*** Welcome to the PSAOG Site ***
Puget
Sound Association of Graduates
Affiliate
of the
United
States Air Force Academy Association of Graduates
-- Updated 30 Nov 02 --
The Seattle-based Puget Sound Chapter provides a forum for USAFA grads, spouses and friends to maintain contact with each other, make new friends, and get together for some occasional reminiscing, but mostly lively talk about current life involvement. The main idea is to just generally have a good time with an interesting, talented and diverse group of folks which you would logically expect to result from our common USAFA beginning!
The Chapter fully supports the mission and objectives of the Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy. Fostering camaraderie among the grads is key to all of these efforts. Through fellowship, a program of social events and promotion of networking, the Chapter maintains and strengthens our USAFA heritage, and builds upon the solid bonds among grads.
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Typical Annual Program:
Note: for each event, there will be a nominal party fee.
Upcoming Events & Recap:
PSAOG,
the Puget Sound AOG Chapter hosted the annual Joint Service
Academy Dinner on 8 Nov 01, Thursday evening, at the Pacific
Northwest Museum of Flight. Joining in were USMA, USNA,
USCGA and USMMA for the annual Fall event. The
Museum offers an outstanding venue for such an event, and we were
indeed pleased to have as our Guest Speaker Mr. Tom
Cogan, Chief Project Engineer for Boeing's exciting future entry
to Commercial Air, the Sonic Cruiser. Tom presented an
interesting, informative and entertaining talk and also had a
table-top scale model for our inspection.
See: < http://www.boeing.com/news/feature/concept/index.html > and < http://www.museumofflight.org/index.html >.
This year's 2002 Joint Dinner was Friday evening 8 Nov 02, hosted by USNA Alumni in the Puget Sound area. They arranged a Catered Cruise on one of the Royal Argosy Cruise Line Services here in Seattle - they did a great job!! The format was cocktail party and sitdown dinner - it gave us all a great opportunity to relax, mix and mingle as we watched the evening skyline of Seattle slide by.
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We had another successful Dark Ages Party at Richard Belden's house on Saturday evening, 16 Mar 02. Just another great barbecue with about 60 friends - this time it was Lamb Chops & Salmon Filets and all the rest - Brian DeLuca again working the grills. We had some good representation up from McChord AFB - our current Operational/Active members on a break from doing the job to support our troops in the Middle East responding to 9-11.
In 2002, we repeated our Wine Tasting tour in Washington State's Yakima Valley. (see recap of 2001below) This year's tour was equally as successful !!.
Once again, we did our SeaFair Party 2002 at John Banbury's house. His gracious wife Eva put up with us again and put out a great German-Style spread of meats, cheeses and desserts (of course John helped with Beer and other liquids). The Angels of course put on another Spectacular show over Lake Washington on the Finals Day of the Unlimited Hydro Racing - Wow, they're almost as good as the Thunderbirds! (now the reprisal comments come rolling in!!) Note that this time they were North of John's house about 200 yards ( so which year were they off-line??) Either way, the Squids put on another TERRIFIC SHOW - THANKS GUYS - SEATTLE LOVES YOU !!
PSAOG - THE EAGLE HAS LANDED!!!
The PSAOG was recently contacted by '99's Lt Joanne McCarthy at McChord AFB's Medical Services, to establish a link with PSAOG/HQ AOG and the Medical Retirement ceremony for Tim Merry '93, F15 Eagle Driver - as a consequence of some bad luck he had with a car accident while TDY at Tyndall AFB last Nov '01. Brian DeLuca '67, Pres PSAOG went down to represent AOG at large. Tim's story can be followed at the website his brother Mike set up, see: < http://thebonedaddies.tripod.com/theroadtorecovery/ >. I Brian (PSAOG Webmaster), met Tim, his wonderful wife Christina, his parents and all the attendees (GREAT support from McChord AFB personnel!) and had the opportunity to honor Tim and his family for his exemplary service. Tim's spirits are indominatable and infectious - and he has a really firm handshake waiting for his greeters (ouch!)!! For the near term, Tim and Christina will be in the Tacoma WA (McChord AFB) area with his parents - then we'll all await what the future holds. To say hello, use your own resources or contact me Brian '67 < ketone64@attbi.com > for a link to Tim.
