June 2009 - UT NROTC Alumni
June 2009 - UT NROTC Alumni
June 2009 - UT NROTC Alumni
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The official message board of the University of Texas <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation<br />
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
<strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> Distinguished Alumnus Awards Ceremony in La Grange<br />
(Printed, in part, from an article in the Fayette Country Record)<br />
A group of family and friends of three<br />
University of Texas <strong>Alumni</strong> gathered at the<br />
Frisch Auf! Valley Country Club on the<br />
evening of March 6, <strong>2009</strong> to witness the<br />
presentation of awards. Receiving awards<br />
were (from left to right) CAPT John W.<br />
Hitchcock, W. Robert Brown, and RADM<br />
J. Weldon Koenig. Koenig was the fifth<br />
<strong>NROTC</strong> Alumnus to receive the Distinguished<br />
Alumnus award. Hitchcock was the first<br />
<strong>NROTC</strong> Alumnus to receive the Distinguished<br />
Service award and Brown was the first to<br />
receive both the Distinguished Alumnus and<br />
Distinguished Service awards.<br />
These men all have devoted their talents to the<br />
organizations that support the University of<br />
Texas <strong>NROTC</strong> Battalion. These three men all served their country with honor and have reached personal achievements<br />
that bring credit upon the University of Texas <strong>NROTC</strong> program as well as the University of Texas. Those in attendance<br />
had the opportunity to read a brief sheet providing the numerous achievements of each candidate.<br />
The Commanding Officer of the University of Texas <strong>NROTC</strong> Unit at Austin, CAPT James M. Spence, was in attendance<br />
as well as the color guard from the <strong>NROTC</strong> Battalion. Those in attendance witnessed an impressive posting of the colors<br />
and a great rendition of the National Anthem sung by the audience as it was led by the St. James Episcopal Church Choir.<br />
The Dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Dean Mary Ann Rankin, represented the University of Texas and was the<br />
special guest of honor speaker. She brought special wishes from the University of Texas at President, William Powers,<br />
and congratulated the men receiving awards. Awards were presented by Edwin W. Mergele, President of the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong><br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation, and emcee for the night’s festivities. The following are brief biographies of the three recipients.<br />
Born in La Grange, Texas, Weldon Koenig graduated from <strong>UT</strong> in 1958 with a Bachelor of Business Administration<br />
degree and was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy. He enjoyed an active naval career for 31 years,<br />
retiring as a Rear Admiral in 1989. While in the navy, he was primarily a submariner but held a wide variety of command<br />
and staff positions. He successfully navigated his personal interview with Admiral Hyman Rickover and went on to<br />
command the USS Simon Bolivar (SSBN 641)(Blue Crew) and later Submarine Squadrons Six and Eight. Other<br />
significant duty assignments include Director of Navy Military Personnel Command Submarine Assignment Section,<br />
Director Logistics and Security Assistance, United States Pacific Command. His final command assignment was<br />
Commander Naval Training Center, Orlando, Florida. His military decorations include the Defense Superior Service<br />
Medal, three Legions of Merit, Navy Meritorious Service, Navy Commendation, Antarctic Service and others. He is most<br />
proud of the Legions of Merit.<br />
Continued on Page 2<br />
1
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation Officers<br />
Edwin W. “Ed” Mergele (1975)<br />
President<br />
Michael Waldron (1967)<br />
Vice President<br />
Spencer H. Smith (1973)<br />
Secretary<br />
Dan O’Neil (1980)<br />
Treasurer<br />
Robert W. “Bob” Looney (1962)<br />
Editor/Publisher<br />
James D. Brotherton (1968)<br />
Historian<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation<br />
Board of Directors<br />
James D. Brotherton (1968)<br />
W. Robert Brown (1952)<br />
John Engstrom (1966)<br />
R. Glenn Looney (1961)<br />
Robert W. “Bob” Looney (1962)<br />
Edwin W. “Ed” Mergele (1975)<br />
Fred Moon (1970)<br />
Dennis Olson (1969)<br />
Dan O’Neil (1980)<br />
Gabriel R. Salazar (1979)<br />
Spencer Smith (1973)<br />
Michael Waldron (1967)<br />
David Wells (1969)<br />
Ex-Officio Members<br />
CAPT James M. Spence, USN<br />
Professor of Naval Science<br />
Jack Ritter (1955)<br />
Navy League Liaison<br />
Regional Directors<br />
Ray Adams (1980)<br />
DFW (H) 972-596-7188<br />
Keys Curry (1958)<br />
Houston (H) 713-783-8185<br />
Robert Hancock (1967)<br />
West (H) 619-586-0036<br />
K. J. Moore (1964)<br />
Eastern (H) 703-759-3327<br />
Rudy Kruger (1963)<br />
Central (H) 402-331-6557<br />
Henry Harper (1965)<br />
Mountain (H) 208-522-7776<br />
Midshipmans Foundation<br />
Directors<br />
Clay W.G. Fulcher (1955)<br />
Robert L. Gartner (1965)<br />
John Hitchock (1965)<br />
J. Weldon Koenig (1958)<br />
Max Miller (1957)<br />
Midshipmans Foundation<br />
Advisory Directors<br />
Donald S. Inbody<br />
Jefferson D. Howell (1961)<br />
Chairman, Gifts Committee<br />
W. Robert Brown (1952)<br />
Printing of the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong><br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Log generously donated<br />
By Raytheon Company<br />
McKinney, Texas<br />
Distinguished Alumnus Awards<br />
(Continued from Page 1)<br />
For ten years after retirement Weldon pursued a very successful career in<br />
management consulting. In 1999 he returned to his roots, the K Bar K Ranch in La<br />
Grange. This has been the Koenig family homestead for generations. Weldon was<br />
born in a house on the ranch he has now returned to and from which he now runs an<br />
active, demanding ranch operation. In La Grange today, Weldon devotes much of his<br />
time to the Fayette Library and Museum, St. Mark’s Medical Center, and the St.<br />
James Episcopal Church choir. He is a member of the La Grange Lions Club, the<br />
Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Navy League, the United States<br />
Naval Submarine League and the Naval Order of the United States. At the<br />
University of Texas he serves on the Advisory Council for the Dean of the College<br />
of Natural Sciences. His philanthropic interests include the above organizations and<br />
The <strong>UT</strong> Longhorn Foundation, Texas Exes, The <strong>UT</strong> School of Business, The <strong>UT</strong><br />
<strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation, The <strong>UT</strong> Chancellors Council, The <strong>UT</strong> Presidents<br />
Association, The <strong>UT</strong> Littlefield Society, Swiss Alp Lutheran Church, and The<br />
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Weldon and his wife Nancy have been blessed<br />
with three adult children: Christopher who is married to Cristina; Jennifer, and<br />
Andrew, who is married to Dawn. Their two grandchildren are Andrew Jr. (Drew)<br />
and Kelsey Koenig.<br />
John Hitchcock was born in Houston, Texas and attended Sam Houston High<br />
School there. He graduated from the University of Texas in 1965 with a major in<br />
Accounting and received his commission in the United States Navy. In 1967, he<br />
married Sandra Kay (Grassel) Hitchcock in Houston, Texas. John was first assigned,<br />
as a new Ensign, to the USS Sproston (DD 577), Pearl Harbor, HI and made two<br />
WestPac deployments to South Vietnam, where he participated in numerous support<br />
missions of shore military and at-sea support of carriers. John received Naval<br />
Aviator Wings in 1968 in multi engine aircraft at Corpus Christi, TX. Hitchcock<br />
returned to Training Squadron VT-1 as a primary flight instructor, Saufley Field,<br />
Pensacola, FL, then to Air Antisubmarine Squadron VS-24, Quonset Point, RI, in<br />
September 1970, flying off the USS Intrepid (CVS 11). He made several<br />
deployments to the Mediterranean and North Atlantic. John left active duty in 1972<br />
