February already?  Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, but it’s not too late to order something for your much better half using the Alumni Association On-line Mall shopping link at <http://www.careclicks.com/group.php?groupID=579> ... but first check the link to Amazon.com at our home page!  But don’t to it right now...the Court will come to order.

Guess who reported around from the ranks of “Those Who Have Gone Before” thanks to TOM MAWHINNEY pointing him in the right direction?  “I chose to leave the Academy in summer '69 after giving much thought to my career and a growing realization that Coast Guard flying opportunities were too limited for my dreams. It was a tough decision; I really loved the academy and the Coast Guard. I still do; in fact, my wife and I are both very active with Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 65 in Newport News, VA. I'm proud to say I even was named Auxiliarist of the Year for 2004. So, the Coast Guard still plays an important part in my life and I take great satisfaction in being able to support the Coast Guard's port security and public boating safety missions.  I transferred to NJ Institute of Technology and pursued an Industrial Engineering degree as well as an Air Force ROTC commission.  After marrying my college sweetheart, ROSEMARIE (former Montclair State College), we headed to Vance AFB, OK for USAF pilot training and then to Columbus AFB, MS, where I instructed pilots in the T-37 trainer for 2 years. Our daughter, Marcie, was born in Columbus.  In '76, we were stationed at Kadena AB, Okinawa, and at the end of '78, I achieved a significant dream when I was selected to train in the F-111 fighter.  I subsequently reported to RAF Upper Heyford, England the following summer.  I completed a Masters in Management in 1981. We spent a total of 6 years in the UK and that’s where our two sons, Nathan and Kevin, were born.  In mid-'85 we returned to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho and in January '88, I was picked for a command slot at an Air Force detachment at Ft Bliss, in El Paso, TX.  There, I spent 2 years running a 30-man detachment and was promoted to Lt Colonel (O-5) and selected for a return to flying in 1990.  After a short jet recurrency course at Mountain Home, my family and I moved once again back to RAF Upper Heyford. When Desert Storm kicked off in '91, I logged combat support time delivering EF-111s to our forward deployed unit at Incirlik, Turkey and then served as the pilot member of an accident board for an EF-111 that crashed on the Iraqi border during a combat mission.  Ironically, thanks to these assigned tasks, I never got to drop a bomb, despite all the years of preparation! At the end of '91, due to sad news that both of our fathers had terminal cancer, we accepted a humanitarian assignment to Langley AFB, VA, where I worked Air Force base closure issues during the BRAC and subsequently retired in Feb 93. I retired with 3000 hrs of flight time, not much in civilian terms but noteworthy for a fighter pilot.”  OK, who is it?  Any ideas?  If you’ve looked at our Classmates page within the last couple months you know the answer.

Guess who else reported around...again?  JOHN WOOD had been on-line, but then his E-mail address evaporated into the electronic ether.  His quick note: “Thought I would update my e-mail address. I have had about six since the last one you had.  I am retired now. My last permanent job was captain of the TAKU with Alaska Marine Highway System. Next year I am going to be traveling by motorcycle through most of this country. Maybe I will look up some classmates on the way.”  I’ve already suggested he check with Wendetti and J.B. as possible riding partners.

RALPH LEWIS sent in a quick update.  “Captain Deb continues fighting the war at USTRANSCOM at Scott AFB, IL until June.  Then she is slated to stand in as the CG Liaison at NORTHCOM in Colorado Springs until September.  Then, finally, she should be able to come home.  By then, she will have been away on active duty for two years (this time).  She has been on active duty for all but a few months since the 9/11 attack.  Of course I admire her service and am proud of what she is doing, but I do miss her being around the household.  Fortunately, thanks to e-mail, cell phones, and modern technology, we talk on average of twice a day.  My own schedule has allowed us to visit one another every month to six weeks or so.  Speaking of my own schedule, I have given up a portion of my being retired from teaching to take a part time position at Our Lady of the Hills Regional Catholic High School.  I have two classes of chemistry first thing in the morning, M-F.  I get up at a decent hour, go to work, and am back home by about 1030-1100 every day.  I thoroughly enjoy being with the kids in the classroom again, still get to enjoying being an old retired guy, and every two weeks I get a nice little check to supplement my bank account!  The environment is a far cry from the public education world, which I had grown disillusioned with.  It is still a very small school, with only 70 students enrolled right now.  We are growing, so next year we will have a few more students.  Besides the Principal and his administrative assistant, there are only four full time faculty members.  Being a part-timer, I don’t have to go to faculty meetings, and have no collateral duties!  Not a bad set up.  Despite being back in the world of the employed, I still have time to pursue my wood carving enterprises.  I have made a few sales of late, and am surprised at how will that is going.  My inventory is actually depleted, so I’d better start making some more shavings and sawdust on that workshop floor!”

