Officer Candidate School Class 57C March 2002 Newsletter

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

JACK’S CORNER: (JACK FOX)
Time is short, but not too short to get in on one of the best deals going. Those who have not joined our association have until April 7th to send in ten bucks for a one year membership and receive absolutely free, a music CD and video tape of this year's reunion banquet. Your choice of CD copy from: Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, George Shearing, Ray Conniff, Les Brown, Dave Brubeck, Woody Herman, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Ray Anthony, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Frank Sinatra or Les Elgart. We want to stay in touch - send your check to our treasurer, Phil Meek. The gift package will be mailed by 1 May 02.

At the Laughlin reunion we agreed that our group would retain an informal organization; i.e., no formal charter, no by-laws, no incorporation or registering with any government body for profit or non-profit status. . . but, rather, to simply manage the association with the current leadership committee.

Although we took a show of hands at Laughlin, we didn't consider that a formal vote, since many class members who are entitled to vote, if we were a chartered group, were not in attendance. Therefore, the show of hands was not binding - it was merely an indication of the assembled group's opinions on several items - not a mandate for action.

Here is where we now stand on the group leadership issue:

All of the officers, and some committee members, have agreed to continue in their roles indefinitely. Since some of our class members won't be attending our reunion in Las Vegas, we won't have a formal vote on group leadership at that time. If you disagree with any of the incumbents retaining their roles, and wish to nominate someone else, let me know and we'll consider your wishes. In that case we may submit ballots to paid-up dues members for their votes. However, I prefer to retain our informality since it seems to be working smoothly.

A final point: If you wish to serve in a leadership role, or on a committee, or volunteer for a task or project, please come forth. We need, and welcome, all of the input we can get! Until we reunite in Las Vegas.
Jack

GIL’S GAB: (GIL WHITEMAN)
There’s plenty of information elsewhere in this newsletter about our forthcoming reunion. Let me add just a few notes regarding things I’m working on. There will be only ONE Thunderbird Museum tour on Tuesday morning, April 9 -- rather than the two separate tours previously mentioned. Our anticipated numbers will accommodate one tour, dedicated solely to our group members. Our Thunderbird contact suggests that we bring individual cameras!

We’ll work out the “who is riding with whom” details, from the hotel to Nellis AFB, once we are on-site after registration check-in. I must provide Nellis main gate with an advance listing of attendees, due to tighter than usual security. If you (or your guests) do NOT have a retired military or dependent ID card, then I will need social security numbers. If that’s your case, please provide me with your SSN: Phone (941) 947-5310, email whitemanct@hotmail.com, or snail mail, 27780 Matheson Avenue, Bonita Springs, FL 34135.

What an absolute joy it will be, to “re-une” with all of you again! After more than forty years of little contact, we have once again become a solid brotherhood. That was clearly visible at Laughlin in 2000 and again in Connecticut in 2001. If you haven’t already signed-up for the Las Vegas event for April, it’s not too late to do so. Just contact Dennis Goudy for all of the details. You’ll relive memories with friends – or with acquaintances who will soon be among the closest of friends! Guaranteed! Gil

DAVE’S DRIVEL: (DAVE HARVEY)
I am going to reprint, in part, something from a previous newsletter. Something I said and wish to say again. Events of passing time remind me of our mortality and therefore effect my emotions. ‘nuf said.

“…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 three reunions, re-established acquaintances, and made strong friendships that I had never truly had before. I also have learned of and grieved over those of our class who have gone on – the most recent of whom was our Seventh Squadron Commander, Marjorie J. Bloese. 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…” (1 December 2000)

The upcoming reunion will see the distribution of our new class REGISTER, on which I have been working for the last year. I hope it will be well received and enjoyed. At least enjoyed as much in your reading as it has in my printing. I know Hewlett Packard, Georgia Pacific, Comp USA, and Microsoft appreciate me doing it.

The costs of printing and publishing plus the cost of mailing our quarterly newsletters they will continue to be provided to dues paying members only while it will still be available to any and everyone on the Class website at webspawner.com/users/ocsclass57c/index.html. This will begin with the June quarter of this year. During the last quarter…our fellow classmates and all our countrymen and women…have experienced many trials, changes, and adverse circumstances. Some folks close to us need to be in our thoughts and prayers: Jeannie Whiteman recuperating from health problems; my OCS close buddy, JJ Mike Egan’s wife June has a bone marrow disease that leaves her with leukemia situations; Al Bettenhausen’s frequent doctor visits seem to limit his activity; Al McNeal has lost his wife and needs our support: Gloriana Johnson has a friend for whom she gives care, who also needs our support. We were informed that JJ Mike Egan’s wife June has passed away and that Dick Rouse has been diagnosed with prostate cancer in the early stages. All of us are faced with situations requiring support of one kind or another. Let us know about those concerns, so that we can all share…as once we did so well.

