A. Gone But Not Forgotten 
1)
Our classmate
Michael E. "Mike" Ruth passed away 7 May, 2018. His family has suggested that memorial donations be made in lieu of flowers to the Kearney Community Covenant Church; 1820 Jefferson St; Kearney, MO 64060; (816) 628-6974.
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B.
The Class of 1975 45th Reunion Gift Committee has announced our Class gift to USAFA:
| 1) Restoration of the Air Gardens |
| 2) Endowment of the traditional Contrails for perpetuity |
| 3) More details are available
here. |
| 4) The Contrails dedication page can be viewed
Here. |
The Private Phase Committee (Beezley, Pyatt, Fariss, Hennek, and Smith-Harrison) selected an overall stretch goal of $1.975M for the gifts, with the first $200K funding the Contrails endowment and the balance applied to the Restoration of the Air Gardens. The response was impressive (what else would you expect?) as a small portion of our class (<5%) have already made pledges totaling in excess of $800,000! Many thanks to the donors and the Private Phase Committee members who worked so diligently on our behalf to this point!
We are in the Public Phase of the campaign with a Public Phase Committee consisting of our classmates Larry Fariss (Chair), Rick Pyatt (1st Group), Mark Volcheff (2nd Group), Bentley Rayburn (3rd Group) and Duane Jones (4th Group), who will conduct a class wide funding campaign commencing in January 2019. This will be done with a squadron mate in direct contact with each classmate who will each have the opportunity to donate and help us reach our goal. The committee wants to get the word out to all classmates, updating them on the Gifting Plan. The end results and information concerning this phase are outlined in items 1, 2, 3, and 4 below.
| 1) The Class Gift Update Information can be viewed
Here. |
| 2) The Contrails dedication page can be viewed
Here. |
| 3) The Air Gardens artist illustrations can be viewed
Here,
Here, and
Here. |
| 4) The Class Gift FAQS can be viewed
Here. |
Donations for the Public Phase can be made on online Here (at www.usafa.org/Give/75AGR) or by coordinating with your squadron rep.
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C. AOG Class Advisory Senate News
Congratulations to Mark on his election to the AOG board!!!!
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'75 won our decade for the class competition for AOG vote participation!
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From Bruce:
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1) The latest CAS meeting minutes are posted:
here. |
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2) Please let Bruce know via E-mail ( brmitchell75@gmail.com ) if you have suggestions, questions, or comments for the AOG.
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USAFA & AOG news official links are
Here (thanks to Bruce Mitchell)
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D.
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1) Mark Wells has retired, making him our official Last Man Standing for the class. Congratulations Mark!! Mark also received the optionally mandatory promotion to BG upon retirement for USAFA Dept. Chairs, bringing our class GO total up to 29.
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2)
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3) Jerry Wallace has revealed himself as the famous 1974 "Mitchell Hall Streaker"!!, ending 40 years of speculation. More here
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4)
Doolittle Raider
Richard Cole, the last living Raider, passed away 9 April, 2019.
There is an online condolence card for the Cole family available
here (https://www.supportamericanveteranscenter.com/cole/)
More about Richard Cole
here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKgBLJy7FwA) and
here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp2sTPQ-WQ8)
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5) An electronic copy of our yearbook is available online here.
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6) A high-resolution, stunning video made of the Moon by composition photos taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft since 2011 is here.
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E. Have news for the class? Send news to Foster Bitton at 75ScribeAlive@gmail.com
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Washington, DC
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