4140 Saddle Rock Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
joedebkahoe@comcast.net
jkahoe@arinc.com
719-268-1146 (h); 719-570-8658 (w)
We owe a very big “thank you” to Bob Munson for his outstanding work as our Class Scribe for the past three years. Dr. Bob invested countless hours reaching out to capture snippets of our lives. His articles have drawn us a little bit closer together as proud graduates of USAFA’73. Thank you, Bob!
I quickly discovered there is far too little space in our Checkpoints to include everything folks have sent, so I encourage all to read this unedited version. Big thanks to Mike for building and maintaining this site! Mike works for M7 Aerospace in San Antonio.
Congrats to our two new Major Generals -- Brad Young (CS-07) AF Reserve!! … now
one of 21 Reserve MGs; and Major General Mike Edwards, the new Adjutant General
of Colorado!! We are very proud of both of you and are looking forward to
seeing both of you in uniform at the 35th reunion.
Left Scott Wilson (CS-38) and new bride, Maria (actress & model). Scott is still flying as a Captain with NW Airlines and working part time as stock broker & financial planner.
Charlie and Donna Felton (CS-10): Charlie is a Captain with NetJets, flying Citation 10 and loving it! He still keeps his hand in golf by working part time at the Academy Golf Course during the summer. “Donna is starting her Doctorate in Nursing this June at UCCS. Along with teaching responsibilities at Beth-El College of Nursing as a professor, she continues to love living back in her home town of Colorado Springs! Son Phil (33) and wife Brenda are expecting their first child mid-July and have been living in LA for 9 years. Phil has been with the Hilton Corporation for 8 years and works at the Hilton Universal in LA as a manager. Daughter Kim (29) and husband Matt are living in Colorado Springs near mom and dad! Kim will finish her BS in performing arts and will go on for her Master's next year. She hopes to teach acting and keep her hand in it as a director as well. The family takes a vacation together once every other year and are planning their trip to Disney World in October so that they can introduce the new baby to Mickey Mouse!! We will be staying at the Shades of Green, the military resort on Disney World property. So for those of you who want to vacation at Disney and have a great place to stay for a reasonable amount, look this up.”
Tim Long on his Saddlebred, Kiowa Kid, Right
Tim Long is still in Louisville and flies 757/767s for UPS and teaches in the Training Center. Tim and Cindi (wife) ride horses as a hobby and exercise. “Several years ago, we owned a horse named Doolie, but we outgrew him. With this new horse, we are planning to do the Kentucky show circuit this summer. Our daughter, Nicole, is a sophomore/jumior at NYU studying neuropsychology. I say sophomore/junior as she placed out of enough classes to graduate a year early. She's planning on graduate work with her top choices being Berkeley or Stanford, but it's still too early to bet on that.”
Dennis Haugh lives in Denver and helped start our quarterly lunches for the nearly 80 classmates living in Colorado. Dennis is the flight software lead for Orion and is enduring a 3.5 hour daily commute deep into Denver.