and immediately affiliated with the Naval Reserve.<br />
John was employed in 1973 by the IRS as a Special Agent, Criminal Investigation,<br />
and was posted in Austin, Texas. While in Austin, John attended and graduated from<br />
St. Edward's University, with a Masters Degree in Business in 1977. He taught<br />
Intermediate Accounting at Huston-Tillotson College for nearly ten years. He<br />
became a Certified Public Accountant in 1982. In 1985, he was selected as Chief,<br />
Criminal Investigation Branch, Austin IRS Service Center. In late 1987 he became<br />
the Chief, Criminal Investigation Division, of the new Austin Compliance Center.<br />
Two years later John became a Certified Fraud Examiner, establishing himself as an<br />
Expert Witness in the determination of income and related taxes in criminal trials.<br />
He retired from the IRS in 1996.<br />
In his parallel career in the Naval Reserve, John continued to serve his country for<br />
nearly 30 years of combined active and reserve service. He held numerous<br />
commands including the Naval Intelligence Command Operations Management Unit<br />
031, Austin, TX, the Naval Investigative Service Regional Office Unit 2210, NAS<br />
Corpus, Corpus Christi, TX, the Intelligence Voluntary Training Unit, NAS New<br />
2<br />
Continued Next Page
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Dintinguished Alumnus Awards (cont’d)<br />
Orleans, LA, Defense Intelligence Agency Unit 310, Austin, Texas, and was the Commander, Reserve Intelligence Area<br />
Seven, NAS New Orleans, LA. John retired from the Naval Reserve in 1993 as a Captain. John has been a director,<br />
secretary, treasurer, vice president and president of the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation since its establishment in 1982.<br />
He has been a trustee and treasurer of the former <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> Trust Foundation and is currently a director and secretary of<br />
the Midshipmans Foundation.<br />
W. Robert “Bob” Brown was born in Andalusia, Alabama, where he attended Andalusia High School. He won a<br />
<strong>NROTC</strong> scholarship to attend the University of Texas. At that time the scholarship program consisted of tuition, books,<br />
uniforms and $50.00 a month for expenses. At the University of Texas, Bob was active in <strong>NROTC</strong> activities. With other<br />
Midshipmen from various classes he helped establish and became president of the Crows Nest Co-op. The Crows Nest<br />
was designed to help Midshipmen grapple with the problem of room and board which, at the original Crows Nest, was<br />
$50.00 per month. The Crows Nest became a <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> institution before its demise decades later. Bob was also on the<br />
Buccaneer drill team in its early days after it was organized by members of the class of 1951. It remains an institution at<br />
the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong>. In his senior year he served as Battalion Commander. Brown graduated in 1952 with a BA Degree,<br />
majors in Chemistry and German, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.<br />
Following graduation from the Marine Corps 15th Special Basic Course for young officers at Quantico, Virginia, Brown<br />
was assigned to duty with the 2 nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, NC, where he served as an infantry platoon leader.<br />
After his tour of duty with the 2 nd Marine Division, he was transferred to the 1 st Marine Division in Korea where he served<br />
as an infantry platoon leader.<br />
When his Marine Corps service commitment was completed, Brown returned to the <strong>UT</strong> Law School, graduating in 1957.<br />
He entered the practice of law in Houston and has since practiced law as a name partner in three major Houston law firms<br />
as a lead trial lawyer. He still practices, solo, on selected cases. Although he handled hundreds of lawsuits during his<br />
career, two were especially notorious. Pennzoil vs. Texaco was a hostile corporate takeover fight involving Getty Oil<br />
Company that produced national headlines. Hill vs. Robinson was a wrongful death action in which he represented Ash<br />
Robinson, a prominent Houston oilman. Robinson was accused of hiring a gunman to assassinate his son in law, Dr. John<br />
Hill, because Dr. Hill had allegedly caused the death of his wife, Joan Robinson Hill, Ash Robinson’s daughter. Ash<br />
Robinson’s life is chronicled in the best selling novel, Blood and Money.<br />
Brown has been very active in scholarship activities of the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong>. In 1970 Brown created the Midshipmans<br />
Foundation to assist the Crows Nest Co-op. In the years since then, and with the help and leadership of many dedicated<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong>, the Midshipmans Foundation has become a strong source of financial support through scholarships for members<br />
of the Battalion of the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong>. The scholarship program has helped many members of the Battalion to fully realize<br />
their potential for leadership in the military service and thereafter. Bob serves today as Chairman of the Gifts Committee<br />
to help raise the funds necessary to create the scholarships awarded annually by the Midshipmans Foundation.<br />
Through the Law School Foundation and the Keeton Fellows, Brown continues to support the <strong>UT</strong> Law School. He is also<br />
a member of the Chancellor’s Council, the President’s Associates and Littlefield Society. Bob loves four part harmony<br />
and is a member, and two-time President, of the Houston chapter of the barbershop Harmony Association. In his spare<br />
time Brown enjoys flying his light sport aircraft, fishing and farming. He and wife Judy live in Houston. His daughter<br />
Helen and husband, Tim Kay, live in Kyle, Texas. His granddaughter, Cicely, is a senior at the University of Texas. Matt<br />
and Doug are his two sons.<br />
The lives of these three awardees have, indeed, been extraordinary, as have their contributions to the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> unit.<br />
Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a special dinner at the club and enjoyed the company of the young men and<br />
women who today are preparing to serve our country. The event concluded with the singing of the Marine Hymn,<br />
Anchors Aweigh and the Eyes of Texas.<br />
3
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
President’s Corner<br />
Ed Mergele (1975)<br />
<strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation and the Midshipmans Foundation – The AF and the MF, for short. Both<br />
organizations exist to help the Battalion. Your contributions to both are tax-deductible. The AF works with an annual<br />
budget of roughly $8,000, all from voluntary dues paid by you the alumni. The AF organizes and facilitates the Annual<br />
Reunion each fall. It has also taken on supporting the Battalion with whatever funds it can muster to help them with group<br />
activities (e.g. pistol and drill meets, formals, etc.). The MF manages the endowment that finances the giving of<br />
scholarships. They have also taken on supporting the Battalion with attendance at seminars that promote professional and<br />
academic development. We work together to represent you and help the unit. Both organizations need your financial help<br />
and participation to survive. Strongly consider paying the $25 dues each year to the AF, more if you can afford it, and get<br />
your classmates to do the same. If you think our mission is a worthy one, just make it an annual ritual to give to both the<br />
AF and MF. And last, but not least, timing is important. In ramping up to each year’s reunion, we have a large cash outlay<br />
for food and football tickets, based on our best estimates of attendance and participation. The sooner you can let us know<br />
about your plans each year the less waste we will experience. And less waste is just as good as a contribution. Also<br />
sending in your dues early helps us with this cash flow problem. I hope to see all of you at the Reunion!<br />
Heritage, Scholarship, Leadership, Camaraderie – Some months ago I was looking for something to plug into our<br />
