November 2008 Update
35TH REUNION A BIG SUCCESS
As everyone who attended knows, the 35th reunion was a terrific success with over 500 classmates and family joining. The Reunion Committee has already ‘hot-washed’ the event, sent the AOG a list of suggestions for their future use, and put together an ‘After Action’ to help with the next reunion.
NCLS: FEB 19-21 2009
Save the date. Our class is the Flagship Sponsor for the National Character and Leadership Symposium; this year’s event will take place 19-21 February. The Cadet Wing, 200 college students, faculty, and a good number of invited and paying attendees will come to listen to 40 speakers address this year’s theme "Answering The Nation’s Call... Our Legacy In The Making." Quite a few of you indicated you were interested in helping and attending. The Center of Character Development would like ’73 volunteers to help in a variety of ways, but is especially interested in having graduates mentor breakout discussions led by cadets. If you are interested in attending/helping send a note to munson1@comcast.net. Spouses welcome. For those that have not attended, this is an impressive event. More information at the bottom of this page.
CLASS GIFT: STATUS
Times are tough, but we’re still giving back to USAFA. Though the recession is having an effect on our overall giving rates, the good news is that we’re still supporting the NCLS by digging into our pockets. As of Thanksgiving Day the AOG has contacted less than half of our class, and of those contacted a third gave generously.
For those who haven’t answered the call yet, you can help by picking up the phone and responding whether you can give or not. Anything you can give will help; but if you can’t give everyone understands and the AOG caller will cross you off their list.
AOG: UPDATE
The Association of Graduates provides over 60 services to its members, and many of those are available to non-member graduates as well. Putting together our reunion was just one of those services; the AOG covered our up-front costs and did most of the legwork organizing this last reunion. In addition to serving graduates, the AOG is actively improving our alma mater and improving the quality of the graduates. In that regard, they are doing most of the detail work administering our class gift (under our supervision) and getting it to the Center for Character Development for the NCLS.
Our class is as influential in the AOG as any: “T” Thompson is the CEO/President, Bob Munson is on the Board of Directors, and Mike Mosier and Larry Balash represent all of us in the Class Senate. Mike Mosier is now soliciting ideas to improve the support of local USAFA Chapters; contact him at mike.mosier@comcast.net. Superintendent John Regni has developed a vision to improve USAFA over the next decade; the Board of Director’s and “T” are now developing and positioning the AOG to support his vision.
WELCOME HOME, ROWE
By the time you read this, SSgt Rowe Stayton will soon be re-deployed back to the US from Iraq. We’ll be having a belated reunion lunch on 19 Dec at the USAFA Falcon Club (used to be the O’Club) for him. If you are in the area and are interested in joining send a note to munson1@comcast.net. Rowe has been invited to be a speaker at the upcoming NCLS…he fits the theme “Answering our Nation’s Call…” about as well as any of the speakers.
ODDS & SODS
Looks like the USAFA football team will be going to the Armed Services Bowl. AFA hockey is the only undefeated college team in the nation; already the local papers are getting worked up over the upcoming game against #3 Colorado College. Steve McCauley is moving forward on his “73 Stories” concept; Mike Nishimuta has already registered a domain and Steve is actively soliciting classmates with personal anecdotes from their experience at the Zoo and on active duty.
Best regards to all of the Class of ’73 in this holiday season,
| President | Bob Munson | Senator | Mike Mosier |
| Vice President: | Ron Scott | Senator2 | Larry Balash |
| Treasurer | Trapper Carpenter | Scribe | Joe Kahoe |
| Secretary | John Stefonik | Webmaster | Mike Nishimuta |
| Sgt at Arms: | BJ Stanton | Past President: | Mitch Mitchell |
NATIONAL CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM
This year's theme is "Answering The Nations Call... Our Legacy In The Making." The theme is centered on one of the three Air Force Core Values: "Service Before Self", as well as one of the Air Force Academy's Outcomes: "Service to the Nation". Our goal with this theme is to capture the broad spectrum of ways that people answer the call to serve their nation and their fellow-man; highlight how ordinary people are serving in extraordinary ways; and instill a sense that serving the nation goes far beyond raising your arm to the square and taking an oath that legacies are built on how we answer the call to serve.
Click here for Basic NCLS information, though the final schedule and speakers had not been posted as of Thanksgiving.
William "T" Thompson Named AOG President/CEO
The Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy has announced the selection of William L. Thompson, ’73, as the organization's president and chief executive officer.
Known as “T” to classmates and friends, he brings years of experience to the AOG as an award-winning entrepreneur, airline pilot, community and government leader, tax attorney, and public speaker.
