Any news on the missing wedding pictures?  Monsieur SLY ONE has reported around, but we're still waiting on our classmate Monsieur PUBA.  While we continue to wait for the exhibits to be admitted, the Court will come to order!

 

Many of you on the Classmates distribution list got the following from AL SGANGA: "Well LORI and I finally did it, we moved to Key West.  We gave up all the trappings of suburban middle class and bought a two bedroom condo on the ocean.  So far it fits pretty well, hope the hurricanes (storms, not UM football) keep heading north!  Stop in when you get the chance.  We are easy to find, just stay on I-95 south until you reach the water, then turn right."  Need more background...here's the 'Rest of the Story':  When I retired in 1992, I transitioned to teaching in Virginia Beach.  I really enjoyed it and after 7 years became the math dept chair at Hickory Middle School in Chesapeake, and also taught math at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.  Having summers off allowed LORI and I to travel, we quickly fell in love with Key West and bought a small time share here.  We would visit KW several times a year.  We loved the life style and the diving and talked about moving here constantly. Our youngest, and only son, Albert, graduated from college this spring and that allowed us to cut loose, so to speak.  I applied for a teaching position, Monroe County accepted, and here I am.  Our oldest, and only daughter, Beth, got her teaching credentials this spring and essentially took my teaching position at HMS. She and her husband took our house; lock, stock and barrel; got her inheritance early.  So LORI and I downsized and have this wonderful condo on the beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.  You can see palm trees and the ocean from every room, even my bathroom if you leave the door open!  I ride my bike to work at Horace O'Bryant Middle School.  I co-teach a self-contained severely emotionally disturbed group of 6-8 graders.  It is amazing when I think of this. When DON GILBERT and I were room mates second class year, we used to talk about doing just that after life in the CG was over.  I hope GILBO is watching out for me, I need all the help I can get." AL...GILBO is watching out for you, but kinda think he wants you to close that door to the head!

 

Missed connecting with two Classmates traveling to the Great Pacific Northwest this summer.  RAY COYE writes: "We had to cut our trip out west very short as we were in the middle of selling/buying/moving houses here in Chicago.  I did take time out this summer to celebrate being half a century old by sailing to Southampton from New York on the QE2.  The North Atlantic looks the same but I don't remember the food being quite as good on the ABSECON or CHAUTAUQUA. Travis and I had a great 6 days - his knee is getting better but the combination of that and the average passenger age of 70+ years put a decided cramp in his onboard entertainment.  PATRICIA flew over and met us to spend some time in Paris and riding horses in southern France.  One of these days we'll get together in Seattle - I'm hoping that next summer will be a little calmer." Horseback riding in southern France? Let's hear some more..."PATRICIA's part of the trip was scouting out the best chocolate stores in Paris and horses in the mountains - she never was much for being surrounded by water.  She enjoys the San Juan ferries because land is always in sight!!!   We did an un-guided six day ride in the mountains of southern France (near Carcassone).  Day one the organizer checked us out on the horses (we're experienced so that was no problem) and our map reading and compass skills (is it TVMDC or East is least and west is best?). Day 2-6 we were on our own staying at a different prearranged bed and breakfast each night - basically making about a 200 mile circle through the mountains and valleys arriving back at the original departure spot at the end of day 6.   The riding was on the extensive national trail system so we did not have to contend with autos.  In six days we only passed about a dozen other people on the trails.  I'll look for an "appropriate" photo or two."  We're all envious...the Court orders full photo disclosures!

 

RON SILVA broke free from the grind as Commandant (G-S) for a quick 5 day excursion west.  We tried to schedule a lunch, but moving #1 son Bucky to Tacoma ended up being a full schedule evolution.  RON & BEV both fill us in with a SILVAdmiral update: "BEV and I feel bad that we missed an opportunity to visit with you and other classmates.  Our boys kept us busy up to a few hours before departure.  Our youngest son, Matthew, has been living and working in the Federal Way area, and our older son, Bucky, has just moved out after graduating with a Psychology Degree last summer.  He will be working and continuing his education.  Our daughter, Cynthia graduated from Boston University the spring of `95 with a Art Degree.  She had been working as a exhibition designer and presently free lancing and starting her own business.  With both boys in the Pacific Northwest, I'm sure BEV will expect a yearly visit to enjoy the area that we will eventually retire in.  We lived in Federal Way from 1982-86 while I was XO of Support Center Seattle.  We liked the area so much that we purchased property to guarantee our return.  As for BEV and I, we are enjoying our home in North Arlington and all the activities the area and the job has to offer."  RON continues with an HQ update: "Work has been great.  I still have to pinch myself when I think about where I am now...I still can't believe it (a whole career as a support weenie, no second deck assignments, no service schools, etc ... not your typical formula for success!).  I reported in to HQ on 14 July and relieved RADM JOHN TOZZI on 4 August (CG DAY!).  I've had a chance over the last several months to see several classmates.  AL GRACEWSKI is CO of CG Yard.  I met RICH HARDING, DAVE EDWARDS and PHIL CAPPEL, all working at HQ as civilians.  There was a CGA Alumni reception in Washington DC, about a month ago and saw PAT WIESE, DAVE EDWARDS, and TIM FLANAGAN.  Saw CHUCK BECK, Group Boston Commander, at the ISC Boston Change of Command in July, THADMIRAL ALLEN, CCGD7, & JOE KUCHIN, LANTAREA (m) at the LANTAREA Change of Command and BERTMIRAL KINGHORN at a social event.  Everyone that I spoke to said they were doing well."  BEV adds another invitation: "Oh, by the way, we own a home here in North Arlington fully equipped with BEV`s Bed and Breakfast room...and don`t forget your swimsuit for the hot tub.  This is an open invitation for the Class of `71."