Big thanks to John Kuconis for his CS-19 update: “CS-19 is doing well. I still work at Lincoln Laboratory as a member of the Technical Staff. I spend several weeks a year hiking on the Appalachian Trail in my quest to complete the trail from the NY border to the top of Maine. My wife Chong Sun is doing well in her bout with breast cancer and has been cancer free for three years. Bryan and Patty Clark are living in Atlanta. Bryan retired from Delta Air Lines on 1 Sep 2003. He has a Juice Plus and small apparel business, runs a large youth basketball organization and coaches an AAU team, and plays golf when he can. Tom and Beth Blase are stationed at Lackland AFB. Tom is a Colonel and the lead Chaplain. Tom's son Woody is a Marine and has just returned from a tour in Iraq. With Don Wetekam’s retirement on 31 May, Tom is now the last CS-19 Class of 73ers on active duty. Don and Sheri Wetekam are still in DC. Lt Gen "Hank" Wetekam retired on 31 May at Bolling AFB. Sam and Roni Grier are still in Rome. Sam is the Dean for the NATO War College. Dave and Karen Brown live in Colorado Springs. "Chaw" is a surgeon at a local hospital. Dale and Georgie Randolph are still living in Alaska. His USAFA CE degree is being applied on a project to develop port facilities at Midway Island. Al and Kimberly Briding live in Monument, CO. AJ is working as a consultant for a firm providing services to New Orleans following Katrina. Jim and Natalie Mateos live in Dallas. Jim is a 767-757 pilot for AA on international routes to Europe, Central / South America, Caribbean, and Hawaii. Natalie volunteers frequently at church. Jaclyn, his oldest daughter, graduated from Texas A&M last summer, married, and works in MD, while her husband is earning his master's degree in fire protection engineering. Teresa, his youngest girl, is finishing her sophomore year at Texas A&M studying accounting. Chuck and Judy Mitchell live in the Langley area. Chuck is a Zeltech Corp contractor working at Langley AFB. Ron and Carol Johnson live in Tucson. Ron flies for SW. Bob and Wanda Glitz live in the Chicago area. Bob returned "home" following his retirement and works for a DoD contractor. Leo and Rosie Aguinaldo are retired in the Los Angeles area. Don and Tracy Ramm live in the San Diego Area and belong to a local flying club and are big into flying small airplanes on weekends. Don has started his own computer business. Fred and Leigh McNeil live in Memphis, where Fred works for UPS. Dave and Nancy Hanson live in SC. "Bush" is an F-16 sim instructor at Shaw AFB and is Southeast Region President of AFA. Craig and Sandy Patchin live in Salt Lake City, where "Patch" is the hospital administrator for the Shriner Hospital. Denny and Sherri Maple are both flying for SW in Phoenix. Chris and Sandi Black are in Atlanta. Chris retired from Delta and I think is selling prefab homes. John and Vickie Duncan are in DC. Dunc is an SES-5 working for the State Department and Vickie is an attorney. Don and Lori Kanipe live in Beavercreek, Ohio. Don works at WPAFB. John Rowgacki lives in the Fort Walton Beach area. I believe Row is affiliated with West Florida University. Dave and Sue Fulk live in California. Bob and Barbara Jean Hartman live in Apple Valley, CA. I had dinner with Steve Trent last fall. Steve was my 3 degree roommate and was in Boston for a medical conference. We went out for dinner in the North End. I received an email from Rowe Stayton. Rowe Stayton was a recent speaker at Maxwell AFB. As we all know he is a member of the Arkansas Army Guard. He is headed back to Iraq or Afghanistan in the fall. We wish him all the best.”
John Muse re-engaged with the AOG about 6 years ago. John is yet another classmate we owe a debt of gratitude. For those that don’t already know, John provided the leadership challenge matching funds a few years ago and helped kick off the NCLS (National Character and Leadership Symposium). John and Lyn have 5 children and John is the Chairman of HM Capital. John’s personal and professional life is founded on character and integrity. John and Lyn have been married 34 years and have been blessed with 2 sons, Michael (25) & Tyler(22) & 3 daughters, Whitney (21), Morgan (17) & Elizabeth (15). John is Chairman of HM Capital, a private equity firm, which he co-founded in 1989. Luke Coker retired from the AF Reserve on 6 May at Peterson AFB. Luke spent 28 years in the cockpit and amassed 8,500 hours … wow! Luke said “it sure has been fun.” Congrats on a great career! … 1 year flying the T-29, 5 years flying the B-52G, 8 years flying the C-130B, 3 years flying the C-130E, and 11 years flying the C-130H3, for a total of about 8500 hours. Luke has been in the 302AW for 22 years.
