Officer Candidate School Class 57C Dec 2000 Newsletter

President-Jack Fox Vice President-Gil Whiteman Treasurer-Phil Meek Secretary-Dave Harvey

JACK’S CORNER

Bernice and I wish to extend holiday greetings to one and all. It’s been a joyous year in many ways for us and for our OCS group, highlighted by our reunion in Laughlin. Unfortunately, the deaths of four 57D and 57B classmates leave a large void – we will miss them all greatly.

The holiday season always seems to put us in a reflective mood; perhaps it’s because we have so many memories to reflect on. It would be interesting to hear from our members about what recollections of OCS days stand out the most, whether poignant, happy or serious. For this season, I’m concentrating on the happy ones.

Do you recall when first learning your name was on the Air Force Times 57C selection list? I was told by a friend who was told by another friend who thought my name was on the list, but wasn’t sure because he didn’t know I had two middle names. Needless to say, I knew then that I had made the list, dropped everything and rushed home with the news. That was a true “Rolaids moment.”

How about the day you reported in for duty for the first time as a second lieutenant and gave your new supervisor a proud and proper OCS salute, real close to the chest? That combination of pride and nervous excitement certainly was an entry for the memory book. We all have special memories that evoke a smile, even when we’re alone, as I am while putting these words together.

Perhaps the chance to share the memories face-to-face is what makes a reunion so enjoyable. Hopefully, we’ll strive to stay together in our twilight years and take advantage of opportunities to share the memories that only began with our selection to OCS Class 57C. I suspect many of you share my view on the subject.

On the “business side” of things: I recently sent out (both email and snail mail) a message concerning our planning meeting in April 2001, for our 2002 reunion. The planning meeting is to take place in Las Vegas, and in that message, I invited everyone to attend. I’ve now learned that at least two of our classmates did not receive that message. We’re attaching another copy of that message to this newsletter, just in case you did not receive it earlier. However, if you did not receive it earlier, would you kindly let me know immediately? Perhaps I have a virus or some other malfunction that needs attention.

Your comments and suggestions on our association, reunions, or topics of general interest are welcome anytime. Send inputs to me or to Dave for inclusion in the next newsletter. And, if you can coax any of our silent classmates into joining our group, you will find the experience especially rewarding.
Jack

NOTES FROM GIL:

Jack has advised all of you about the planning meeting which will be held in Las Vegas in April 2001. I’ll be there, to assist in any way I can with that planning. But, work aside, it’s my hope that many of you will want to be there, too – so that we don’t have to wait for another year to be with each other.

My involvement with our class association is a “labor of love.” Most of what I’m doing is behind-the-scenes, such as working with Jack on various ideas, preparing the occasional surveys and consolidating the results, keeping the roster updated, etc. If any credit is due, it is to Jack for his leadership and to Dave for his secretary/historian/editor roles – as well as to Phil for maintaining the financial books. I’m just a “helper” who is available as needed.

During the April 2002 reunion, we’ll be having more discussions about the frequency of reunions, and venues. As Jack has pointed out, there are some indications in the survey responses which we received a couple of months ago – but those are far from conclusive. We have to see how everything plays out, and the April 2002 “convention” of our class will give further direction for all of us to consider in the future.

Jack and I both feel that it’s good (and appropriate) to maintain our brotherhood in any format possible – and to not just wait for reunion time to roll around to do that. Toward that end, a few of us in the Eastern part of the United States will be socializing in Connecticut the first week in June 2001 (June 1-2-3). We’re certainly not limiting involvement in this to the “Easterners.” EVERYONE IS INVITED! It’s not a reunion, per se, since we want to save that nomenclature for our scheduled class-wide, more organized events. This will be a very casual and informal, VERY laid-back weekend together. I’ll come up with a listing of optional things to do (on-the-spot – no advanced reservations) in the Connecticut Shore area. And, I’ll make motel/camper site reservations (relatively inexpensive) for anyone who wishes me to do so. We’re not structuring ANY events, other than “down time” at our place with a cook-out or two, and the canoe being available to everyone – a real “blue jeans weekend.” So, let me know if any of you are interested in this. We DO hope that some of you folks from “afar” will want to join the “Swamp Yankees” for these few days.

