"Following precedent established by the Class of 1959, Class President Andi Biancur proposed to our Colorado Classmates that we procure second lieutenant bars for the Class of 2010 and present them to each graduate at commissioning ceremonies during June Week," wrote Denis Walsh, who was a member of the team working on this project. "Tony Bilello and Jim Bujalski volunteered for the design and procurement of these mementos, and a group of classmates performed the assembly in April 2010 (the top portion of the photo shows Tony Bilello, Dick Sexton, Ron Yates, Bruce Mosier, and DL Walsh performing assembly of the bars). Tony and Jim designed a beautiful and eloquent plaque which had detachable bars and included both class crests, with these words: 'Presented by the Class of 1960, in recognition of adherence to the highest standards of the United States Air Force Academy and to continued service to our country'."

"Each of the 40 cadet squadrons had their own individual ceremony, at a different location, and all squadrons did the commissioning ceremony in Mess Dress on 25 May 2010. Andi assigned a time, squadron and location to our classmates, and there were two shifts of presenters, which included Andi Biancur, Tony Bilello, Jim Glaza, Leon Goodson, Roy Jolly, Wayne Kendall, Bruce Mosier, Fred Porter, George Pupich, Pete Roe, Gordon Savage, Dick Schehr, Dick Sexton, Jim Waddle, Denis Walsh, and Ron Yates; from '59 were Larry Fortner, Max Miller, Ed Montgomery, Brock Strom, Pete Todd, and Chuck Ferrari, while Terry Storm from the Class of 1961 also helped." (In the photo, Chuck Diver is shown presenting bars to Rhodes Scholar, Brittany L. Morreale, Class of 2010).

"We planned for 1,100 graduates and actually presented 1,003 on 25 May 2010, and awarded bars to an additional dozen who graduated and were commissioned later; it was nearly a year before the final presentations were made. Superintendent Lt Gen Mike Gould ('76) offered his personal appreciation, and stated that other key USAF General Officers expressed approval of our undertaking." (As a final note, Andi has secured assurances from the next five classes that their classes will continue the practice of giving out the officer insignia at their commissioning ceremonies).

"I've been separated from the class except for the first reunion and recruiting Gary Gulbransen and Susan as summer crew on our powerboat, Balding Eagle, going to and returning from Montreal," wrote Bill Siebecker. "We've made a decision to hang it up after nine years on the St. Lawrence Seaway, what with fifteen locks each way and human aches and pains that make it less of a joy. We started cruising in 1990 and it has greatly enhanced our lives, what with all the wonderful people we've met and boated with and places visited. My outstanding First Mate, Nancy, has suggested that there was more to summer than boating. She is diligently working on learning French, so Paris will undoubtedly be one of the world cities that we visit. Nancy has an undergraduate in pipe organ performance from Lawrence University, and a Masters in choral work from Michigan. She gave up her church director of music position after 20 years and now performs concerts and recitals in Wausau and the Sarasota (Fl) area, where we have a condo on Longboat Key.

"Our youngest daughter Ann is a CPA, and works for the Carlyle Group in Washington, DC; Jill, our older daughter, trains and breeds dogs. I'm working about half time at Wilson-Hurd, mainly trying to stay out of people's way and concentrate on capital, strategic planning and direction. We have an office in China and an engineer who speaks English very well to work on new sources and implementing new applications. Our biggest supplier of custom printed switches is in Singapore, and I have an ownership interest along with a German company that has other manufacturing businesses in China, which I visit twice a year. Our biggest opportunity is an electrocardiogram (ECG) Glove to replace the ten wire leads on the standard ECG machine. We developed the design from their prototype, and through designing an automated process that also meets FDA quality requirements, reduced the cost to be a practical application in the market place. We're concentrating on the medical market and serve 12 medical equipment manufacturers. Our traditional business is printing and fabricating aluminum and plastic sheets." (In the Left photo--Nancy with baby tiger at Thai Phuket Zoo; Right photo--Bill and Nancy, Phang Nga Bay, east of Phuket).

"Again this year, MiniSki XXI 2011 started off with a bang on President's weekend," wrote Andi Biancur. "As it turned out, Utah experienced the 'Perfect Storm.' On Saturday, Utah received 12 inches of new snow, only to be repeated on Sunday with another 12 inches. On Monday, the weather broke clear, and resulted in every skier west of the Mississippi heading for the slopes. To avoid the ultimate traffic jam in the two smallish canyons on the west side of the mountains, we diverted to the Park City side, where we found record crowds but were able to get in a full day of skiing.

"The remainder of the week returned to normal with more snow on Thursday and Friday which produced great skiing across all the venues. The crowd consisted of: Greg Boyington with June, daughter Tiffany, son-in-law Jeff Lippa, grandson Reef; Andi & Carole Biancur; Howie Bronson; Jerry de la Cruz, daughter Anna Marie and granddaughter Sophia; Jim & Jeannette Glaza, Les Hobgood, and son Mike; Al Johnson; Ralph Lalime, and son Chris; Bruce Mosier, daughters Debbi & Carrie; George & Diana Pupich; Earl & Pat Van Inwegen, daughter Kristen & friend Julie; Ron & Connie Yates; Gene & Jane Vosika '59; and, Bruce & Pat Hinds '61. With any luck, in 2012--a leap year--we will avoid President's weekend with MiniSki XXII beginning on 25 February."

"Rosie, I would like to share with you the wonderful evening Sylvia and I spent Sunday night entertaining the Nogars in our home," wrote Gary Sheets. "A year ago this week, Gay was operated on for cancer in her right hip. The cancer was so pervasive that they had to remove extensive bone in the hip and leg femur. As a result, Gay has no leg/hip connection, and she is unable to use her right leg. Ed must carry her to the bathroom and lift her into bed. They did get a new van and had it modified to enable drive-on and drive-off of a motorized wheel chair. It also provides a secure locking device so Gay can travel in the wheel chair, next to Ed. Their attitudes are amazing--positive and absolutely devoted to each other (Gay has also retained her inner and outer beauty, and is an absolute delight to talk to). We also understand that Bill Taylor has moved to our area, hopefully, we can get together. There is a North Texas AOG Chapter, but it is not very active. Perhaps we can get a Plano Chapter, for there are a number of graduates in the area." (Gary and Sylvia Sheets live in Plano, TX.

Visit www.usafaclasses.org/1960/afa60.html to view our 'April 2011 Web Column.'