While working as a Delta Air Lines pilot, he owned several successful small businesses, and served on boards of directors of a number of diverse organizations, ranging from national charities to local banks. Thompson also served for 17 years as head of the Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission–under three different governors from both political parties.
Service to organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Bank of America, Boeing, Boy Scouts of America, and 100 Black men of Atlanta, Inc. further enhances his impressive résumé.
In looking at what our fellow service academy's alumni associations have accomplished, Thompson set his sights high. “There is no reason why we can’t organize our grads and friends of the AOG and the Academy to surpass those excellent organizations in what they do for their members and their institutions. That’s my goal going in.”
As a cadet, Thompson was a receiver on the 1971 Falcon team that went to the Sugar Bowl, and as a firstie he served on Wing Staff.
Thompson starts on August 15th. He succeeds Gary Howe, '69 who has been serving as CEO since the retirement of Jim Shaw, '67, who left the position in March after over 15 years of service to the organization.
General Norton Schwartz takes the Flag
8/12/2008 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- The Air Force's 19th chief of staff spoke of mending fences and earning trust in his speech after assuming command of the service during a ceremony here Aug. 12.
"Without trust, we are nothing," Gen. Norton A. Schwartz said to the crowd of about 600 people on the base's ceremonial lawn. "Trust must be earned, yet the American public trusts those in uniform. We will show ourselves worthy of the sacred trust our leaders, our joint brethren and the American people place in us, because this business is all about trust."
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and acting Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley both attended the ceremony, along with friends, family and Airmen who will work for General Schwartz.
"What most people don't know is that General Schwartz and I have something in common: both of us were planning to retire," Secretary Gates said. "I thought Washington D.C. was in my rearview mirror 15 years ago, but circumstances changed and here I am today, able to do unto others what others have done to me."
On June 9, Secretary Gates recommended General Schwartz, who was the U.S. Transportation Command commander, to replace Gen. T. Michael Moseley.
"General Schwartz's leadership qualities make him the right man at the right time [for this job]," he said. "He is one who has lived the core values of Airmen and women: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do."
Shortly before the ceremony, Secretary Gates presented the Defense Distinguished Service Medal to General Schwartz in a private meeting with the officer's family. He also presented the general's wife, Suzie Schwartz, with the Distinguished Public Service Award for her work with Airmen, families and wounded warriors.
"We thank Suzie for her support of families," said Secretary Donley, "We are grateful she's at his side to continue to improve the lives of our Airmen."
Prior to becoming chief of staff, General Schwartz spent nearly three years as commander of Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., where he was the single manager for global air, land and sea transportation for the Defense Department.
General Schwartz began his Air Force career in 1973 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a bachelor's degree in political science and international affairs. During his 35-year career, he has logged more than 4,400 flying hours in a variety of aircraft and participated in war and peacetime operations in Vietnam, Iraq and Cambodia.
He served in several other command assignments, including Special Operations Command Pacific, Alaskan Command, Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, and 11th Air Force. He also served as director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon.
Norton Schwartz Change of Command. (L to R) Mike Mosier, Bob Munson, Paul Freund, Al Rotach, John Corley, Bruce Wright, Nort and Suzie Schwartz, Spencer Way, Don Wurster, Steve Lorenz, Frank Klotz and (seated) Skip Sanders
1973 Cadet Chorale Recording Available
Brian
Beard, who was a member of the Cadet Chorale, has made a CD set of the 1973 June
Week Chorale Concert. Perhaps some of you were there with your brides-to-be.
Visit Brian's link
here. This would make a nice gift for your parents, also.
Stephen Lorenz Change of Command, Randolph AFB
Steve Lorenz pinned on his fourth star and assumed command of Air Education Training Command on July 2, 2008 at Randolph AFB, TX. Top Left to Right, Mike and Sandra Mosier, Skip and Joanne Sanders, Paul and Jane Freund, Steve and Leslie Lorenz, Mike Nishimuta, Bruce and Janet Myer, Bob and Pam Munson. Bottom: Pin on Ceremony.
CS40 Squadron Newsletter - Sep 2007 Oct 2007
Reassignments and Promotions
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| Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the Air Force | Steve Lorenz Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB. | Don Wurster Commander, Special Operations Command, Hurlburlt Field. |
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| Gen John Corley Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB. | Lt Gen Frank Klotz Assistant Vice Chief of Staff and Director, Air Staff, HQ USAF | District Judge Kirk Samelson Chief Judge for the 4th Judicial District. |
National Character and Leadership Symposium 2008
The 15th Annual National Character and Leadership Symposium took place February 20th through the 24th, 2008. The theme of the symposium was "Impassioned Citizenship - Can One Make a Difference". The event was phenomenal. The United States Air Force Academy hosted 200 visiting students and their faculty advisors from across the nation as well as a delegation from Canada, Japan and South Korea. The renowned speakers came from many different walks of life. The NCLS is funded with the 1973 Class Gift.