Allow me to add that at the coming reunion we will be granted the supreme pleasure of hearing from Art Burer, our classmate, and recipient of the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart, and the POW Medal. I consider this a reason for rejoicing, thank you in advance, Art!

John Ferris contacted me not long ago and suggested that rather than pleading with you about sending in your biography, I should merely announce that I am coming to visit with you for a few days, and that you should know in advance how loudly I snore and how much I eat. But, I won’t bother you with an uninvited visit, IF you send in your biography. Should I receive it after March 15, it will have to be published after the reunion. Then, we’ll see about a visitation schedule… Dave

PHIL’S BILLS: (PHIL MEEK)
Our treasury continues to remain healthy with few expenses and some dues received during this quarter. We do anticipate some expense for our April 2002 reunion.

Beginning Cash Balance: $ 1842.99
Receipts (Dues) $ 50.00
Expenses (Quarterly Newsletters for December and March) $ 48.00
Ending Cash Balance $ 1844.99
Advance Deposit 2002 Reunion $ 250.00
Total Assets $ 2094.99

We encourage all OCS Class 57-C members to become members of the association. At present 33 class members belong to the association. The association dues provide resources for our quarterly newsletter, our reunions, and any humanitarian or commemorative projects the association may wish to undertake. Dues are $10.00 per year or $150 for lifetime membership. Payments for more than one year (multiples of $10.00) are accepted. Please send your dues to Phil Meek, 1319 E. Palo Verde Dr., Phoenix, AZ 85014-2302.
Phil

JONES”S JIBE: (MILT JONES)
GOLFERS: We now have two ladies and 12 gents who have opted to join our golf outing at Nellis.
Ed Berg Marlene Landry
Art Burer Robert Lee
Bob Cataldi Bent Larsen
Jack Fox Jim Levering
Irv Jorgenson Dave Ogilvie
Milt Jones Dale Shipley
Sharon Jones Bill Weimer

We have altered the initial tee time to 0900 so that we'll have time to eat at the hotel before leaving for the course. The Tourney Director has assured me that they have plenty of rental clubs on hand to serve our needs. Each player will be responsible for paying their own green fees and cart rental at the desk upon arrival at Nellis. The cost will be around $29 per person for their green fee and 1/2 of a cart. We will create a Honey Pot that morning in order to have money prizes for the outing. There will be no pressure to donate $5 to the pot, but, no donation, no win money. We are planning to have teams selected out of a hat, probably 2 player teams. There will be two parts to the team play; the first nine holes will be team total score, the second nine holes will be better ball. The team total score will be a total of each players score on a hole with the handicap deducted after it has been calculated. Better ball is where both team member’s scores will be shown on the card and after handicaps are calculated and subtracted the lower player's score will be the one used on that hole for their team.

Each team member must donate to the Honey Pot for that team to be eligible to compete for those money prizes. The number of prize places will be decided after we determine the size of the Honey Pot. Established handicaps will not be used. As about half of our players do not have established handicaps, all handicaps will be calculated after the scores are turned in by using one of two well known methods of calculating handicaps. The method of calculation will be decided by lot after the day is over. All winners will be announced at the Banquet. There will be prizes given out for "Skill" shots made during the outing. Everyone will be eligible to win one, but only one, of the "Skill Prizes". There will be plenty of "Skill Prizes" for everyone who is able to demonstrate their skill, or lack there of, on selected holes. The ladies and or husbands and wives may opt to play on the same team or be a part of the same foursome if they wish. We certainly encourage the ladies to join our group. If you think that you might like to play please notify Milt Jones (msjones412@aol.com) before March 28th as I have to confirm the number of tee times we will need at least one week before our scheduled outing.
Milt

REGISTRAR’S RHETORIC: (DENNIS GOUDY)
The deadline for room reservations at the Gold Coast using the “AF OCS 1957 Reunion 2002” code to get our special rate is March 5. We encourage you to register by then because we are committed to a certain number of rooms. It now appears we will meet this commitment, but it would be to our advantage if we got about a dozen more rooms reserved. The deadline for payment of the registration fee ($55 per person) is March 15. We need to make commitments for the number of persons for such things as the floor show and banquet. Later registrations will be accepted of course, but it’s possible that you might miss out on some of the activities. If it should become necessary to cancel your registration for any reason, I will refund the full amount if we have not yet made the financial commitments. After that you may get only a partial refund. Again you can consider March 15 as the full refund date.

The best thing about helping with these reunions is the people that I deal with. I mean you, the appreciative, uncomplaining, and cooperative friends that you are (even if you get stuck on a sand bar). Thank you.
Dennis