Lt Col Jim Ratti
6329 Pheasant Valley Rd
Dayton OH 45424-7100
(937) 236-9306 (Home) or DSN 785-0366 x3281 (Work)
rattijm(nospam)@mindspring.com
Hello Redtags!
As I write this, we’re just a bit shy of 3 months to the reunion—can you believe it’s been 20 years? Hey, by the way, my next deadline will be literally just a few days after the reunion, so if there are pictures, anecdotes, updates etc. from the reunion that you want to see in that article, either get ‘em to me at the reunion, drop ‘em in the mail, or e-mail IMMEDIATELY following the event. Planning is coming along nicely, and I think you’ll be very pleased with what the committee and the AOG have in store for you.
As usual, tons ‘o news this quarter, so here we go! Mike and Gloria (MONTOYA) RYAN sent their usual St. Patrick’s Day letter, which you can read on the website (click on the “Your News” button and pick the Apr-Jun 2002 inputs). They’re doing well, having moved to Paris to attend the French version of Air War College. I’ve heard the gourmet school lunches aren’t bad either… Mike says that John COTTAM is also in Paris, working as the Director of Air Force Affairs at the embassy there. Wow, going to Paris to be in charge of affairs… Somebody’s gotta do it, I guess! Before Mike left Germany, he got a visit from Delta pilot Joe d’EON and his wife Sarah (SCHIRMER). In March, Mike attended the ceremony where Ray PHILLIPS relinquished command of the 86th Ops Group at Ramstein to take a job in NORAD. Chris HAAVE also moved back to the States, departing SHAPE HQ for Davis-Monthan where he’ll assume command of the 12AF Air Ops Group.
Steve VOGT managed to survive the post Sep 11th airline layoffs, and has been able to bid a schedule which keeps him home with the kids as much as possible. He and Gina took a 15th wedding anniversary trip to Rome (sans kids) and had a great time seeing the sights. Steve says Tom SYLVESTER is flying the 757 out of Detroit, and is enjoying his side business as a website geek.
Kim CORCORAN dropped a line as she returned from “Base X” in Oman, supporting ENDURING FREEDOM. She ran into Doc KIMMINAU there, who is still commanding a squadron at Offutt. Kim is headed for Senior Service School in Switzerland where she’ll face the grueling prospect of one 15-page paper and no tests. Kim commented how cool it was to scan the news on the website and realize that it’s now OUR turn (us and the classes around us) to run the Air Force. Amen!
My old Chorale bud Bob GUESSFERD checked in from Hudson, NH where he’s the single dad of three great kids, and a senior contracts negotiator for BAE Systems (formerly Lockheed Sanders). He plays both sides though, ‘cause he works for the Defense Contracts Management Agency (DCMA) as a reservist.
As the reunion draws closer, I’m hearing from an unprecedented number of folks who started with our class but did not graduate. Many are planning on coming to the reunion, recognizing that the bonds we formed through Prep School, BCT and the Doolie year are virtually unbreakable. One of the non-grads who wrote recently is Rich MILLER. Rich left the Prep School after 10 months and is now settled in Collierville TN as an insurance agent for Nationwide. He ran into Doug REHDER at an airshow at NAS Millington last summer, and recognized Rick BURGESS explaining some sort of ordinance thingy on a Wings episode (Discovery Channel) during the Gulf War. Another non-grad who checked in was Freddie PERALTA. Freddie’s a GS-14 doing a broadening tour at the Pentagon, and serving as a reservist with the Defense Intelligence Agency. He has seen folks such as Kirk HUNIGAN, Col select Glenn PAYNE, Skip GRESKO, and Steve BRAGADO in the hallowed halls of “the building”. I also got a note from John RAPIN who left after our Doolie year. John enlisted in the Army in 1988 after completing his bachelor’s degree and spending some time as a civilian, and is now running the mobile dental clinic program (Mercedes tour busses converted to dental clinics) at a post in Germany.
Abel Barrientes and His Hi-Paid
Commuter
Click picture for larger version -- caution -
321Kb file!
Abel BARRIENTES noticed we haven’t had a picture in the column recently, so he sent a picture of himself and Manny GUERRERO. Able offered up his jumpseat to Manny as he commuted to work one day recently. They’re both 737-800 Captains for Delta, and Abel is flying C-5s for the Reserves at Travis.
Since I’m running out of room, and I’ve still got lots of inputs, I’ll convert to the “short takes” format. Harry LEACH replaced a retiring Dan HARGOVE as the 89th Airlift Wing Ops Group Deputy/CC at Andrews this summer. Ron WILLIAMS is a JAG at Osan, but will be moving to the JCS Legal Counsel’s office this summer. Mike SINISI is lamenting the loss of control over assignments now that he’s an O-6 select, but keeping busy as he winds up his tour working manpower & funding issues for the J-6 at CENTCOM. He still manages to train for marathons, despite the oppressive Florida heat. ‘Course, when I consider marathons, the thought occurs to me that it’s not the heat, it’s the stupidity (or something like that… I always get it mixed up). Long-time website lurker but non-writer Chip DORMAN says “hi” from West “By Gawd” Virginia where he’s a FedEx and C-130 Air Guard pilot, married (Bonnie, from Jawja, and way too good for Chip – he said so, not me!) with two great kids. He’ll soon transfer to the Reserves and serve as an Academy LO.
Eddie & Jeannette McALLISTER have moved from Yokota back to northern VA, where Eddie will grace the halls of the Pentagon. Col select Steve SUDDARTH will depart AFMC HQ (Wright-Patt) where he was the Chief of the Commander’s Action Group to head to Maxwell. He’ll be the AF Research Lab Commander’s Rep to Air University. I bumped into Jan (GONERT) ROSKO at a conference here in Dayton awhile back. She had just returned from her tour at RAF Fairford, and is now settled in at the Pentagon (HQ USAF/XPXC) with husband Mike and two kids. Col Tim Collins just left for a 180-day deployment to command the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, so now you’ll understand why he didn’t make the reunion.
Yours truly got a new job back in April. I’m now heading up the engine development & production team for the F-22, still at Wright-Patt. This motor is fantastic. It’s by far the most advanced engine in the world, and the government/contractor team which built it is second to none. I’m proud to be part of it. Most of us are far too old to get the chance to fly the F-22, but if you do, I know for certain that you’ll love the engine!
That’s it for now. I hope you all enjoy(ed) the reunion. Send me your tales!
Be Safe, Ratman
Be Safe,
Ratman