A.J. Murphy writes:

At the beginning of SEP, I took another Greek Island sailing adventure. Last year’s crew was my wife, Gretchen, but now that she is back at work, took my brother-in-law and a buddy of his and we chartered a 36’ sailboat out of Athens/Piraeus to cruise the islands for a week. The trip was great, with lots of wind and noteworthy port of call. We did spend a couple of evenings on the hook at remote uninhabited islands, but also hit some big name islands as well, including Siros (Finekas west side & Ermoupolis on the east) and Mykonos. Mykonos is very large, has a big airport as well as many cruise ship arrivals, but it also has a small city feel along with ancient ruins, multiple resorts and many beaches and coves.

Everyone enjoyed the fun, food, sun and perfect temperatures. Even had to repair a torn sail, a first for me. Did it underway so we did not have to stop. Each day was good for 6-10 hours of underway time, with schedule being flexible as we depended on mother nature for moving us from one island to another. Wind could be quite blustery, where at one point we were just over 7 knots on only a genoa. One approach into port brought a head on wind with 10-12 foot seas. That slowed the transit time for sure. Would recommend this to anyone looking at sailing adventures. Always have the USMMA hat on for the nautical adventures!

John Burns sent an awesome photo of the late Vivan Ragusa and himself atop the highest mountain in the continental USA – Mt Whitney.

Bruce Garrott writes:
Hello from Djibouti. I have now been at Camp Lemonnier for 6 weeks and time is starting to move quickly. Thanksgiving was a feast here. There was way too much food to eat and the chow hall was full as everyone wanted to stay, enjoy the company of their friends and socialize longer than a normal meal. The weekend after Thanksgiving, Natalie Stovall performed for two nights on the camp. She is quite talented as a country musician, who can sing, and play the violin and guitar.

I spent the first full week of December in Stuttgart, meeting our higher headquarters (US Africa Command) and those to whom I report to for many matters. Very interesting meetings. It was nice to put a face to a name on an email. There was quite a difference in weather (about 50 degree temperature change) and it snowed one night. It was nice to see green again. The German’s decorate for Christmas and it was nice to see decorations and lights for the holiday season. Stuttgart’s Christmas Market was worth seeing too.

This week, the Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, visited the camp on Tuesday. He gave a very good speech and then shook the hand of the 500 soldiers and sailors who assembled to meet him. Here is the link or http://www.hoa.africom.mil/getArticleFresh.asp?art=7497 The weather here is now pleasant. Highs in the low 80’s and lows in the 70’s. I even saw someone wearing a sweatshirt tonight, outside.

Dan Rohde writes:
I have a case of Bud’s (I enjoy drinking not gambling) on Tebow (I mean Denver) over New England. I’m not a Gator fan or overly religious, but this guy’s work ethic is unbelievable and he knows how to win. I’m also a good New Yorker who will pull for anybody playing a team from the Boston area.

On a serious note, Carrie and I spent the week in-between Christmas and New Years in Miami working with the Race Committee that ran the Laser course (one of 3 courses) at the Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta. Tom Lihan (82) was the Principal Race Officer (PRO) and George Winslow (82) and David Sloane (82) were also part of the Race Committee. The five of us spent a lot of time together during our 3 years we were all on the Kings Point Sailing Team, and it was great to be back on the water participating in the sport we all enjoy so much.

Our youngest daughter was on the water competing and both of Tom’s daughters ware on the water coaching. Tom’s oldest daughter Sarah (2010 Yale grad.) had recently earned a position on the US Olympic Sailing Team and will represent the US in the Woman’s double handed dinghy (the “470”) in England later this year. As you can imagine, all the young competitors (and parents) were very interested in talking with her, and Tom (and his wife Dana) are extremely proud of her accomplishments.

The Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta is an annual event that attracts 500-600 youth sailors (560 this year) from the Americas and Europe.

Ray’s update: Last 2 times that I saw my old navy shipmate Brian Foy were to visit his family at their Pawling, NY home – this year to watch NFC Championship Game and last year to watch AFC Championship Game. He’s Executive Director of the Westchester County Medical Society as well as a similar position with a national medical organization. He also got me a gig putting together a website for his KP Alumni Chapter: www.KPMidHudson.org

At our site are past columns, photos, & a link to our Facebook Group. We’re all 50+ now. Stay healthy…and email me with exciting or boring news.

—– Ray Christensen

John Burns & Vivan Ragusa

AJ Murphy sails Greek Islands

AJ Murphy sails Greek Islands

Bruce Garrott w/ Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta

Dan & Carrie Rohde w/KP’82 friends

Chris Thayer writes:
Classmates, on 7/28 we had a Memorial Service for Michael Alston at MSC. I thought it was very nicely done. In attendance from the Class of 1983 were Erin Gantt, Bob Ross, Rudy Lupton, Dave Ferchau, Steve Keating, Glenn Gardner and myself. Bob Ross adds, “Erin’s voice is as beautiful as ever.”

Mark Smith writes (via FB): Attended Oct 12 KP Club of Washington DC luncheon where our own Sean Connaughton was the guest speaker. Sean is currently the Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Sean provided insight into the transportation issues facing our area.
Also in attendance from KP ’83 – Ed Fairbarn, D. Lee Forsgren, Erin Gantt and Chris Thayer.

Rick Boudiette writes:
Greetings from sunny Northern California. I’m still with Chevron Shipping and am currently busy managing several newbuild LNG Carrier projects. First one delivered from Daewoo last week and the two sisters deliver 1 Nov and 1 Dec, respectively. The next project starts up in January of 2012 in Samsung. While in Korea, I’ve been able to connect with Kerry O’Neill, who is working for Teekay on another LNG project that Chevron has an interest in. Mickey C passed through the SF Bay Area a few weeks back just to have some pizza and beer with me; he seems to travel as much as I do, but all domestic and, from what I can tell, primarily for random golf outings.

