Hi Redtags!!

Well it's great to be writing again to all of you. I have some late Christmas cards and newsletters that came in after I mailed my last column. First, Gail and Peggy PECK sent one. Gail's parents are living close by and spending lots of time with his family. Gail worked for a high-tech firm trying to put touch control computers in airliners but he left after some frustrating times. Then he and Peggy started Great Western Aircraft Parts, a company that specializes in parts for older airliners. In September, the consulting business took off and Gail was spending more than half his time with helping to develop an air conditioning and heating company. Gail is an exec VP now with the possibility for more advancement and possibly some ownership. The young girls are doing very well. Liz is making straight "A"s. Jenny is a junior and talks about a career in medicine or law. Kayte has a new job as an advertising executive with a national winter sports magazine, "Snow Boarder." Jack and his family have added a new child and moved to London where he works for the Bank of France. Scot and his family have moved to San Antonio where his work focuses on entertainment and visual presentations for the San Antonio River tourist and convention industries. Gail and Peggy wish everyone a wonderful year. Thanks for the good news and update on the family. And good luck with the new business ventures.

Got a call from Tom MOORE last week. Tom is planning a vacation to Italy in the near future and wanted Alex HARDWICK's address to try and contact him for a get-together. Tom is doing some consulting work around the Washington beltway. He will keep me posted on his European trip. I ran into Colin RICHARDSON in the supermarket last week. He looks great and is as healthy as a young bull. He doesn't worry about fat and cholesterol and has the blood pressure of a young man. I'm envious. He has fully retired but goes into his old office on call-in assignments. He loves "surfing the net", the Internet, that is. Since he retired he uses the Internet and communicates with people all over the world. He's having a ball. And as usual, we agreed to get together soon - like we've been saying for five years now. We'll do it yet.

Got a newsletter from Ted and Marcy DYKES. Since their candidate George Allen was elected governor of Virginia, Ted was named one of the three commissioners to the Alcohol Beverage and Control Board. Ted now has an apartment in Richmond for the week and commutes home on weekends. He loves the change of pace and the chance to eliminate waste and do a thorough housecleaning of government. Marcy still heads two citizen organizations and has spent the better part of a year uncovering a slush fund for three top county officials. Her work as a government watchdog (as the press calls her) continues. The governor appointed her to the State Board of Trustees for the Family and Children's Trust Fund. A little closer to home for them is the fact that Tammy, Montana and boys have moved to Stafford, VA. He is stationed at Quantico and she is a nurse at a local hospital. Meanwhile, Chris and Sandy are putting the finishing touches on their house. They have done some traveling this year as well as spending time with Ted and Marcy. The Dykes wish the Redtags well.

Got a letter from a grad from the Class of '70. Rick BEREIT read my column, which told about George THOMPSON going back to Russia to teach in Pskov, Rick wanted to know how to get in touch with George because Rick wants to teach in Pskov. Small world. Now I'm wondering what's in Pskov. Maybe George will write and tell me all about it.

I got a newsletter from Chuck and Debbie CHEESEMAN. Their one year-old, Charlie III, is mastering the art of walking and talking. They're convinced he said "wingtip vortex" just before Christmas. Grandpa C walks the boy and little Emily around the aerodrome almost every day. Emily increased the supervisory tasking so much that Grandpa C had cataract surgery to keep up with her. Chuck is refinishing a Great Lakes biplane he got last year. The whole family took the Bonanza to upstate New York to see Debbie's folks. Later in the year, Chuck flew to Oshkosh with a neighbor in a restored Grumman Goose, which won Best Amphibian at the show. Debbie described a hectic Christmas week with family from all over creation spending a week with them. As a footnote, Chuck called me last month to invite me to stop up for an evening because Hal RHODES was going to be stopping by. I couldn't make it but hope Chuck will fill me in on Hal for the next column.

Got a change of address from Minter ALEXANDER, moving from Washington to Alexandria. How about that: Alexander in Alexandria. Also I see that the Rev and Mrs. Chuck MACNEVIN have moved from Marklesburg, PA, to Petal, MS. Lastly, Art FARRINGTON has changed street addresses in McLean, VA.

I talked to Fred and Arlene HENDRYX in January. Everything was fine in Cincinnati. They are planning to be back in Melbourne, FL, in April and May. We should be able to get together then. They are going to the Caymans in November. Caroline and I may have a chance to join them. I also talked to Don EGAN in January. He is devoting a little more time to psychiatry and is particularly trying to help people with alcohol addiction. He went on a trip to Italy last summer with some other Redtags. I'm hoping I'll get some pictures from one of the travelers. It was nice talking to Fred and Don. Hope to see you soon.

Got a letter from Don SHEPPERD. He saw Butch VICCELLIO and Fred FIEDLER recently and both are doing well. Butch is still commanding AETC while Fred is consulting on the B-1 from Phoenix. Don went to Dick KLASS' Christmas party. He also went to the AFA convention and ran into Mike MAJOR and "Indian" HUGHES. Erv ROKKE is doing a superb job as head of National Defense University. They see the Rokkes regularly. Don enclosed a picture taken in the Cayman Islands. Betty and Rudy BOW and Don and his wife, Rose, are scuba diving and holding a '62 sign in their hands. He said that Betty and Rose are the ones with hair. I hope it shows up well enough to print in Checkpoints. It's great. Thanks Don for the pic and the news.