Air Force Academy 40th Reunion

I went to my college reunion last month at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.  It was fun to see the old sights where I went to school for 4 years and also some of my good friends.

 Me with Rich Masse on the terazzo at the Air Force Academy.  Rich was my best friend there.  We went through our Doolie year together, were roommates at times, and stayed friends throughout the four years.  I was glad he came also and we got to hang out during the reunion.

 On Thursday I flew in to Denver and caught a bus down to Colorado Springs to the hotel.  We had registration and a reception there that first night.

 On Friday we got to tour around the campus.  This is the main cadet area which surrounds a grassy field and terrazzo.  In the evening we had a Class Banquet.

 The cadet chapel is the most well known landmark.  We attended a memorial there for our classmates who have passed away.

 This is the dorm where I lived for the upper class three years, Sijon Hall.  My squadron was at the back of the third floor.

 I was in 39th Squadron.  We even got to go inside.  You had to live in the dorms all four years and you weren't allowed to have cars until your Senior year.  You did get to be pretty good friends with your squadron classmates.

 My first year, Doolie Year, I was in Evil Eight Squadron in Vandenberg Hall.

 This shows the air gardens.  The building in the background is Mitchell Hall where we ate our meals.

 Inside Mitchell Hall.  Each table seated 10 cadets.  You typically had three or four Doolies at the table to serve the upperclassmen.

 This shows the cadet gymnasium and beyond that the cadet field house.

 The cadets were doing combat field exercise training. 

This is Fairchild Hall which was the academic building where all of our classes were and the cadet library.  I majored in Astronautical Engineering.

 On Saturday we got to attend a football games.  At the start of each game several squads of cadets march into the stadium.

 Air Force was playing the University of Nevada Las Vegas.  It was terrible the first half and they were behind 3 to 30.  But the second half they caught up and won the game 34 to 30.  It was an exciting game and I had fun wandering around the stadium.

 They even have female cheer leaders now.

 The Air Force mascot is a falcon.  He performed at half time but this time flew off and didn't take the lure.  He came back though and I got a picture of him down behind the bleachers.

The final event Saturday was squadron dinners. The 39th Squadron met at a pizza restaurant in Colorado Springs.  Me with Mike Levenhagen, Jimbo Welshans, Randy Martinez, Flip Feeley, Mark Cochran, Kurk Taylor, Ron Stich, Jim Ilse, and Jeff Remington.

I had a good time at the reunion.  It was a unique and great experience going to college at the Academy.