letterhead. There was a big white space there and I thought it might be a good place for a slogan or quote or something. I<br />
started thinking about what the <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation is all about. Why are we here? What makes us do what we do? What<br />
is our purpose? What motivates us? I came up with these four words and, although, anyone with a thesaurus may want to<br />
debate me, I think they embody the essence of this organization.<br />
As a senior in the spring of 1975, I tried to get underclassmen interested in starting an alumni group on my way out. I had<br />
spent my time at <strong>UT</strong> in a unit that didn’t have much in the way of a unit history. I had no idea of who came before me and<br />
didn’t see much point in caring about who would come after me. I thought an alumni group might help fix that, but it was<br />
to be years before a group of men living in the Austin area put enough critical mass together to finally get it done. I hope<br />
one day soon we will have a well documented unit history that will reveal all those that made the <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation and<br />
Midshipmans Foundation a reality.<br />
Heritage is not only the history of our alumni organization, but the collective history of the men and women who were<br />
graduated/commissioned before us and had a positive impact on the Navy and Marine Corps. It’s those alumni who have<br />
given their lives in defense of this country. It’s also their civilian accomplishments after leaving the service. We have over<br />
65 years of history in the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> program to document and pass along to future generations. If we don’t, as the<br />
philosopher George Santayana, once wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”<br />
Camaraderie and Scholarship were the two original purposes in forming the alumni association. From the very beginning,<br />
as I recall, there was a desire to help the unit and the midshipmen, not just get together once a year and reminisce. Almost<br />
single-handedly, Bob Brown (’52) has been the driving force behind building an endowment of $1 million to sustain the<br />
giving of scholarships in perpetuity. We are indeed fortunate to count him as one of our own. Scholarships are what<br />
distinguish this alumni group from virtually every other ROTC alumni group. The camaraderie is probably the single<br />
most important reason many of you come to the Reunion each year, but it is the giving of scholarships that attracts and<br />
keeps good officer candidates in the unit. It provides us a way to ensure this unit’s future and a way to feel like we’re<br />
giving something back to an organization that contributed so much to our careers and character.<br />
Lastly Leadership is what the <strong>NROTC</strong> program seeks, cultivates and improves upon every year with each new and<br />
graduating class of officers. Your alumni association helps that process with its monetary support of the Battalion and an<br />
historical perspective that can’t be found in any text book. You, its members, are important to the process. Your donations<br />
and your sea stories will shape future leaders who pass through here. Make a difference. Give some of your time as well<br />
as your treasure, get involved. It’s another way of giving something back to the program.<br />
4
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Vice President’s Corner<br />
Mike Waldron (1967)<br />
Last month my wife and I had the pleasure of traveling to San Diego for a wedding. The son of my old roommate from<br />
WESTPAC cruise days was getting married. We had been roommates aboard the USS Oriskany CVA34 flying the F8<br />
Crusader off Vietnam back in the early 70’s. From those days we have shared a lot, as comrades in arms do. I was his<br />
best man and he was mine. Interestingly, it was his daughter who chose to follow those naval aviator footsteps to become<br />
an F/A-18 Weapons System Officer. And, by the way, she is also Blue Angel 8, the team Coordinator. At the wedding<br />
there was a table set aside for all the old Navy guys. What a time we had swapping lies and recounting stories from long<br />
ago. Later that weekend an old friend from Navy Reserve days whom I haven’t seen in twenty years showed up. It’s like<br />
time stood still. We laughed about all the same things that made life interesting years ago. We are not going to lose track<br />
again. What all this is leading to is the value of friendship. Most of the best friends I have in this world are from my old<br />
fighter squadron and other Reserve units I was a part of. There is something endearing about comrades you serve with.<br />
I believe that a primary reason we have an alumni group is to nurture and promote those friendships. That is why we have<br />
a <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation (AF). In addition, we have a lot of projects in the AF, all of which have their<br />
importance. Supporting the battalion budget so that our midshipmen can take advantage of leadership growth<br />
opportunities is a primary function. Collaborating with the Midshipmans Foundation to insure that excellence is<br />
recognized and rewarded likewise is paramount. But the <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation also exists to promote the value of our<br />
shared experience. Regardless of how long and far our Navy or Marine Corp careers took us, it all began back at <strong>UT</strong>.<br />
There is ample opportunity to rekindle those old kinships by becoming involved with the alumni group in your area. The<br />
Board here in Austin is committed to revitalizing the regional network. We have begun by establishing a <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong><br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Group at LinkedIn, the professional networking site. This can bring together middies from across the spectrum of<br />
year groups and professional backgrounds, though there is nothing that works better than one-to-one personal contact. If<br />
each current member could reach out to just one old classmate; that is what will make this group come together. Another<br />
possibility is to link the AF with the Texas Exes so that their events throughout the country could be a good spot to meet.<br />
I know there must be other great ideas out there on how to make this organization more inclusive, not just the guys from<br />
around Austin. Please reach out and let me know. 191hellcat@gmail.com<br />
Open Board Meetings<br />
Our next <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation board meeting will be on Saturday, July 18, <strong>2009</strong> at 10:00 a.m. in the Russell<br />
A. Steindam Hall (ROTC Building). It generally lasts two hours. As all our meetings, it is open to anyone with an interest<br />
in this Foundation. Our proceedings are governed by an agenda that generally goes out to board members a week or so<br />
before the meeting. Our meetings are documented by the Secretary through the taking of minutes. We publish highlights<br />
from each meeting in our newsletter, The <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Log. Parking for the meetings is a bit problematic. Texas Exes<br />
can typically park in the <strong>Alumni</strong> Center parking garage. Many of us park near Sholtz’s and walk over. If you are going to<br />
be in town that weekend or would like to attend for any reason, come and sit in on a session. We have several attendees<br />
each session who are not board members who just want to enjoy that extra dose of camaraderie and help however they<br />
can. I would ask that if you do plan to attend, that you give me advance notice so we can work with the unit to provide<br />
enough room and seating. If you have an issue you would like to bring before the board, please contact me well enough in<br />
advance so I can put it on the agenda and ensure time is allocated for it. This is your <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation in as much as<br />
you want to donate your time and other resources to it. If you are interested in being a board member, this would be an<br />
excellent way to “try before you buy”. Try it. You’ll like it.<br />
5
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