Mike Nishimuta works for M7 Aerospace in San Antonio and is working the USN T-44 Avionics Upgrade Proposal with ARINC as their Sub. He is posting the long version of this article to his web site (Thank you, Mike) at http://73.texascomputerhelp.com. Mike just finished a vacation at the Grand Canyon. Mike & Pris Arnett still live in Merritt Island, FL and along with Trapper Carpenter at USAFA and Vic Thuotte, will be keeping me posted on 9th SQ, so all of you 9th SQ folks, please send your update to Mike to consolidate. Randy Fotinakes is manager of New Product Development and Config Control at EFC and has worked recently on the design of the enhanced fuel cell for the KC-135. EFC makes a product that can be applied externally to fuel containment structures that will protect them against fuel loss when penetrated by small arms fire. Randy’s product can actually seal a 23 mm entrance wound. This product would be especially useful to protect critical fuel supplies and transfer carriers, such as rail cars. In fact, I (Joe Kahoe) am hoping to connect my employer (ARINC) with EFC, through Randy, to apply these fuel tank sealers. Lt Gen John Regni, our USAFA Superintendent, wants all to know of the strong success of our class of '73's work and contributions to the National Character and Leadership Symposium. “Our class (with both volunteers here and being the lead donor) really did us proud--best NCLS ever!” The closing paragraph in a letter from Bob Munson, which is also posted on this web site, gives us a sense that our gift is making a difference: “the NCLS is “a worthy project for our class to support.” (John Stefonik) “Very well run, great speakers, our money is being well utilized.” (Bruce Meyer) What we saw and listened to made an impact on us as well; “we got much more out of it than we could possibly hope to contribute.” (Steve Dalrymple) All of us that attended were impressed enough that we’d return for future symposia. “I would be more than willing to take a more active role in putting this event on in the future. It is definitely worthwhile.” (Scott Brennan) “If I am able to participate next year, I will definitely arrange my schedule to be able to attend more sessions.” (Dale Birch) “Sandy and I only got to participate in Saturday's events but we both decided, based on that experience, that we want to make more room in our schedules to participate more next year.” (Al Maurer). In summary, all of us would agree with the statement “The NCLS is a worthy cause for our class gift, and we should try to perpetuate it as long as possible.” (Ron Scott).
NCLS Players: Trapper Carpenter, Steve Dalrymple, John Stefonik, John Regni, Dale Birch, Al Maurer, Ron Scott, Bob Munson. Not pictured are Warren Smith, Bruce Meyer, & Scott Brennan. Thank you all!
Richard Hayes (CS 31) took a new job here in Charleston, SC as the Contracts Manager for EDO Corporation, who builds C3 systems for Navy submarines and Marines. Just up the road is Mike Hub, a fellow Grim Reaper, now the Vicar of the St. Matthew Episcopal Church! “Gives me an excuse to drive up there. I thought it was pretty funny Hub becoming a Vicar.”
Rick Mazurowski (CS18) has retired from Delta Air Lines, and moved to Hawaii, where he is now a musician. He spends his spare time playing organ and directing the choir at Christ Lutheran Church in Hilo, and doing many other music gigs on the Big Island. Visit his website: http://web.mac.com/rickmaz/iWeb/Site/Home.html
A short note from Kent Buchanan (CS-33): “After 15 years in Chicago, Diane and I moved to FL two years ago, where I am Chief Growth Officer in charge of technology and M&A at Harris Corporation. We are enjoying the warm winter after 15 years in Chicago with Motorola and 6 years in Milwaukee with GE Medical. Our eldest daughter lives in Baltimore with our three year old grandson. Our youngest is at Washington University in St. Louis as a sophomore studying Psychology and International Area Studies. She hopes to do something relating to international relations but is still exploring various alternatives. We live in Satellite Beach [near Patrick Air Force Base] only an hour and 15 minutes from Orlando and 30 minutes from the cruise lines so if anyone gets down this way please be sure to look us up.”
Ron Taylor garbed out as a movie extra in Untraceable being filmed in Portland.
