www.KP83.org will display plenty of photos from our 30th Reunion weekend! Comments welcome on our Facebook Group for what you liked, didn’t like, or to tell each other how good we still look after all those years! Share your own photos there as well. In honor of our Homecoming these are our classmates who have children attending or graduated from KP:
Jacquie Nielsen, Young and Dave Heinbockle (’16), John Cataldi (’11), Scott O’Connor (son ’10 AND daughter ’13), Bob Lento (’15), Randy Johnson (’17), Dan Hicks (’17), and Rick Wood (’17). Congratulations! (let me know if I’ve missed someone). Look for Homecoming recap in next issue. Erin Gantt was scheduled to sing the Anthem at the football game, so maybe we’ll have some audio or video.
Here’s some reasons for several of us who were unlikely to attend our 30th:
Matt Bucherati was preparing a presentation to give at a Pepsi Board of Directors meeting.
Andy Dywan says “Cannot attend because I will be working offshore. You folks have a good time.”
Mark Faller expected to be out of the country. Lynn (Craddock) Melin says she’d “likely be in Kazakhstan” [now that’s pretty far out of the country!].
John Prien also had a perfectly acceptable excuse – “I wish we could attend, however with the 4 kids coordinating activities and travel to NY is difficult. Have a great time!”
Paul Zubaly gave the classic Academy reason – “Unfortunately I will be at sea during the reunion.”
Speaking of those we also missed… Visit the “In Memoriam” pages of our site for comments and photos honoring our deceased classmates. Thanks so much to those who’ve contributed. If you have something to add, or a good photo, or a note from a family member, please email it for inclusion. Thanks to Lisa (Barcus) Fields for coordinating installation of plaques at the Memorial Arbors for Michael Alston, Dennis Gault and Vivan Ragusa.
Mike Safina writes:
I have a business trip to Europe in September and am disappointed I will miss homecoming. I moved over to OPNAV in February and am Director of the Senior National Representative Office (N84-SNR). We oversee several bilateral and multilateral agreements between the USN and other countries. Our focus is on improving international interoperability. We also oversee and coordinate Navy’s participation in the NATO Naval Armaments Group. We’re a small office – 3 civilians and 2 contractors, so we’re pretty busy. But it’s a nice change from acquisition and opportunity to learn about another organization.
Thanks to Glenn Gardner for keeping us entertained with the dance videos he posts at our Facebook Page!
Mark Smith writes:
I was selected to umpire at the Southeast Region Little League Tournament this year. The tournament is 1-9 August in Warner-Robins, Ga. This is the next step to umpire in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. There will be 8 volunteer umpires from various states in the region that will be at the tournament. The semi-finals and finals will be televised on ESPN/ESPN2 and I hope to be umpiring in at least one of these games.
Little League website
I’ll reach back to my brief but memorable Navy career to send out a big “Bravo Zulu” to our Homecoming sponsors (Check’em out at our site!) and especially my Navy shipmate Brian Foy for coordinating the weekend events! Take care and send me some sea stories or photos for the next KP’er!
—– Ray Christensen
Rick Wood, Randy Johnson & Dan Hicks each had their sons at Indoc this summer.
Scott’s daughter Kate O’Connor ’13E (left), and Erika Lawson ’13E, both Shipyard Management majors