WWII <strong>Alumni</strong> Reunion<br />
Thu-Fri (24-25 Sep)<br />
More sea stories…a warmup for the General Reunion<br />
Like last years WWII <strong>Alumni</strong> Reunion non-stop series of events with numerous opportunities to catch up and recount old<br />
memories, this year’s WWII <strong>Alumni</strong> get-together will be a continuous social hour! We’ll start gathering on Thursday<br />
afternoon 24 September at the Doubletree Hotel North (same Reunion location as last year) in our Hospitality Suite –<br />
we’re working to open it up a couple of hours early at 1 – where we’ll have refreshments. Thursday evening’s dinner will<br />
be like our Friday lunch last year – all together, casual in the Courtyard Café. We’ll seat large groups of us together.<br />
We’ll be able to order off a menu that evening with a choice of 5-8 entrees that we’ll pre-select before the Reunion. Pay<br />
as you go or bill to your room. And then, we’ll retire to the Hospitality Suite for another round of sea stories!<br />
We’ll still have the Hospitality Suite to gather in Friday morning to continue swapping lies. And we can gather for a large<br />
group lunch like last year. Should a large number of Alums stick around Friday evening for the general Reunion Dinner at<br />
the Austin Country Club, we’ll see about being able to keep the hospitality room going Fri afternoon. If you want to go<br />
the Friday evening dinner but don’t relish making that drive, we’ll get you and those with you a ride to and from the<br />
dinner with another alum. Want to go to the Saturday morning <strong>Alumni</strong> General Business Meeting and need a ride?<br />
….we’ll work on that also.<br />
Dr. Tom Hatfield, Director of Military Studies for the <strong>UT</strong> Center for American History and David Zepeda will be<br />
conducting personal history interviews again on Thursday afternoon and/or Friday. If you haven’t been interviewed, we<br />
want you to come so that your story can be told and captured!<br />
Our rates at the Doubletree for a king or two doubles room will be $119 per night for 1-2 persons – a big savings over the<br />
usual $189 single/$209 double rate. Phone 1-800-347-0330 for reservations and refer to the group name “<strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong><br />
World War II <strong>Alumni</strong>”. So that we can get that information to you as it develops, we need all WWII <strong>Alumni</strong> to contact<br />
our Reunion POC, Ivan Elmer’s reunion right-hand man – Fred Moon – and let him know if you intend/plan/hope to be<br />
there or won’t be able to make it, need to be interviewed, if you can be a caller in the phone tree, and your contact info.<br />
Please, contact Fred at lunarock@sbcglobal.net or 817-681-1471.<br />
Class of ‘69 Makes Plans for Fall Reunion<br />
Believe it or not it will have been 40 years since the class of '69 graduated. The fact that any of that crew actually got<br />
commissioned is remarkable enough, so this reunion we hope to have as many of our classmates attend as possible to<br />
honor the 40th anniversary. David Wells will be leading the effort for the Class of '69. Of the 67 classmates on our roster<br />
we have contact info for all but 18 and are working on locating everyone. We plan to have an informal get together on<br />
Friday night, place to be determined, and of course the reunion business meeting, game and BBQ on Saturday. We will<br />
have some rooms available, probably at the Drury Inn and Suites. Details will be promulgated in next newsletter and by<br />
David via email/phone. Hope to see all of you there.<br />
Get Linked Up with LinkedIn<br />
At our April board meeting it was suggested by Dan O’Neil, our Treasurer, that we make use of LinkedIn, a free internet<br />
service that allows individuals to link up with each other and stay in touch. It also provides a nice way of getting<br />
information out to a group in a hurry. The Naval Academy has a similar group setup to help coordinate class<br />
communications and events. We're going to borrow some of their ideas for our group. We’ve established a group on the<br />
site called ‘University of Texas <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong>’. If anyone wants to join, they can contact Dan O’Neil by email<br />
(dtoneil@austin.rr.com) and he will help you get set up. Right now Dan is the only group manager. Once we start getting<br />
significant enrollment we will open it up to additional managers. This may turn out to be an excellent way to grow the<br />
regional organizations as well as graduating class subgroups. As of this writing, we have about 15 signed up. Drop Dan an<br />
email today and get started with LinkedIn.<br />
6
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
University of Texas<br />
<strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation<br />
P.O. Box 143562<br />
Austin, TX 78714-3562<br />
<strong>2009</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Reunion Registration Form<br />
Please return this form by 18 September<br />
From: ___________________________________________________ Year Group:<br />
Address:<br />
Phone: (H) _______________________________ (C or W)<br />
Email Address:<br />
Yes!! I’ll be there!! Reserve the following for me:<br />
Friday night dinner _____ x $35 each = $<br />
Football tickets _____ x $75 each = $<br />
BBQ dinner tickets _____ x $20 each = $<br />
Speedway Parking _____ x $10 each = $<br />
Total amount for Reunion: $<br />
I can’t attend this year. Please enter the updates provided above.<br />
Please, accept my tax-deductible (voluntary) dues for <strong>2009</strong> (check one):<br />
Regular Member: $25<br />
Sustaining: $50<br />
Patron: $75<br />
Other: $<br />
I have already given!<br />
Make all checks payable to: <strong>NROTC</strong> ALUMNI FOUNDATION.<br />
Reunion events payment and annual dues may be combined into one check. Mail to address<br />
shown at the top of this form. Only dues amount is tax-deductible.<br />
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
Make reservations for the Navy League Distinguished Speaker Dinner with:<br />
Glenn Looney at 512-327-7413 and rglennl@alumni.utexas.net<br />
14 Chapin Ln<br />
Austin TX 78746-2542<br />
7
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Now Hear This! - Challenge <strong>2009</strong> is Underway<br />
Have you answered the CHALLENGE for <strong>2009</strong>? Here’s the deal. If we can raise $50,000.00 before December 1, <strong>2009</strong>,<br />
one of our dedicated <strong>Alumni</strong> has promised to match that amount! He did it last year with the help of your support. With<br />
this additional $100,000 added to the Midshipmans Foundation Scholarship Fund, we will be very close to our goal of<br />
a $1 million dollar scholarship endowment. We need your help. Please use the form provided below and send your<br />
check or pledge to Bob Gartner, Treasurer of the Midshipmans Foundation, today.<br />
Donation Form for<br />
Midshipmans Foundation<br />
Scholarship Fund<br />
Name__________________________________________ Commissioning Class:<br />
Address<br />
City ______________________________________ State _____________________ Zip<br />
Phone: Home<br />
Fax:<br />
Business<br />
E-mail:<br />
Suggested Donation Levels: $100 $500 $1,000 $2,500 $5,000 (or more)<br />
Amount Enclosed: ______________________________<br />
Please make check payable to: Midshipmans Foundation (if not using matching gift program) or to<br />
the University of Texas (if using the matching gift program). Also enclose your company form.<br />
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
Mail all donations for the Midshipmans Foundation Scholarship Fund, to the following address:<br />
Bob Gartner, Treasurer<br />
Midshipmans Foundation<br />
6908 Bayridge Terrace<br />
Austin, TX 78759<br />
We look forward to hearing from you. Don't forget to include your e-mail address!!<br />
Exes for Texas<br />
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8
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Make Your Reunion Plans Now<br />
Wow! How time flies. It’s already that time of the year again to start making your plans for attending the annual Reunion<br />
to be held the weekend of the <strong>UT</strong>EP game on 26 September. Our Reunion agenda is full of activities that give us the<br />