Ted Kammire just helped stand up a new AOG Chapter in South FL. John Rosser is one of our Board of Directors and I am the new VP. “Our first order of business was to support USAFA Basketball Team in the NIT, by gathering at a local restaurant to “cheer” them on.” Anyone interested in joining, contact Ted at 305-889-1914. Bill Ritter just recently retired a second time and now he and Margaret have a Wedding and Event Videographer business, coaching gymnastics, and are loving life in Beavercreek, OH. “In 93 I asked Margaret to marry me, she said I don't want to leave OH. I was up for the Col board soon and a probable move, so I put in my papers and retired in 94, married her. After getting my High School Science certificate, I taught at Carroll HS and retired Jun 2006. I am now a Wedding and Event Videographer, where I am in control of how much time and effort I use to make money having fun. Margaret retired from Banking the month before me and is my partner in making videos. I still coach gymnastics in the area. … Beavercreek, Ohio”
Bill and Pamela Diffley still live in Great Falls, Va. Bill is “persevering” at US Airways. “Daughter, Caitlin, graduated from Notre Dame (chose Notre Dame over USAFA, imagine that) last spring. She was in AFROTC,is now 2lt Diffley, and just arrived at Schriever AFB. Our son, Trevor, is at The College of William & Mary. He is in Army ROTC. I'm proud of them both.” Wayne Maricle reports nothing exciting from the Chickenhawks in Ft Walton Beach, FL, where they are too busy playing golf & tennis and riding jet ski’s with Mike Koser and John Lauten. Stalker Reed (CS07) and Al Kinback (Kinner) (CS07) flew Al’s 172 to the EAA Fun-in-Sun in Lakeland FL the middle of April. Dean Haylett (Cobra 14) has retired for a second time to Orlando, FL. “As I write this in mid-April, I am in my final 3 weeks working for Booz Allen Hamilton - a management consultant firm in the Washington DC area. I am a Beltway Bandit to some and a Parkway Patriot to others. I've decided to depart the working world and retire to my home in Orlando. Maybe this time, the reirement thing will stick. It only lasted a month after I retired from active duty in 1996. Patty and I completely remodeling our Orlando home which we've had since my final AF job as AFROTC det commander at the University of Central Florida. Patty and I are about to become grandparents for the first time as our daughter and son-in-law (both '99 grads) are having their first child in mid-May at Vance AFB, where they are both IPs. My new granddaughter (name picked is Haylee Ann) is a budding Class of 2029 grad. My son ('02 grad) is a C-17 driver at Charleston. I wish everyone well and look forward to the 2008 35th Reunion.”
Monnie & Jennifer Gore live in Manitou Springs, CO. Monni is currently the “Deputy County Administrator for El Paso County, CO. (essentially the deputy support group commander for the county) and live in Manitou Springs. I retired from active duty in 1994 from HQ Space Command and most of my career was in Civil Engineering. I've spent most of the last 13 years in Colorado Springs performing facilities, construction or project management. I received a Masters degree in architecture from the Univeristy of Colorado and an M.B.A. from the University of Northern Colorado. I've been married to Jennifer for almost 31 years and have three children. Two have graduated from college and one is a senior in high school. My son was married in January and my oldest daughter is engaged to be married in July. We try to spend as much time as possible in the Colorado outdoors, either on the ski slopes, hiking/bike trails, or Coors field. My wife has had ovarian cancer for a little over four years and requires chemo treatment, but she has done pretty well. (There is no cure for ovarian cancer.) We pray for a miracle and know that God is in control.”
Ken Vargas, a foreign cadet from Mexico, returned to Mexico and served in the military. He was put on reserve status and worked in industry after graduation. His mother is Canadian, so he emigrated to Canada in 1977. Ken has an engineering company in Calgary, Alberta Canada and has served the oil & gas industry for 12 years. Ken and Hermila have 3 kids, the oldest is a captain in the USAF stationed at USAFA, where he is the boxing OIC and a PE instructor. He is an engineer and has been in Kyrgistan and Quatar building airfields etc. Their daughter is a chemical engineer and works for a large oil & gas producer in Calgary. Their youngest boy is studying to be a Chiropractor in Life University in Atlanta Ga.
Joe & Debbie Kahoe live in Colorado Springs and we just welcomed our 6th grandchild into the world (USAFA Class of 2029). We also proudly ordered our 15 cadets from the Class of 2007 to “Saddle Up” and move it out. We were looking forward to a little peace and quiet, but our son-in-law is deploying to Iraq for 8 months as an Air Liaison Officer with the 3rd ID and our daughter and her four little ones are moving in with us from Savanah, GA. We are really excited about spending some time with the littlebuckaroos.