While in Houston recently, I took the oppportunity to drive over to New Orleans and hook up with the Liantonios and the Querns. Both families are doing well, and Frank & Kim’s dog was extremely generous in allowing me to sleep in the guest room where he normally hides out. It was a tame weekend compared to some of the weekends we used to have in New Orleans, but thoroughly enjoyable and exactly what I needed. I also spoke with Steve Nicholson recently; he and the family have settled in back at Bath Iron Works in Maine after a few years down under in Adelaide.

Rev. Tony Hartman writes:
The days of the US military presence in Iraq are almost over. The violence is not, but many are praying that God willing Iraq still has a better future. They still have a lot of work to do. The eerie red photo [below] during a sandstorm is not photo-shopped!

Mark Faller writes:
Attached is a photo of me and my daughter, Dr. Caitlyn (Faller) Rerucha, MD. Caitlyn recently graduated from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) and is currently doing her residency in Family Medicine at Fort Bragg, NC. She is married to John Rerucha, also a Captain in the Army who is serving as an Intel officer. Otherwise, all is well in Fredericksburg, VA where I’m keeping a Human Performance Solutions company afloat with 4 other retired Coast Guard officers.

Ray’s update: Training for my 20th marathon (Nov). I coordinated both a 5K and 15K race this fall, each with over 300 finishers. Big job w/ no pay – like planning for a big wedding and you don’t know how many guests are coming.

Please notify me if your email address changes. There’s a link at our site to our Facebook Group.
Stay healthy.
—– Ray Christensen

Mark Faller with daughter

Rev. Tony Hartman in Iraq

Tony’s sand storm photo

Tony Hartman writes: Right now I’m here at COB Speicher, near Tikrit, Iraq. About half way through as we draw down to depart before the end of the year. I’m the lead Chaplain for the three hospitals up in the northern part of the country.

Chris Cioni writes: I volunteered for the race committee again this year. Instead of being a course marshal this year, I was very fortunate to be assigned to the security crew. It was amazing to be right on the finish line and closer to the stage than the media. And yes, I was prepared to “take one for the team” in order to protect the lovely podium staff 🙂

Dan Rohde writes: I’ll be heading out to Long Beach (from Savannah where Carrie and I currently live) in late August with a few of my Georgia Ports Authority colleagues to visit with a few folks in SoCal. One of the stops will be with Jacobsen Pilots where we will meet with, among others, the Jacobsen Pilots Ops Manager Capt. Mark Coynes. I’ll try to get a fun picture or two the following KP’er.

Our oldest daughter graduated from the USCGA in May and our middle daughter (3rd kid) started at the USCGA last week. We have two more years to attempt to sway our last kid to KP so we can keep our family numbers tilted the right way.

Rex Gundle writes: Continuing the expat lifestyle since 1997 and working for the AP Moller-Maersk group for the past 23 years. Married to Kim just short of 28 years now, with 3 kids, where the youngest Katie is 17 attending her 6 school in 6 countries, none of them in the USA; Tom is 19 attending UNC Wilmington; and Sarah graduated from University of Mary Washington and now works for our sister company the last 3 years. All is well, even with all the crazy events going on in the region.

Lisa Barcus Fields writes: Our daughter just gave birth to our first grandchild, a little boy. To say we are proud grandparents is an understatement. His name is Finnlee Joshua Anderson. Born on July 7th. He is the son of our oldest daughter Jessica and her husband Josh. Our son-in-law is a Virginia Tech grad, but he humors us, and allowed Grandpa and Grandma to dress Finnlee appropriately!

Mike Palmer’s oldest daughter Sheila is graduating HS this year.

Jim Romeo reports that Rob Lento‘s son is currently a plebe!

Erin Gantt again performed in the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC with her trio, Swing Shift.

Rick Boudiette writes: Hope all is well. I am based in the San Francisco Bay Area managing some newbuild projects for Chevron Shipping. Specifically I have a contract with Daewoo for 3 LNG Carriers delivering later this year, and am about to start another LNG project at Samsung later this year. Lot’s of travel to Korea. During my travels recently, I ran across Kerry O’Neill. He’s working for on a Teekay Shipping construction team at Samsung. In fact, the current project he is on is yet another LNG Carrier project, and the ships will be dedicated to a Chevron joint venture gas project. Kerry is looking great, has a
wonderful wife, and is teaching some of my engineers a thing or two on the finer points of hull structural inspections.

Mike Booth writes: My wife and I are moving to Singapore by September, so that’s keeping us hopping. Other than that, not much news to report.

Glenn Gardner has been selected as Assistant Deputy Commander for Industrial Operations (SEA 04X). In this position, he’ll exercise operational control of the public shipyards and directorate’s infrastructure management of NAVSEA field activities. Glenn previously served as the technical director for Submarine Hull, Mechanical and Electrical Systems Engineering Division.

The very day of submitting this column we were notified that Michael Alston has passed away. See details at our site and please keep his family in your prayers.

Ray’s update: Check out my web design video at www.AttractWeb.com. I’ll brag about finishing 10th in my age group (out of 400) at Marine Corps Historic Half (half marathon), Fredericksburg, VA in May. Drew Carey did his first Half there.

For quick chatting with everyone, there’s a link at our site to our Facebook Group. Take care. Stay young.
—– Ray Christensen

Chris Cioni volunteered at Amgen Tour of CA bike race

Erin Gantt performs at Memorial Day parade in DC

Gary & Lisa (Barcus) Fields with new grandson