Greetings from Colorado ski country. I hope that you and Jerry Garber appreciate the sacrifice required to meet a 1 January deadline in the middle of a ski holiday. I suppose that if the Commander in Chief can work during his ski holiday, I can at least crank out a column. I wonder if it’s possible to wangle an assignment as Air force Ski Aide to the President. That yields an acronym of AFSAP, which somehow seems appropriate.

Recent arrivals at USAFA are Bill HODSON, who is back in math, and John MACARTNEY, who returns to Poli. Sci. Bill claims to be the only military member to have served under every superintendent here. This is his third tour, since graduation. John is struggling with his doctoral dissertation, a position which evokes a great deal of empathy from some of us.

A surprise letter reveals that Dave REED is practicing medicine in Auckland, New Zealand. He finished med school in 1971 and is currently doing his residency in anesthesiology. Dave extends an open invitation to any grads who happen to be down New Zealand way. He can be contacted through the Auckland Hospital Board.

It has been a busy year for Bob FISCHER. He received a DFC for saving a disabled C-141. He lost elevator control on takeoff, but was able to overcome the resulting pitch up with the help of his crew, and eventually landed successfully. As a result of coping with that hairy caper and some other good work, he was awarded the Air Force Association President’s Trophy for heading the outstanding Air Reserve Crew for 1974. He apparently completed an MBA in there somewhere as well. Congratulations Bob.

Clark WALKER and Dick HEAD are both based at Clark now. Clark is with the 7th Airbourne Command and Control Squadron and reported from the University of Tennessee, where he finished his master’s. Dick is flying F-4s following a remote tour at Udorn.

Speaking of remote tours at Udorn, Russ MACDONALD is currently on one. He’s also in F-4s with the 13th TFS.

Dave SWEIGART is also remote, but at NKP as air ops staff officer (does that translate as Command Post?) with the USAF Support Activities Group. Dave left the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver.

Perhaps we can complete a cycle by reporting that Howie BRONSON is no longer on a remote tour flying F-4s at Udorn. He moved to Hq TAC at Langley last fall.

AFIT news has Derry ADAMSON entering San Diego State last fall and Phil MEINHARDT slated to finish at UCLA in March. Phil and Ann have been living in Roman Gabriell’s old house; must be tough, huh?

Those good old change of address cards also show that Pat SMITH is now with the 3613th CCTS at Homestead; Reb GUILLOT is with the 355th TFW at Davis-Monthan; Charley WATERMAN is in the 443rd OMS at Altus; and Howie WHITFIELD is ops officer of the HMM-l63, MCAS (H) (I don’t know what it is, either) at Santa Ana, California.

I’ll close with a wish that each of you has a good year and resolves to write your Class News Secretary a letter whenever something worthwhile occurs (or whenever it doesn’t).