PSAOG 's Brian DeLuca '67 was at the UC Berkeley game (23-21 USAFA). The Northern California Chapter put on a great Tailgate Party and arranged one of the best college football games in years - a real cliffhanger 'til the Bitter End!! Brian and Berkeley friend Fran (old HS girlfriend from NJ days - she rooted for AFA at the game - wise choice) joined classmate Ed Cunningham and his wife Susan, for a great dinner at Ed's Pelican Restaurant/Hotel on Highway 1 Marin County. Highlight of the evening was the "white knuckle flight" from and back to Ed's home to the restaurant in Ed's Ferrari Modena - Brian was "lips peeled back terrified", but Ed was skillful and calm as can be- business as usual. Now Brian knows how Navs felt in the back seat of his RF-4C, on some interesting Recce Missions in SEA! But we lived!! No Thelma and Louise that night!!! Thanks Ed - phew!!!! dodged another bullet!!!!
Tue 26 Mar 02, several of us had productive communication with Russ Laney '76 - AOG Staff, who was in town to survey the field for input and suggestions on how the AOG could best support the Chapters and how the Chapters could return the favor.
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Recapping the 2K summer, we had a wonderful outing with the US Coast Guard based at Port Angeles WA, on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. On a sunny Saturday afternoon in July, we embarked on an absolutely exciting and very informative 4-1/2 hour cruise aboard the USCG Cutter Cuttyhunk. We cruised over to the San Juan Islands for some inter-island exploring, then opened it up to FAST!!! for the return run to homeport (ostensibly to clean out the cylinders after lugging through the islands). All hands were totally professional and very eager and proud to show us their mission and personal assignments. We were all very impressed. Check them out at:
http://www.uscg.mil/d13/dpa/background/ships/110.htm
We had a great Fall 2K Party, graciously hosted by John '69 and Eva Banbury - Surf & Turf Kabobs on the barby, all the fixin's, and all the stuff that happens when good friends get together. Top it off with holding it on 11 Nov 2K during the AFA-CSU Blizzard Win!! and you had the formula for a "Good Time Had By All!!"
PSAOG had a truly wonderful late Spring event on Saturday, June 9 '01. Stan Clarke '72 hosted a lucky sixteen of his Chapter members, spouses and friends for a personal "insiders" tour of the Yakima Valley wine country in Central Washington. Stan is well known and respected in the industry as a winemaker, developer, columnist, judge and former President of the Washington Wine Institute. He arranged visits to four excellent wineries (of many in the valley): Sageland Winery, Wineglass Cellars, Hyatt and Covey Run. At each, we had the owner/operator guide us through "behind the scenes" visits into areas not normally toured, and of course - great tasting of award winning and limited production wines. Stan's wife Carol joined us after the tour for a memorable dinner and further tasting under Stan's tutelage, at the intimate and truly fine Dykstra House Restaurant in Grandview, located in a charming turn-of-the-century house, registered as a national historic site. If you visit Washington, make time for our Wine Country - we're definitely going back!
On Sunday afternoon, Aug 5, 01 we went back to John and Eva Banbury's home for our annual Summer Party, scheduled to coincide with the finali of Seattle's Seafair Week - which has the USN well-represented with capitol ships in port for tours and shoreleave, unlimited hydro races on Lake Washington, and the Blue Angels rehearsing for three days for their Big Show over the Lake and the race course on today's Sunday afternoon. We have a great view of the show off John's west-facing deck - but the real climax for our group was when the Angels fourship streaked low and directly over John's house to head out over the lake. Quite the full body buzz!!
We here at PSAOG are all hoping you're having a great year!
And that 2002 is bringing you Health and Happiness!
Contact Us:
Puget Sound Chapter, AOG. Contact PSAOG Board members:
Art Kerr - '61 |
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John Banbury - '69 |
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Richard Belden - '69 |
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Jerry Callahan - '66 |
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Joe Cavazzini - '82 |
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Brian DeLuca - '67 |
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Tom Hakeman - '69 |
Next are links to a Word and HTML version of our Sign-Up Form:
****MS Word Format Sign-Up Form**** |
****HTML Format Sign-up Form**** |
USAFA - Puget Sound Association of Graduates Covers the Pacific Northwest Region PSAOG MEMBERSHIP SIGN-UP FORM |
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| Name: | |
| Graduation Class: | |
| Spouse’s Name: | |
| Mailing Address: | |
| Employer: | |
| Occupation: | |
Please provide your preferred phone contact – home/work, either or both. |
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| Home Phone: | |
| Work Phone: | |
Please provide your preferred email contact – home/work, either or both. |
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| Home E-mail: | |
| Work E-mail: | |
| Any remarks? | |
WELCOME ABOARD!! All information is confidential and used by the AOG only for the purpose of a roster. |
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Print this form (or otherwise include the information in your correspondence) and mail with your $20 Annual Dues (a Bargain if you come to our Steak & Salmon parties!!) Send to: Tom Hakeman, 5217 Ridge Dr. NE; Browns Point; WA 98422 |
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Form updated: 15 Apr 02 |
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Useful Links: