application...from then on it will be "take what you can get of the 6 available AFSC's available to USSF officers/new commissions, but no guarantees that you'll get the AFSC in Space Force that you first desire. Briefed by Col Mark Sands, USSF Delta 11, USAFA '94.

b1. AOG CEO Mark Hille briefed details of a member-initiated input to the BOD on candidates for the 2025 election and proposed by-law changes, and how the AOG will not take a public position on this input and that it was considered by the board. Mark also clarified the rules for a member organization to share contact information of members with members relating to "for purpose" activities of the organization in relation to members, under Colorado Law, under which the AOG by-laws fall and to which they comply. Let me know if you wish to discuss this further, as explanation is not suitable for this summary e-mail.

b2. AOG BOD Chair Brian Bishop briefed board progress, recent meetings, disposition of the member-input Unity governance proposal by the board, and that the new Supt Lt Gen Tony Bauernfeind is very engaged with the AOG and either or both Bishop and Hille have meetings with the Supt at least monthly. Supts focus areas for cadets to be infused from USAFA are warfighting skills, excellence in leadership and creative thinking. Chair Bishop urged all members to get informed on BOD candidates for the election and be sure to vote!

b3. Alumni relations VP Navierre Walkawics is moving to N. Dakota next year and will be taking a different position supporting the AOG. New Alumni relations VP candidates are being interviewed and they are seeking a retired senior officer, O6 or above to fill this position next. This new position will likely be filled prior to our reunion...like in the spring or certainly by summer '25 (heads-up!) USAFA alumni membership (free to all grads) numbers are up from 59% to 71.2% at present. (We in '75 are at about 65% members)

c. Senior Honor advisors Hans Mueh (the man, the legend) and Tom Berry '71 briefed details of how 4 degrees and  3 degrees involvement in Honor Code toleration clause is being administered. See Checkpoints for details or call/write me to discuss further as this subject is too complex for this e-mail form of comm. Basically, the emphasis for frosh and soph cadets is on accountability for toleration clause awareness and challenging the offending party, but not reporting to honor board directly. 3 degrees must discuss toleration incident details with their senior squadron honor advisor (such as Mssrs Mueh and Berry, et al), but no requirement to report the honor incident directly to honor representative. Firsties and two degrees are to treat the toleration clause just as we did.

d. CAS election for president will be 7-17 November; two candidates are senators from '72 and '91. No challengers for VP were nominated, so AJ Ranft from '73 will be the new CAS VP. Dittos for CAS Secretary, so Tom Hayden '74 will remain as Sec'y.

e. 2025 election 2025 AOG election will have the membership select 5 board members from 17 candidates. (must be a member to vote, still time to "join" before mid December to make the 2025 election ballot rolls) More information will roll out on the election in the coming 2 months...vote will be electronic and members will be contacted to vote by e-mail with link to e-voting apparatus.

f. CAS hot topics at round table discussion were follow-on opinions on the "unity group" change inputs and candidates for BOD, responses to changes in toleration clause administration for 3 and 4 degrees, and thanks relayed to Randy Helms, current CAS President and Navierre Walkowicz for their service to USAFA and the AOG for the past years.

g. USAFA '74 reportedly had a successful and fun 50th during Navy week, a fortnight ago. I was unable to get details tonight from Tom Hayden, but I'm sure he'd be open to Q&A post-mortem from Jeff and/or Dick. Also note, I believe we should and I will advocate for planning of a class business meeting associated with our 2025 reunion weekend. The Pres can work with the class to set the meeting agenda, but election of your Class Advisory Senate rep should be on the agenda...with potential run-up of candidates to take place before the reunion. (I've been at this for 15 years, so I'm willing to step down for a replacement...fresh perspective or new opportunity to serve the class.)

As usual, I'll let you know when the formal minutes are posted. Please let me know if you have questions or comments.

Bruce

Album

 

1. Al Morrison. (Lindsey McCannel Morrison, October 2024)

2. Bob Walden & son-in-law Robert providing goods to hurricane victims in Asheville, North Carolina. (Robert Burch, October 2024)

3. Don Cunningham celebrating his birthday with daughter Kelly in Las Vegas. (October 2024)

4. Mark & Mary Volcheff celebrating their 37th anniversary. (Mary Dwyer Volcheff, October 2024)

 

 

 

5. Rick & Pauline Kim celebrating their grand-twins 8th birthday. (October 2024)

6. Dennis Brooks striking a pose. (October 2024)

7. Oleh Stefaniuk & Luke doing a little fishing. (Veronika Nemeth Stefaniuk, October 2024)

8. Lee Colburn apparently posing for a Jack-O-Lantern. (Jackie Calvert Colburn, October 2024)

 

 

 