I received a note from Ed Ramsey, saying that he’s leaning more and more toward becoming involved with the OCS 57C activities, and we welcome him home! Ray Smith is now fully retired and living on about 35 acres in upstate New York. Edith is having a few health problems, but they are happy – with Ray spending a lot of time hiking in the woods. (What a life for a former B-52 aircraft commander, eh?) Roger Singer is still active in his work as a psychologist for institutionalized teenagers with emotional problems, as well as being a consultant in educational psychology to several school systems in New Jersey. Jeannie and I see Roger and Leah frequently, and recently spent a weekend with them at their summer place in Maine. Lowell and Nina Cooke spent a few days with P.D. and Audrey Parton in Idaho, where the Partons own and operate a motel and campground in the beautiful Lake Cascade area. Art Burer continues on the road to recovery from his bout with cancer and his recent back surgery.

Those are the only updates I have since the survey results were distributed to you. Please be sure to get “news of note” items to Dave Harvey for inclusion in the March 2001 newsletter. Send any corrections to the class roster to me, since I am maintaining that until Dave fully recovers from recent cardiac/vascular surgery. Gil

THE SECRETARY’S REPORT (DAVE HARVEY)

The recently compiled and reported results of the surveys which were returned by those who had opinions about our reunions and such have been thoroughly considered and are being used to establish some new things for us all to comment upon. Much will be happening in the coming months in addition to the beginning, finally, of the new “Millennium.”

Before I add anything however, I must wax philosophical a bit. From the very beginning of our re-established OCS communications back in May of 1999, when I was called and found by Jack Fox, I have thrilled to the absolute pleasure and honor to have attended two reunions, re-established acquaintances, and made strong friendships I had never had before.
I also have learned of and grieved over those of our class who have gone on – the most recent of whom were Wayne Mays and Will Hargrove. It is not without a huge amount of sadness that I contemplate any further losses. Before any more of them do come upon us, I feel it absolutely mandatory that I tell every member of our class, as well as the entire alumni of the OCS experience, that I love them. No group of individuals has ever meant more to me than you and none ever shall. Allow my termination (salute) to be the fastest up – and never to go down – in respect for you, my fellow classmates and comrades. God has been very good to me, and I thank Him constantly for allowing me to be counted in your company.

There appears to be a great deal of interest in our newsletter being quarterly, and that I shall do, effective with this issue. March, June, September, and December issues will henceforth be the schedule, with the September issues being of “Anniversary Proportions.”

Members have brought it to my attention that the internet has two particularly informative sites, other than our own and mine that is, and they are: http://www.usafnews@usafnews.af.mil and another is http://www.armedforcesnews.com. I am told that the news is primarily aimed at the active duty folks, but every so often articles of universal importance appear, such as the October release about permanent health care restored for retirees. Add it to your “Favorites” and check it out. A new medal is available for those of us who served during and in the Korean War. Neil Sanders explained it as “easily obtained by asking the right folk at your nearest Base Personnel Office.” Too bad that Officer Candidate School doesn’t rate a ribbon of some sort. If firing my M-16 fairly well earns me a medal, why not going through Hell? Oak leaf clusters would be in order for “repeats” – like, maybe Mr. Berg gets three?

TREASURER’S REPORT (PHIL MEEK)

We’ve recently formalized some “rules” on membership, to avoid confusion. Our initial membership began on September 20, 2000. We began receiving checks before that, at Laughlin and thereafter. All checks received so far, and up to September 20, 2001 pay the dues up to that date. Checks received after September 20, 2001 will pay for the next membership year (i.e., up to September 20, 2002), and so on for later years. Although our treasury is “healthy” at the moment, we anticipate expenditures for the next reunion and other occasional items (newsletter printings/mailings, etc.). Life membership is $150 and annual membership is $10. You’ll note changes on the class roster, with the corrected “dues paid up to” dates, to reflect the new rules on initial memberships. Please send dues checks directly to me, and I’ll advise Gil of your new dates for future class rosters. We now have 46 paid-up members in the association, which includes two lifetime members and several who have paid dues for more than one year.

Balance from Reunion Activities (April 2000)
Balance from Jack Fox for Reunion Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$641.00
Sale of Class Register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131.00
Balance from Boat and Mine Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56.00
Sale of Show Ticket and Reunion Pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20.00
TOTAL FROM REUNION ACTIVITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $848.00

Association Dues Received from Members
Lifetime Memberships (2 x $150) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$300.00
Three-year Memberships (1 x $30) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.00
Two-year Memberships (4 x $20) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80.00
One-year Memberships (39 x $10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390.00
TOTAL ASSOCIATION DUES FROM MEMBERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $800.00

TOTAL RECEIPTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1648.00

DISBURSEMENTS:
Bank Charge for Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12.50
September 2000 Newsletter Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.37
TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50.87

CASH BALANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1597.13