 

Congratulations...again!  Six more books ordered from Amazon.com using the link from our Class Page...that's another $2.21 for the Academy. Reading this, you've still got time for those last minute Christmas gifts!  Anyone reading these Class Notes is encouraged to link from '71's Class Page and place an order.

 

SLYVESTER passed along the following note which accompanied the great picture from Erin's wedding: "Official Class of '71 photo at the wedding of Erin Sylvester to Mike Lane...PETE BARRETT, STEVE PLOSZAJ, Mike Lane, Erin Sylvester Lane, Proud Papa JIM SYLVESTER, CHUCK BECK, and MIKE LEONE.  Please note that all Classmates in modified dress blue.  August 1st was a hot, sultry day, but Classmates stood out throughout the evening with ties, long sleeve shirts, and a high level of sobriety.  Also attending...DICK BUTTRICK '60 and DON BANDZAK '70."  JIM followed up with a little more on the newly weds: "Erin is teaching elementary music in Groton, MA and Mike is a chemist working for a pharmaceutical company in North Andover, MA (he is working on developing a pill that will keep all members of the class of '71 alive until 2071 so we can be the first class to attend our 100th reunion!).  Mike and Erin reside in Nashua, NH."

MIKE CONWAY sent in an E-mail address change and a full CONWAY Update...read on: "First, after reading about JIM's misfortune with his SUV while at PETE's, I reflected about why CHRISTY and I made the decision to live in Juneau and came up on the positive side again.  We don't lock our house or car, unless we will be out of town, or it's Christmas time (with all those gifts, we don't want to test our luck!).  Living in Juneau is a big throw back in time in many, but not all ways.  CHRISTY and I became grandparents for the 3rd time on June 23, 1999 when Melanie had her 3rd child, 1st daughter -- Skylar Damitio.  She has her hands full with a 6-year old, 15 month old, and 2 month old.  Melanie  is living in Juneau, so we are hands-on grandparents.  Her husband and his family own two big Juneau restaurants, and he works long hours everyday.  So, I get to be the stand-in for him and it's lots of fun.  We love our role as grandparents and get lots of time with the grandkids.  Our oldest son, Matthew (26) graduates at the end of this month with a degree in computer animation, to go along with his business management degree from UNLV.  Matt is in Phoenix, but is planning to move up to live with GLENNA & AL in Woodinville and look for work in the Redmond-Kirkland area.  Heather (24) is finishing college this year.  Heather is in Juneau, but will probably relocate to the Seattle area next year to get her career going. She works at the University part time and teaches aerobics and body pump classes at the local fitness club.  She'll probably continue in the fitness career field as her life's work.  Rob (21) is attending Iowa State University on a baseball scholarship and majoring in information management systems.  He played summer ball in the illustrious Alaska College baseball league, after finishing junior college in California.  He was a conference honorable mention at 3rd base.  Our youngest son, David (17) is working hard to make a go of his alternative punk rock band.  They are selling demo tapes throughout the country on the internet and have some record companies interested in his band.  Oh, our baby will be out of high school next spring, ending a 16-year string of at least one kid attending high school every year!  I assumed my 3rd director's position with Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation on 2/1/99.  I completed an assignment as the Air & Water Quality Director and now lead the Statewide Public Service Division.  This is my 6th position with them since retirement in '91.  Plenty of action with environmental groups and big oil business in Alaska!"  MIKE, your Classmates are waiting for that photo of MIKE & CHRISTY and grandkids!