opportunity to kindle new and renew old friendships, learn the latest about the Battalion and the status of our Foundations,<br />
and attend our social events. Remember that the purpose of the <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation is to support the Battalion and<br />
promote camaraderie amongst the <strong>Alumni</strong>! Come back and join us for a really memorable weekend.<br />
At the Reunion General Business Meeting Saturday morning, you’ll receive an update on the Program from the new<br />
PNS, CAPT Spence, and an update on the Battalion from the Battalion Commander, witness the awarding of scholarships<br />
and other awards to members of the Battalion, receive the presentation of the financial summary reports of the <strong>UT</strong><strong>NROTC</strong><br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation “Operating” Fund and the Midshipmans Foundation “Trust” Fund, and have the opportunity to make<br />
new or additional commitments to contribute to these two Funds. Your donations provide the vehicle with which our<br />
membership can provide financial support for selected members of the Battalion in good record and often in need,<br />
Battalion leadership development and team building activities, and the day to day administrative expenses of the<br />
Foundations. We’ll complete our Saturday activities with our BBQ, time and location TBA, and I’m sure there will be a<br />
Saturday evening impromptu social gathering.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation Reunion Activities<br />
Hotel Accommodations are available for all attendees at the Drury Inn & Suites Austin North, 6711 IH-35 North, Austin<br />
78752, 512-467-9500. For reservations, call 800-325-0720 and tell them the hotel name “Drury Inn & Suites Austin<br />
North” and group name "<strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong>". Group number is 2065391. Reservations must be made no later than<br />
Thursday 10 Sept for the group rate. Same amenities as last year with complimentary breakfast buffet, manager's<br />
reception daily, free parking, cable TV with HBO, etc. Go to www.druryhotels.com for more info. You can also book<br />
your rooms online by clicking on “Book it Fast” on their website. Room rates per night for 1 to 4 persons are 2 doubles or<br />
king deluxe $92. Suites with single king or two queens is $130. City hotel tax is an additional 15% (subject to change<br />
without notice). Check-in is 1500 and check-out is 1100.<br />
Thursday 24 September<br />
Navy League Dinner and Program. The Greater Austin Council (new name) will kick off the <strong>2009</strong> reunion weekend<br />
with a dinner and distinguished speaker program on Thursday, 24 September <strong>2009</strong>. This is the Council's signature events<br />
each year as it honors The University of Texas <strong>NROTC</strong> midshipmen, officer candidates, staff, and alumni. Rear Admiral<br />
John D. Butler, United States Navy (Retired), Vice-President Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company for Fleet<br />
Ballistic Missile Program Requirements, will keynote the week's activities as the Council's Distinguished Speaker and<br />
Guest of Honor. Following custom, he is an alumnus of the University of Texas. His two sons were also recently<br />
commissioned in the United States Navy out of the University of Texas.<br />
John D. Butler, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired) commenced his current assignment at Lockheed Martin Space<br />
Systems Company in September 2008. From September 2005 to August 2008, he served as Vice President of Programs<br />
and Senior Naval Advisor for Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors (MS2), which included 18 months as the<br />
on-site Lockheed Martin Executive in charge of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) production in Marinette, Wisconsin. He<br />
joined Lockheed Martin MS2 in September 2005, after having completed a 31 year career as a Submariner and<br />
Engineering Duty Officer.<br />
A native of Texas City, TX, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Texas at<br />
Austin in 1974 and his Masters of Science degree in Engineering Acoustics from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1986.<br />
Butler was commissioned in the Navy via the Nuclear Power Officer Candidate Program in 1974. His complete<br />
curriculum vitae may be found at this link: http://tinyurl.com/radmbutler.<br />
The meeting will be held at the Austin Woman’s Club (1st Floor) located at the corner of San Antonio and 8th Street.<br />
9<br />
Continued on Page 10
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Reunion Activities continued from Page 9<br />
Access to the entrance and parking area is from the rear on Nueces Street between 7th & 8th Streets. Parking is freeignore<br />
the signs. Social hour begins at 1815; Dinner is at 1915; Program begins at 2015; Adjourn at 2115. All Navy<br />
League meetings are open to the public. Your family and friends are all welcome. Reservations are required by Tuesday,<br />
22 September <strong>2009</strong> (may pay at the door $25 per person with reservation). For more information and reservations call<br />
Glenn Looney 512-327-7413 (rglennl@alumni.utexas.net).<br />
Friday 25 September<br />
Golf Outing. For those of you interested in a reunion Golf outing we will be gathering at Star Ranch on Friday September<br />
25th in the morning. Currently we have a promise from Star Ranch for 4 tee times (16 players), starting at 0830. We can<br />
get more, if there is group interest. As in previous encounters we will face off Navy versus Marine. The Star Ranch offers<br />
both a Breakfast Buffet and a Lunch Buffet as part of the green fee. Star Ranch is located at 2500 FM 685 in Hutto, Texas<br />
(NE Austin just north of the new toll road 45 East). The current rates for green fee/cart/range balls/buffet are $52 (seniors<br />
$37). We will pay when we get there. Notify Jim Brotherton if you are interested in playing. Home Phone: 512-394-9381<br />
or cell 512-632-4206 or email jdbrotherton@att.com.<br />
Directions: From Austin<br />
Take IH 35 North exit Louis Henna Blvd (Toll 45/Loop 1)<br />
Travel 1.4 miles on access road to Toll Road 45 East<br />
Travel approx 2.7 miles and take 130 North<br />
Exit Gattis School Road/685 North<br />
Travel approx 1 mile North on FM685 and turn left at second stop light<br />
Go 0.6 miles South on FM 685 and Star Ranch will be on your right.<br />
<strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Dinner. This year’s <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Dinner will be held at the Austin Country Club with<br />
cocktails at 1830, followed by dinner at 1900. The tentative cost is $35, but is subject to change. Dress will be “business<br />
casual” (i.e. sport coat or dress shirt/slacks). Directions: Go one mile south of the Loop 360 bridge over Lake Austin and<br />
take Westlake Drive east. Go about 200 meters and turn left onto Long Champ Drive and go to 4408 at the end. Call 512-<br />
328-0090 if you get lost.<br />
Informal Gathering. All year-group class members may also gather at Scholz Garten (1607 San Jacinto) at 1900 for<br />
socializing. Be prepared to contact others to make plans to meet at an alternate location if Scholz’s ends up being reserved<br />
for a private party. Telephone for Scholz Garten is 512-474-1958.<br />
Saturday 26 September<br />
Board of Directors Meeting. 0800 in the Library on the 1st deck of the RAS ROTC building.<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Reunion Business Meeting. 0930-1130, Location TBA – we are looking into an auditorium near the ROTC<br />
Bldg with multi-media presentation capability, probably Welch Hall again. The morning business meeting is the main<br />
reunion event, and it will provide an opportunity to learn of all the latest unit activities, plans, achievements, etc., and also<br />
that of the Midshipmans Foundation. It is a great opportunity to meet with Midshipmen, staff, and alumni. Tickets that<br />
have been ordered for the <strong>UT</strong>EP/Texas football game will also be distributed at the meeting.<br />
Football Game: <strong>UT</strong> El Paso vs. Texas. Start time is 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $75. You can reserve your tickets on the<br />