9. Willie Cosby & friends celebrating the Dodgers win. (Rick Alvarez, October 2024)

10. Mickey & Jeannine Clemons with the Barrel Man and Moana. (October 2024)

11. Ben Bosma & Aiden about to dig in to a large sushi spread. (Chris Bosma, October 2024)

12. Paul Kent: Bandon Dunes on the sandy dunes coast of Oregon has become, in the last 25 years, a unique, and somewhat indescribable golf experience for the faithful. Thanks to my cousin Tom, we were joined by our younger cousin Jackson, for that experience. Sadly, Cousin Doug had to cancel at the last minute, as he was gifted the great honor of being with his mother as she passed to eternal life. Tom and I played 128 holes of golf in 6 days. Bandon is a hilly, walking-only course, that emphasizes co-existence with the terrain before there ever were golf courses there. I felt like I was on one of my old backpacking trips. All structures blend aesthetically with nature like a National Park feeling. You can almost get lost on the golf course, especially looking for the proper tee boxes, and I would have, except that Tom had been there in the past. It was such a great privilege to experience this place as I age and my flexibility and stamina decrease. Also, that I was financially able to do it, as it’s not an inexpensive adventure. For all of this: family, health, finances; I am very grateful. I just wish the Golf Gods would be kinder to me on the course. But that’s a minor problem, in my mind. (October 2024)

 

 

 

13. Dave Ruddock looking up. (David Patti Ruddock, October 2024)

14. Steve Duresky & family celebrating Halloween. (Adam Duresky, November 2024)

15. Don Byers & grandsons at the Air Force/Fresno State game. (Jennifer Lawton, November 2024)

16. Ben Bosma, perhaps planning a trip to Mars. (November 2024)

 

 

 

17. Mike Lischak celebrating Thanksgiving with his family. (November 2024)

18. Steve Blackburn celebrating Thanksgiving with his grandchildren . (November 2024)

19. Elizabeth & Eric Rosborg celebrating Thanksgiving. (November 2024)

20. Jim Schuman: Had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Katie and the kiddos! Possibly my last time visiting them in Colorado before they move to Seattle. Lived in Tacoma/Puyallup for eight years and really looking forward to visiting them and a lot of other friends in that area. (December 2024)

 

 

 

21. Paul Kent: With the grandkids at Mission Beach, San Diego. (December 2024)

22. Rick Kim: Pauline’s retirement from the pharmaceutical industry was celebrated w/a long-delayed surprise party Sunday evening at Momo Sushi & Grill in Tigard, OR. (December 2024)

23. Bill Murray: Ollie Lorenz, me, and Charlie Simmons at the North Texas AOG Christmas party. Our AOG chapter has been awarded the “Distinguished” group since 2011. We always win the party, if not the game! (December 2024)

24. Steve Duresky: Autumn hikes with family are magical. (December 2024)

 

 

 

25. "Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Perry Lamy '75 checked in with Checkpoints while paying tribute at Gen. George S. Patton's gravesite at the Luxembourg American Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place for 5,075 American service members." (Checkpoints Magazine, December 2024)

26. "Maj. (Ret.) Tony Mahoney '75 checked in while passing north of the Arctic Circle while on a cruise aboard Regent Seven Seas Navigator with his wife, Cyndy. The three-week cruise included sites of Scotland, Iceland, Greenland and Ireland. "This completes our task of crossing both the Arctic and Antarctic Circles in CY 2024," he said." (Checkpoints Magazine, December 2024)

27. Bruce Fritzsche presiding over the Wreaths Across America ceremony at the USAFA cemetery. (USAFA Official Photo, December 2024)

28. Bruce Fritzsche and current USAFA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind escorting Ms. Eula Harmon Hof, daughter of Lt. General Hubert Harmon, first USAFA superintendent, in placing a wreath on General Harmon's grave. (USAFA Official Photo, December 2024)

 

 

 

29. Jim & Lee Anne Foreman with a bevy of beauties at the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles. Jim seems to be doing OK. (Karen Ware Marchetti, December 2024)

30. Oleh & Veronika Stefaniuk enjoying a sunset cruise on a friend's new boat. (Veronika Nemeth Stefaniuk, December 2024)

31. Tim O'Connell skiing: Snow was too powdery and deep for snowshoes on Wolf Creek Pass. On the next steps it went up to my chest. (December 2024)

32. Mike Lischak: The gift that keeps on giving. (Jean Andrea, December 2024)

 

 

 

33. Stan Jones: The Colorado Ski Bums are back in action at Keystone. Merry Christmas to all! (December 2024)

34. Dave & Patti Ruddock enjoying some holiday cheer in Lader Ranch, California. (December 2024)

35. Bill Murray (in his ongoing life's mission to be photographed with every living human being) with Rich Hill, the head baseball coach at the University of Hawaii. (December 2024)

36. Dave & Janet Wallace at the All Service Academy Ball. Comment from Dave Beatty: Gucci smack yer neck is crooked... Dave Wallace: So's the tie. Starting the tours now... (Janet Middleton Wallace, December 2024)

 

 

 
 

37. Tom Laurie & family enjoying a post-Christmas hike in New Hampshire. (Matthew LeBlanc, December 2024)

38. Ken Finn enjoying fresh snow with Jennifer Finn Barrett & Dan Barrett in Breckenridge, Colorado. (Dan Barrett, December 2024)

39. David Hickman: Christmas with our family members living in Berlin, Germany. (December 2024)

 

 

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