View the 2008 NCLS program (Click Here)
Class Senate Appointment
The Class Senate was instituted on May 4, 2006. This is Article V of the AOG By-Laws:
ARTICLE V. Class Advisory Senate
Section 1. The Senate will consist of not more than one (1) graduate member selected by each graduated class.
Section 2. The Senate shall meet at least annually, pursuant to procedures established by the Board. They shall act as an outreach arm of AOG leadership, seeking members’ views and attempting to resolve differences among those views. The Senate will be consulted by the Board, and will inform the Board on relevant issues.
Section 3. Senate members may serve two (2) consecutive two-year terms, and are eligible for selection to another term after a two-year break. Senate members representing classes graduating in even number years shall be selected in even numbered years. Classes graduating in odd number years shall be selected in odd numbered years. The first Senate shall be selected from all classes, with those from the current numbered classes serving a one-year term.
Section 4. A Director will be appointed to be the liaison between the Board and the Senate.
Brigadier General Robert F. McDermott
Today I had the honor and privilege of attending the funeral of Brigadier General Robert F. McDermott. He passed away last week of a stroke, while at his desk working at the University of the Incarnate Word. He was 86, but as energetic and full of the hope for the future as when he arrive in San Antonio in 1968, at age 48. He had already completed a full career – from fighter pilot on D-day, to becoming the first permanent dean of the faculty at USAFA.
In San Antonio he galvanized the community, created a vision of what could be, and executed on that. He turned USAA from a $271M company to a $31 Billion company, kept the Spurs in San Antonio, built the Alamodome, Fiesta Texas, La Cantera, the Economic Development Foundation, The Texas Research Park, and brought together unhappy factions of San Antonio. The arrival of a new Toyota factory and the explosive growth of this region is directly due to his influence and legacy.
The funeral was attended by 600 of faithful friends from all over the region, former USAA employees and presidents, politicians, business people, and McD’s large extended family from his first wife Alice and second wife Marnie. It was dignified as McD was, and ended with the roll of a snare drum, and then the Jim Collum jazz band rendition of “As the Saints Go Marching In.” I’ve never seen the Archbishop recess to that tune.
As former Secretary of Housing Henry Cisneros gave a moving eulogy of his life, I thought back on my academy experience, which began a year after McD had finished making his mark on USAFA, creating a radical new military education curriculum with freedom to choose academic majors, and the creation of the“whole-man” concept, with character and integrity as cornerstones along with academic rigor.
In the past six years Catherine and I had the opportunity to see McD several times. Catherine had worked at USAA when he was chairman, and we saw him each year at the Alamo chapter Founder’s Day dinner and other San Antonio events. He always remembered us.
Three years ago, Catherine and I picked Marnie and the General up from their home in Terrell Hills, and took them to the Fiesta Gartenfest, where the USAFA drum and bugle corps played, and the Academy choir sang and honored him. We had an enjoyable evening with the grads and the Fiesta partygoers that evening.
Just two months ago, McD and Marnie were invited to the 50th anniversary mass for Archbishop Flores of San Antonio, who had just retired. The chancery asked me to provide transportation for them, so we picked them up at the USAA towers where they had recently moved to after selling their house. I expected to be just a chauffeur, and drop them at the front door, but the Sister in charge of the liturgy asked us to join them in the front row with Bishop Flores’ family. The reception after the mass was a bit of pandemonium, as Bishop Flores came to sit with us, and hundreds of people lined up to wish Bishop Flores well. My humble task of finding food and drink for them among the crowds was my last service to McD. As we dropped them off at the towers, McD opened the door for Catherine – always the gentleman. He told us that next time we met, we’d have to come up and see their apartment – then followed up with a hand-written card of thanks and invitation.
McD was the most influential person I have ever personally known. Many of the grads in the San Antonio area could call him a close friend, and spent much time with him. My time was brief, and I look forward to visiting him someday in his new apartment – the one I’m sure he occupies in the garden, right at the foot steps of our Lord “up there.”
I wanted to be at this historic event today, on behalf of all Academy graduates who owe part of their life to his influence, and wanted to share this with you.
Mike Nishimuta
September 1, 2006
San Antonio, TX