Reunion Registration Form (Page 7)<br />
Reunion BBQ. The <strong>UT</strong>EP/Texas game will start at 2:30pm, so we will have our BBQ right after the Business Meeting at<br />
the ROTC Bldg. This should give us ample time to eat and visit before the game. Those who don’t go to the game are<br />
welcomed to stay and visit all you want. Watch the August issue for any changes to these plans. The cost for the BBQ is<br />
$20 per head. Reservations should be made on your Reunion Registration Form (Page 7).<br />
Sunday 27 September<br />
Breakfast. At 0800, an informal breakfast will be held at Cisco’s on East 6th Street. You may show up at your<br />
convenience, but the earlier the better, so you can see your friends one more time before they hit the road!<br />
10
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Scholarship/Award Recipients Thank You for your Support!<br />
Excerpts from their thank-you letters to our contributors...<br />
"…I am the last of four children in my family to go to college…I entered the <strong>NROTC</strong> program to help pay for<br />
school…the <strong>NROTC</strong> Scholarships don’t pay for everything. Your gift will help not only me but my entire<br />
family…the scholarship gives me some financial relief in order to concentrate on my studies in Chemical<br />
Engineering. Thank you."<br />
"…I feel very honored to receive this award…my older brother has already been to college…this scholarship is a relief<br />
for my parents…your support assists my journey toward my ultimate goal, earning my commission in the<br />
United States Navy."<br />
"…I am the only one of my four siblings to attend college…the <strong>NROTC</strong> Scholarship doesn’t pay for everything…Your<br />
Scholarship will lighten my financial stress and allow me to better focus on my studies in Aerospace<br />
Engineering…Thank you."<br />
"…I am the son of a retired Army Colonel and brother of two Army officers who went to the Citadel…I am the last in my<br />
family to go to college…This scholarship allows me to take one step further in becoming a Navy doctor.<br />
Thank you."<br />
"…I am from the state of Washington…recently finances have been tight due to the number of doctor bills my parents<br />
have had to pay for my mother…This money will help alleviate that stress and allow me to travel home and<br />
visit my family for Christmas. Thank you."<br />
"…thank the…Foundations for awarding me the LtGen D’Wayne Gray and MajGen Fred Haynes Scholarship. I have<br />
used the money to pursue EMT certification which should pay huge dividends as a Marine in the fleet, should<br />
there be a medical emergency. Thank you."<br />
"…thank the…Foundation for awarding me the LtGen Dwayne Gray Scholarship and Mameluke Sword…Having served<br />
in the Marine Corps for over 12 years, I am anxious to finally transition to the Officer Corps. This sword is a<br />
symbol of strength and tradition throughout the Corps and I will always remember where it came from.<br />
Semper Fi!"<br />
"…thank the…Foundation for awarding me the CAPT H. Malcolm MacDonald Scholarship…I am the first in my family<br />
to voluntarily go into the Naval Service and this award means so much to me and my family. This award<br />
comes at an especially crucial time as I work on both my History Honors degree and my History thesis.<br />
Thank you."<br />
From the President of the Midshipmans Foundation<br />
Your foundation continues to move forward in their goal of reaching a corpus of one million dollars to support the men<br />
and women of the University of Texas at Austin <strong>NROTC</strong> unit (Read about the Challenge <strong>2009</strong> on page 9). Part of this<br />
effort is to recognize men and women who have reached special achievements during their careers following graduation<br />
from the unit. I ask you to continue to nominate individuals who have achieved significant success and contribute in a<br />
major way to assist the men and women of our <strong>NROTC</strong> unit. We will keep you informed as we continue our efforts and<br />
provide significant assistance to our men and women. You should be proud of what is being accomplished and participate<br />
as best as you can in furthering our efforts.<br />
The <strong>UT</strong>EP-Texas Game will be televised by the<br />
Fox Sports Network on Saturday, September 26,<br />
<strong>2009</strong>, starting at 2:30 p.m.<br />
Tom Bowman COL USMC (Ret), Class of '69,<br />
was named to the <strong>2009</strong> Secretary of the Navy<br />
Retiree Council.<br />
11
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Naval ROTC Battalion Hosts Awards Ceremony<br />
Max Miller, Outgoing Battalion<br />
Commander, MIDN Cody Hoffman, and<br />
CAPT Mike Spence<br />
On Thursday, May 7, the University of Texas Naval ROTC Battalion<br />
had its change of command and annual spring awards ceremony at the<br />
University Training Center. Twenty awards were given out to<br />
members of the battalion who have shown outstanding character,<br />
performance, and leadership potential. Representatives from many<br />
military organizations; such as the Military Order of the Purple Heart,<br />
the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Reserve Officer Association, Sons<br />
of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution,<br />
Military Officers Association of America, the American<br />
Legion, the Midshipmans Foundation and the <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong><br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation; were present to give the awards and<br />
honor these midshipmen and officer candidates.<br />
Max Miller awards scholarship<br />
to MIDN Karin Pooser<br />
12<br />
The following Midshipmen and Officer Candidates<br />
received awards from the other organizations that were<br />
represented, some receiving more than one award:<br />
MIDN Drew Anderson<br />
MIDN Christopher Cardinal<br />
MIDN Alexander Darst<br />
MIDN Colin Doherty<br />
MIDN John Goodrich<br />
MIDN Eric Guerra<br />
MIDN Wes Holzapfel<br />
MIDN Matthew Mayo<br />
MIDN Christopher Olander<br />
MIDN Elizabeth Page<br />
MIDN Jordan Penland<br />
MIDN Timothy Pierce<br />
MIDN Karin Pooser<br />
MIDN Sciore<br />
MIDN Christopher Smith<br />
MIDN John Woodward<br />
MIDN Clye Zimmerman.<br />
MIDN Erick Zuber<br />
The <strong>UT</strong> Midshipmans Foundation, represented by CAPT<br />
Max Miller, USN (Ret) (Class of ’57), presented the<br />
Crawford and Hattie Jackson Foundation Scholarships in<br />
the amount of $2,500 each to MIDN Bryne Martin and<br />
MIDN Karin Pooser. MIDN Bryne Martin is a senior, Navy<br />
Option, Nursing major from Copperas Cove, TX (Copperas Cove<br />
H.S.). MIDN Martin transferred to <strong>UT</strong> from Texas A&M where she<br />
was a scholarship midshipman after her Freshman year to enroll in the<br />
<strong>UT</strong> Nursing program. During the Fall 2008 semester she was ranked<br />
number 1 of 17 1/C midshipmen and earned a 4.0 GPA and a 4.0<br />
Military Aptitude Score. Sensing a gap in the battalion staff structure<br />
she developed a plan for creation of a billet, Battalion Medical<br />
Officer, to assist with first aid training and to mentor the<br />
younger nursing option midshipmen in their progression<br />
through the program. As the Battalion Medical Officer she<br />
created an alternate drill period for all nurse option<br />
midshipmen ensuring their professional Naval training did<br />
not suffer due to their heavy school of nursing<br />
requirements, which often times requires their absence from regular battalion events. MIDN Karin Pooser is a junior<br />
Chemical Engineering major from Fredericksburg, TX (Fredericksburg H.S.). During the Fall 2008 semester she attained a 3.5<br />
GPA and was ranked 4 of 15 2/C midshipmen. She is extremely active in the battalion and is always lending a hand behind the scenes<br />
despite not being assigned an official billet. She will definitely be on the short list of nominees for a battalion level billet for the<br />
Fall <strong>2009</strong> semester. MIDN Pooser is a solid performer and team player who is one of our most improved students in GPA. She<br />
desires to enter the nuclear power program upon commissioning.