 

MIKE, where were you?  BARNEY was looking for you when he took time off from his grueling employment schedule to get underway!  "LINDA and I returned on 17 September from our 7-day Alaskan cruise up the Inside Passage on board the 866-foot, 3-year-old Celebrity cruise ship GALAXY.  Underway is the only way!  Well, let me provide the M-guy caveat: PROVIDED, you have all the beer you can drink, continuous food including nightly 5-course meals with 5 entree selections, 4 outdoor hot tubs, two pools (one heated), a spa, a casino, a lounge, a movie theater, a stage/theater and a major bar up forward above the navigating bridge with two-story-tall all-around viewing windows not to mention 900+ crew members to cook and serve the EXCELLENT food and make the bed in the morning, turn down the bed in the evening and put them tiny mints on the pillows. Almost like being back on the CAMPBELL doing a mid-February Ocean Station Bravo patrol in the frigid North Atlantic.  Almost. Although there were some cloudy days and some rain, the seas got bad only one night...we were takin' massive 1 to 2 degree rolls!!  Ol' BlueHair (LINDA) was OK -- until I took her out on the dance floor...although come to think of it, it could have been the Curacao in those Blue Moons she was imbibing?  But she didn't have to man...er, I mean, person the rail.  We visited Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchican.  [For Mike Conway: I looked all over you!  I looked in the Red Onion Saloon, the Red Dog Saloon, the Skagway Brewery, Sally's, the Ketchican Brew Company, the Alaska Brew Company, Dolly's House of Ill Repute.  No Mike!!!]  We took LOTS of pics. The scenery was fantastic...mountains everywhere, plus eagles, whales, porpoises, salmon.  The glaciers in Glacier Bay were FANTASTIC!  We even caught sight of a black bear in the hills above Juneau.   He was across the valley and, as I mentioned to the other tourists, I wasn't really concerned.  I can't outrun a black bear but I KNOW I can outrun LINDA!  But enough about the scenery...on to the important stuff.  The Skagway Brewery had the best brew by far -- a real dark porter.  But the Ketchican Brewery had free samples!  Sally's Bar, also in Ketchican, had several Coast Guard mementos from the past 29 years including a life ring from the BOUTWELL and a beautiful wooden name board from the LAUREL.  If anyone wants a recent pic of Sally, the name board, Sally's Bar, Base Ketchican, or a WOODRUSH life ring (at the Red Onion Saloon), let me know...I'll e-mail 'em.  We took a tour on a CG-inspected small passenger boat in Ketchican.  The skipper, Cap'n Bob, was from Rockland,  Maine.  He even knew where Benton - my hometown - is!  I wore my CG MSO hat, by the way, as I did during the lifeboat drill on the  GALAXY.  The young lady doing the tour narration mentioned her Dad was from RI.  I asked her where in RI, and she said Providence.  I pointed to my MSO Providence hat and she laughed...she said her Dad was in the Coast Guard!  Small world. All in all, it was an excellent week.  Great food, great scenery, great brew.  We spent a lot of time in the 4 outdoor hot tubs, too, even when it was raining --- or was that snow?  Hot-tubbing with snow on the mountains all around us, "free" meals, beer on demand...the life of Riley and then some.  Almost like being CO of an MSO again."

PETE BARRETT changed ISPs [so did CRAIG EIDE & MIKE KRYSTKIEWICZ...make sure you check out the new address changes at our Classmates page!] and reports that he's no longer with Wing.Net. Long story, but apparently he lost a shakeout with the new majority shareholder.  It has all worked out for the best, as PETE walked into two large consulting contracts within a matter of days and is still doing the kind of work that he enjoys related to online learning and project management.

 

Quick note from JIM ARMSTRONG updating his E-mail address: "Not much is different here in Miami except Thad is keeping the local population alert and reading about the Coast Guard.  I missed Thad's change of command when I was out of town on business and several of the guys made me feel bad, but I will make his next change of command (if invited).  My oldest son (Scott) just started high school and my youngest son (Dan) is still in elementary school.  I was a slow starter in the family department.  I am still with the CNA Insurance Companies even after all of the corporate changes and sales of divisions."

 

Speaking of THADMIRAL, he's tracking down JAY TAYLOR who had the Classmates camera at the Change of Command in Miami.  JAY...where are the pictures?  If you've followed the national media, THAD's learned all he's ever wanted to know 'bout pepper spray.  THAD notes: "Things have been fairly business down here ... I'm now an expert on use of force regarding the AMIO mission!  Lots of travel, in/outconus.  Hurricanes keep threatening and then moving up the coast and hammering the fifth.  At the CofC we had JAY TAYLOR, KEN ROTHAAR, SKIP PREZLOMSKI, BOB CAMUCCIO, and NORM SEALANDER (and I think I'm forgetting one more).  After the humidity drops, will have a '71 BBQ."  And after the BBQ, everyone head south for margaritas with AL & LORI!

 

And the photo was in the mail.  MARY JANE spoke with CHERI GONOR and she snail mailed it toot sweet...and it arrived today!  CHERI sent a short note: "Allison was married to David Polaski on August 20th. Our next door neighbor fixed her grandson David up with Allison and it was a perfect match.  Christopher loves his new Dad."  Two weeks later, the moving van arrived...but you all better sit down. Remember when BARNEY got a job?  Well, BOB & CHERI have moved to Atlanta!  Yes, moved from New Jersey to Roswell, Georgia.  Stayed tuned!

Almost forgot...MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW MILLENNIUM!  We're adjourned!