Still don’t know who our first newly reported Classmate is?  Well, we’ve got another from “Those Who Have Gone Before” who just found our Web site and reported around.  BEN SATTERWHITE is alive and well in Columbus, GA.  “I finished Veterinary school at Auburn in ’75, worked in Denver for about a year and came back South to Columbus, GA. I built a solo small animal, probably 70% dogs and 30% cats, veterinary practice here in May ’76, and have been here since.   I made the ’71 20th reunion, and got in touch with NICK BURAKOW when I was in Baltimore for a Veterinary meeting in the late 90’s. That has been my only contact. Many memories. Good memories.  I have been unmarried for about 16 years now.  Three kids; Celia (25), Herbert (22), and Allie (20).  Celia graduated from Auburn and is still there working in the Trade and Convention center on campus.  Herbert graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and is now in Hartford, Ct working for Aetna in the actuarial department.  Allie is a sophomore at Beloit College in Wisconsin.  [GREAT...another Cheesehead!]   My spare time is spent on the bicycle, or on the golf course, and not enough on either. I have made several trips out to your part of the country. The PNW is such a great place. I am in a time now where retirement is right around a never ending corner.”  BEN spends a lot of time on his bikes...check out <http://home.earthlink.net/%7Erivpics2/ben/riv.htm>...and now he’ll have lots of contacts and hopefully will join us for our 35th!

But who was that 1st guy?  ELLIS SHARADIN!  More on his post Air Force career: “I flew a Jetstream turboprop for TW Express in St. Louis for 2 years, and then spent 5 1/2 years at Evergreen International Airlines.  My "dream job" appeared in beginning of 2001, when I was hired by Delta Air Lines and spent a fabulous 8 months flying the MD-88 out of LaGuardia Airport.  Little did I expect the disastrous effects of 9/11 on my dream career job, but by end of October I was furloughed and on the street, looking for employment. Beginning in the fall of 2002 I spent 2 1/2 years teaching AutoCAD and technology subjects at a local Yorktown high school.  For once in my life, ROSEMARIE and I had the same vacation times and weekends together and welcomed 2 wonderful grandchildren into our lives, Rebekah and Matthew, born to our daughter Marcie.  In March of this year, I was fortunate to be hired by a brand-new cargo airline out of Ft. Lauderdale, called Focus Air.  I completed my training and have been flying the line on the B-747, primarily between Luxembourg and China. The schedules are tough: 19 days out a month, and long flying days of 18-20 hrs are common, but my love of flying remains undiminished and I truly enjoy the challenges of operating to international destinations (not to mention testing the beers all over the world!).  It's interesting that, in my case, even though I left the Academy before graduation, I've come full-circle to being involved in the Coast Guard again. To my former classmates in the Class of '71 ... I salute your service and want you to know how proud I am to have been counted as your comrade in arms.  If you are ever traveling in the vicinity of Coast Guard Station Yorktown or the Colonial Williamsburg area, please look me up.”

Son Kurt is still riding at Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center.  And thanks to Little Bit’s annual auction, we “won” the bidding on a week trip to Hilton Head.  MARY JANE, Kurt and I flew to Charlotte and because he offered a free lunch, detoured a bit for a great visit with TOMMY and SUSI CLARKE in Greenville.  Remember reading about their summer vacation to the west coast back in August?   Finally got a photo of TOMMY, SUSI and Katie in their hot air balloon basket!  Great getaway, with Hilton Head a good location to visit both Savannah and Charleston.  Savannah is a gorgeous city.  We had lunch along its beautiful River Walk, took a carriage ride tour, and finished the day with a Halloween ghost tour.  We made the two hour ride to Charleston twice, enjoying another carriage ride tour and visiting friends for lunch and dinner.  We spent an entire day touring Middleton Place, a National Historic Landmark, a carefully preserved 18th-century plantation that has survived the American Revolution, the Civil War, and an earthquake.

JOHN and CAMILLA HERSH sent out a great Christmas letter.  “Rachel (22) graduated from The College of William and Mary with a degree in Int’l Relations.  After an arduous application process she decided to attend Law School at Catholic U.  Emily (20) started her sophomore year at Tulane, but was cut short by Katrina.  She’s a temporary student at UVA in their engineering program, planning to return to NOLA in January when Tulane reopens.  Anna (17) has been accepted to UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences under their early acceptance program.  We had a marvelous time traveling through Switzerland and Italy by train with some long time friends this past October.  CAMILLA has decided to start another business based on her jewelry making hobby and I worked with the State to establish “Camilla Marie, LLC.”  This one, along with the medical and cosmetic laser business will keep us active!”

Wasn’t it great hearing from ELLIS and BEN?  But two of our on-line “Those Who Have Gone Before” Classmates, GORDON McCAULEY and BOB McKINSTRY, have gone electronically MIA.  How ‘bout checking those E-mail and Snail Mail address books and see if you have their addresses...or any other addresses for missing Classmates?  Keep the Court advised...we’re adjourned!