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
CO’s SITREP<br />
This has been quite an eventful first semester as Professor of Naval Science and Commanding Officer. I could not have<br />
been more proud of the effort put forth by the Midshipmen and Navy and Marine Corps Officer Candidates. The past four<br />
months since the Change of Command have been marked by one significant accomplishment after another. In March, our<br />
Drill Team took First Place in Platoon Inspection competition at the Tulane University drill meet. Next, the Battalion<br />
bested the other <strong>UT</strong>-Austin ROTC units by winning its second consecutive President’s Cup. This competition consisted<br />
of a series of athletic and military performance events conducted in both the Fall and Spring semesters. President Powers<br />
presented the trophy to Midshipman Hoffman, outgoing Battalion Commander, at the base of the Tower in an early<br />
morning ceremony in May. Finally, our Pistol Team took first place in a competition hosted by the University of<br />
Colorado <strong>NROTC</strong> Unit. The original meet in Boulder, Colorado was cancelled due to a heavy snow storm in the Denver<br />
area. At the suggestion of GySgt Kiernan, <strong>UT</strong>-Austin Assistant Marine Officer Instructor, each of the competing teams<br />
shot on their own home ranges and mailed their targets to Boulder.<br />
One of the principle reasons for the success of the Battalion was the outstanding leadership of the Battalion Commander,<br />
Midshipman 1/C Cody Hoffman, and his staff. Leadership of the Battalion transferred to Midshipman 2/C Christopher<br />
Olander in early May at the Battalion Change of Command and Awards Ceremony. Midshipman Olander is an Aerospace<br />
Engineering major and served the year as commander of the Drill Team. Additionally at this ceremony, the winners of the<br />
Crawford and Hattie Jackson Foundation Scholarships were announced. Max Miller was on hand to present $2500<br />
scholarships each to Midshipman 1/C Bryne Martin and Midshipman 2/C Karin Pooser.<br />
As the 2008-<strong>2009</strong> academic year comes to a close, I want to acknowledge the significant contribution to the unit made by<br />
LT Blythe Blakistone. LT Blakistone departs after a three year tour as Surface Warfare Advisor including a sixth-month<br />
stint as a Navy Individual Augmentee in Baghdad. Her next assignment is as the Weapons Officer on the USS Wayne E.<br />
Meyers (DDG-108), a new-construction Arleigh Burke AEGIS guided-missile destroyer. This is one of the best<br />
assignments in the Surface Navy and is well deserved.<br />
Major Ron Lobato, <strong>UT</strong>-Austin <strong>NROTC</strong> Marine Officer Instructor, has been working hard with the <strong>UT</strong>-Austin<br />
Administration to identify land and resources to establish a facsimile of the Marine Officer Candidate School obstacle<br />
course at Quantico. Successful completion of the obstacle course is a major hurdle for all of our students desiring a<br />
commission in the United States Marine Corps. It is imperative that they practice both the technical and endurance<br />
aspects of this difficult test prior to arrival at the Officer Candidate School-phase of summer training. Currently, we are<br />
forced to drive to College Station to use the Aggie <strong>NROTC</strong> obstacle course. Major Lobato has tentative approval to locate<br />
our own obstacle course at the J.J. Pickle Research Center. Funding and construction resources have still to be identified<br />
but we hope to have the course up and available for all central-Texas Marine Corps units by next Fall.<br />
This summer, Midshipmen and Officer Candidates will fan out across the globe for exposure to the various Navy and<br />
Marine Corps warfare specialties as part of Core Training for Midshipman (CORTRAMID), individual summer<br />
deployments, and Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. As I mentioned to the guests at the Awards Ceremony, the<br />
future of our Navy and Marine Corps, exemplified by LT Blakistone and the many outstanding midshipman of this<br />
Battalion who have accomplished so much this semester, is in very good hands.<br />
13
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Highlights of the April Board Meeting<br />
On Saturday, April 18, <strong>2009</strong>, your board of directors met on campus at the RAS (ROTC) building. The “Thank You”<br />
letter from the Buccaneer drill team was passed around, along with photos from their meet in Tulane. They beat out<br />
A&M and the Naval Academy to take first place in inspection. Also a copy of a letter of thanks was passed around.<br />
The letter was to Frank Sager, who works for NASA and is primarily responsible for publishing of our alumni<br />
directory each year. He was also given a commemorative bronze coin with our logo on it as a reminder.<br />
After these preliminaries we got down to going through reports. Dan O’Neil gave the Treasurer’s report and money is<br />
getting tight. Our commitments to help the Battalion with drill meets and pistol matches have put us at a lower level<br />
than what we would have expected at this time of year. Cost cutting measures and cash management issues were<br />
discussed. The Reunion always requires “up front” cash to get tickets and food. Some of that can be relieved by<br />
alumni getting their Reunion checks in sooner than later. The issue was raised about the cost of the newsletter. It is<br />
sent out to around 800 alumni three times per year. Only about one tenth that number ever pay any dues. Do we stop<br />
sending it out to those who do not pay or not, was the question on the table. Attendees from the Midshipmans<br />
Foundation said that the newsletter is also our most effective way of prospecting for donors. Others agreed. Cutting<br />
down on our support of Battalion activities was also considered distasteful. So the emphasis shifted from cutting<br />
expenses to finding new sources of income. The pie needs to be increased with more alumni giving. Monetary gifts to<br />
the <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation are tax deductible, just like your donations to the Midshipmans Foundation. It was<br />
emphasized that each of us needs to consider giving to both each year. A committee was formed to explore how we<br />
can improve our communications and get our alumni more involved. Regional and Class groups may be the key.<br />
Dan also suggested we make use of a free online networking service called LinkedIn. We were all intrigued by his<br />
report of what it can do and asked him to look into setting up a <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> Group on it. See the article on page 6<br />
about this free service.<br />
To underscore the fact that donations to the AF are now tax deductible, Dennis Olson proposed two paragraphs be<br />
added to our by-laws to define what a member is and classify us as primarily a “war veterans” group. It will mean<br />
<strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> ALUMNI FOUNDATION OPERATING FUND<br />
INCOME AND EXPENSE STATEMENT<br />
(AS OF 4/18/<strong>2009</strong>)<br />
Continued Next Page<br />
Buccaneers at Tulane Drill Meet<br />
(See CO’s SITREP on Page 13<br />
for details)<br />
Pistol Team firing for Colorado<br />
Competition<br />
BEGINNING BALANCE (11/08/08) $7,225.21<br />
INCOME<br />
Member Checks (Operating Fund FY09) $ 584.36<br />
