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OCS CLASS 1957 C

CLASS NEWSLETTER

STAFF REPORTS FOR March 2003

USAF Officer Candidate School -- Class 1957C

Newsletter: March 2003

Executive Committee:

President . . . . . . . . . . Jack Fox

Vice President. . . . . . . Dale Shipley

Secretary. . . . . . . . . . Dave Harvey

Treasurer. . . . . . . . . . Phil Meek

Specialist Committee:

CINC Website. . . . . . . Dick Nagel

Photographer . . . . . . . Bobby Sims

Cruise Investigations. . John Ferris, Bill Weimer, and Dale Shipley

JACK’S CORNER: (JACK FOX)

Gil and Jeannie Whiteman's Laid-back, Connecticut Reunion and the October Baja Cruise are the only two events on the docket at this time. This situation doesn't preclude any member from suggesting or organizing a gathering of some type, large or small. So the next serious matter involves our 2004 regular grand reunion, wherever it may be. Yes, it's time to get things rolling. Recall that I asked for your ideas, suggestions or preferences in previous newsletters. While there has been little response, it may not be an indicator of a lack of interest. A reunion will take place, somewhere, on some date, in 2004. We must select a chairman and find a suitable site and date soon. Who wants the job? So far, only John Ferris has volunteered to investigate a particular venue. He's looking into the Reno/Tahoe area. I've received inquiries on returning to the Gold Coast in Las Vegas. In the absence of other proposals, one of the two Nevada areas will most likely be be selected. Our main requirements for location selection are ease of transportation and hotel costs, leaving all sections of the country eligible for consideration. There is a lot of work to do in the next month to get things started so chime in with your thoughts via email, regular mail or telephone.

Jack

DALE’S DRIVEL (DALE SHIPLEY)

A short note on TRICARE-for-Life

It bothers me that the media, both local and national, have had misleading stories about Col George "Bud" Day’s fight for free lifetime health care. Day wants retirees who entered service before July 1956 to receive up to $10,000 in claim reimbursements for past health care costs and to be exempt from future Medicare Part B premiums. It is this case that received an unfavorable federal appeals court ruling last November. The U.S Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled 9-to-4 that any promises of free lifetime health care made by recruiters, or even by service leaders, were not backed by statute and therefore not legally binding. This may seem to imply that we have lost TRICARE-for-Life.

That is not the case. The appeals decision did not affect TRICARE-for-Life benefits, the supplement to Medicare for retirees and their families that Congress approved two years ago. TRICARE-for-Life came about, at least in part, due to the lawsuit filed by Day but the appeals court ruling had no effect on this legislation. If you are interested in the case, this web site is devoted to Col Day’s lawsuit: http://classact-lawsuit.com/
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Going sailing

October may sound like it is a long way off but plans are pretty well firmed up for the cruise. Here are the names of those who signed up for the October cruise.

Al Bettenhausen (supposedly he is trying to find a cruise mate, possibly his granddaughter)

Jack and Bernice Fox

Dennis and Karin Goudy

Thomas and Barbara Gullick

Dave and Jean Harvey

Jack and Billie Helm

David and Mary Ogilvie

Glen and Della Robbins

Dale and Elaine Shipley

Bobby and Margaret Sims

Now is a good time to make your final preparations. Pack your bags with what you think you’ll need. Carry that baggage around the block daily for a week. Revise your list of what you’ll need to have along. No doubt the list will be shorter. By the time you go through the third iteration of this exercise, you should have a reasonable weight, perhaps only half what you started with. And speaking of weight now would be a good time to start that diet. If you shed ten pounds now, you can eat four times a day on the cruise with no feeling of guilt.

Til next time,

Sincerely, Dale

DAVE’S DROOL: (DAVE HARVEY)

As is normal for me, I must sadly announce that during the period since the last newsletter we have lost another of our class;

Donald K. Zurschmit, brother classmate and member of Fourth Squadron, Delta Flight, was reported to me as having been reported as deceased in the October 2002 issue of "The Air Force Times" . Ziggy was a classmate of mine as well as others of our class at Chanute AFB in Illinois in October of 1957 to July of 1958 attending Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course. He will be missed.

Hand Salute……

Recent reunions of our fellow OCSers from 57D and 63D have again become announcers of the frailty of our membership. Many illnesses and deaths have been recorded and cause us great concern. Fellowship and relationship soften the ever present tragedy of our mortality. Speaking for myself, the friendship and comradery that has come from our past few years of re-uniting, has filled a huge gap in the psychological part of me which ended with retirement from a service to which my entire life had been devoted. I hope we can decide on a place and time for future reunion celebrations.

Dave

PHIL’S BILLS: (PHIL MEEK)

Beginning Balance: $3,291.59

Receipts:

Dues Payments: $90.00

Expenses:

Newsletter (Sep & Dec 02) 50.70

Ending Cash Balance: $3,330.89

Our financial status remains in good shape for future activities and the last quarter activities have been very routine. Classmates wishing to remain current on annual dues or join the association may due so by paying $10.00 per year. Paying multiple years is encouraged. Send your check to Forrest P. Meek, 1319 E. Palo Verde Ave., Phoenix, AZ; 85014.

Phil