Class News

What's going on in the USAFA '72 world

30   Year  Reunion

Dear fellow classmates,

     February 2002

      Hey, it's 2002 -hard to believe it has been 30 years since camp USAFA turned 754 of America's finest young guns loose on an unsuspecting world. Amazing how fast time flies, as we get older. The good news, however, is that we get to rendezvous this October to swap war stories, renew old friendships, and simply have more fun than anyone deserves. It's a fact -our thirtieth reunion celebration will be this 16-21 Oct.

     Your reunion committee is working hard to make this reunion a great and memorable experience. The reunion hotel will be the Adam's Mark Antlers in downtown Colo Spgs. The Antlers is a superb hotel near numerous shops, restaurants, and most importantly microbrews! We have reserved some 200 rooms at an excellent discount and will send specific hotel registration info with the next mailing in early summer.

     Attached is a tentative schedule. The reunion will include the Notre Dame football game on Saturday preceded by a class tailgate and followed by a night rejoin at the Antlers. Check-in will start on Wednesday, while Thursday will include openings for lunch with the cadets at Mitchell Hall, and Friday will be filled with the golf tournament, memorial service/paver dedication, and class dinner at the Antlers. Speaking of golf: if anyone works or has connections for golf tournament prizes such as golf towels, head covers, hats, airline tickets, etc. please contact the golf committee. Alternative activities will be offered throughout the reunion such as an Olympic Training Center visit and a Garden of the Gods tour. Gary Grenier is working on a class web site off of the AOG site (www.usafa.org) that could be used for obtaining the latest reunion info and communication. Keep checking the AOG site for updates.

     As the 30th is a significant milestone, we want to ensure everyone is notified. Attached is a "lost souls" list for whom the AOG has no current address. If you know the mailing address, email address, or phone number of a "lost soul" mate please let the AOG or a committee member know. Again, the AOG email is reunions@usafa.org, phone number is 719-472-0300, and address is 3116 Academy Dr, USAFA CO 80840-4475. We are also inviting all widows as well as any classmates who entered camp USAFA in June of '68.

     As mentioned earlier, one of our events on Friday will be the '72 paver dedication near Doolittle Hall. The '72 paver area consisting of 757 granite blocks (one for each graduate plus our three classmates who died as cadets) and a brass plaque was made possible by your generous donations. However, our original class gift goal of $240,000 is still some $20,000 short. Attached is a Class of 1972 gift card for consideration by those who have not yet contributed. We all owe a great amount of credit to the academy for our education and opportunities. The academy is under a tight federal budget and depends heavily on donations to keep the many valuable clubs, sports, and cadet programs going.

Ralph "Buzz" Allen