Member Checks (Book/other) $ 126.00<br />
TOTAL INCOME $ 710.36<br />
EXPENSES<br />
PNS Retirement Gift $ 324.96<br />
Battalion Spring Expenses $2,000.00<br />
PNS Discretionary $ 500.00<br />
Newsletter Expenses $ 686.04<br />
Printing Supplies $ 59.95<br />
TOTAL EXPENSES $ 3,570.95<br />
CURRENT BALANCE $ 4,364.62<br />
UPCOMING LIABILITIES (by next meeting)<br />
Midshipman’s Foundation (Dist <strong>Alumni</strong>) $ 672.50<br />
Newsletter (Summer Edition) $ 650.00<br />
TOTAL PROJECTED LIABILITIES $ 1,322.50<br />
PROJECTED BALANCE $3,042.12<br />
14
Volume 14, Issue 2 <strong>June</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
April Board Meeting Highlights (cont’d)<br />
that our board of directors has to maintain a 90% or better mix of war veterans, which is no problem right now. The<br />
two paragraphs were added by unanimous consent and are reflected in the minutes.<br />
CAPT Spence was pleased to give his first report since assuming duties as the PNS. He was pleased to report first place<br />
honors for the Buccaneers at Tulane and the pistol team whose match that was supposed to be in Colorado. He spoke<br />
about a new library collection being donated to the unit by the family of Howard Lowe (Class of ’44). He also provided<br />
dates for upcoming events and encouraged our participation.<br />
The newsletter is going through some transitions but will still have support from Raytheon in getting published.<br />
Other topics included the reunion plans, our website, alumni histories, the KIA plaque, and bringing new members into<br />
the board. The meeting was adjourned at noon and many retired to Scholz’s for lunch.<br />
In Memoriam<br />
Dr. Earnest C. Pretz<br />
Dr. Earnest C. Pretz, 93, Class of ’43, of Orange, Texas, was killed in a traffic accident on January 8, <strong>2009</strong>. Born in<br />
Rowden, Texas, he graduated as Valedictorian from Baird High School in 1933 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934. He<br />
served as a Corpsman in Samoa so he could enter the Navy ROTC program at the University of Texas in Austin in 1939.<br />
Upon being commissioned as a Navy Lieutenant in 1942, he served in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters in WW II. In<br />
August 1942, he returned to Orange to the former Livingston Ship Yard to commission a destroyer being launched. Later<br />
in his naval career he served as the Executive Officer of the USS Stansbury.<br />
Dr. Pretz graduated from University of Texas in Austin with a BA from the College of Liberal Arts in August 1947 and<br />
then earned his medical degree from the medical school at <strong>UT</strong>MB, Galveston in 1950. While attending medical school, he<br />
worked part-time at a refinery in Texas City and performed emergency medical triage during the horrific Texas City<br />
Chemical Explosion in 1949. He completed his medical residency at Parkland Hospital in Dallas and established a family<br />
practice in Orange. His medical career was centered in his family practice in Orange until he was 75 but included tours<br />
working for the U. S. Air Force in Alaska and the Veterans Administration Hospital in Houston. He is survived by his<br />
daughter, Lydia Pretz of Orange; and son, Adrian Pretz of Houston.<br />
In Memoriam<br />
Homer Deane Brotzman<br />
Homer Deane Brotzman passed away on Monday, September 29, 2008 at the age of 83. Born in Rio Hondo, Texas, and<br />
graduating from Rio Hondo High School, Deane enlisted in the Naval ROTC program at the University of Texas in<br />
Austin. Upon graduating from <strong>UT</strong> with two degrees and being commissioned in 1946, he served on the U.S.S. Denver.<br />
After completing his active duty service in the years following WWII, Deane had a full ranging career in education,<br />
serving in the public school systems in Corpus Christi, Rio Hondo, San Benito, Los Fresnos, and Harlingen, where he<br />
served most of his tenure as an elementary school principal. He also did some farming.<br />
Deane retired in 1986 and moved with his wife of 51 years, Dolores to Ingram, Texas where he was an active volunteer in<br />
local schools and other community activities. He is survived by his wife, Dolores, daughter, Denise Martin of Ingram,<br />
son, Richard Brotzman of Harlingen, sister, Kathleen Frankenberg of Colorado Springs, brother Dick and wife Betty<br />
Brotzman of Clear Lake, and numerous nephews and nieces.<br />
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<strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> ALUMNI FOUNDATION<br />
P.O. Box 143562<br />
Austin, TX 78714-3562<br />
Forwarding Service Requested<br />
In This Issue:<br />
Distinguished Alumnus/Service Awards ............................................................................ 1<br />
President’s Corner ..............................................................................................................4<br />
Vice President’s Corner...................................................................................................... 5<br />
Open Board Meetings ......................................................................................................... 5<br />
WWII <strong>Alumni</strong> Reunion Plans............................................................................................. 6<br />
Class of ’69 Reunion Plans................................................................................................. 6<br />
LinkedIn Initiative .............................................................................................................. 6<br />
<strong>2009</strong> Reunion Registration/<strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation Dues Form .............................................. 7<br />
Donation Form for Midshipmans Foundation .................................................................... 8<br />
Make Your Reunion Plans Now ......................................................................................... 9<br />
<strong>2009</strong> <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Reunion Activities ................................................................... 9<br />
Scholarship/Award Recipients Thank You for Your Support .......................................... 11<br />
Note from the President of the Midshipmans Foundation................................................ 11<br />
Battalion Spring Awards Ceremony ................................................................................. 12<br />
CO’s SITREP.................................................................................................................... 13<br />
Highlights of the 4-18-<strong>2009</strong> <strong>UT</strong> <strong>NROTC</strong> <strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation Board Meeting........... 14<br />
<strong>Alumni</strong> Foundation Operating Fund Expense and Income Statement.............................. 14<br />
Memorials......................................................................................................................... 15<br />
Attention: DFW Region Get-Together<br />
DFW Area <strong>Alumni</strong> & Families lunch Sat <strong>June</strong> 20th from 1:30 to 4 at Spring<br />
Creek Bar-B-Que, 315 State Highway 114 West in Grapevine. Camaraderie, sea<br />
stories, pay your own food & drinks. RSVP by 15 <strong>June</strong> to Ray Adams 214-923-<br />
9362 or David Wells 817-579-5769.<br />
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