The next Class of '63 lunch is Wednesday, November 19th at A-N Country Club. There is no speaker scheduled-just good fellowship and camaraderie. Look forward to seeing everyone with their spouse! We had a good turnout at the last luncheon.

The luncheon will be a Deli Buffet - choice of soup, salad, mix of bread types, slices of ham, roast beef, turkey, American and Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, pasta salad, brownies, cookies.

Cost with tax and tip would be $22.00 per person. (Note new price!!)

There will be an "Honor" bar for sodas, beer, and wine.

The lunch will end NLT than 1330 (if you have to leave - later if you all want to chat). 1130 to 1200 for drinks. Lunch (and more drinks) at 1200.

RSVP to bforster@cox.net or JEP.Ring@1963.usna.com.

Arrangements have finally fallen into place for our victory gathering in Baltimore on 15 November. The plans are to gather at the Radisson Lord Baltimore Hotel for an open bar reception with hors d'oeuvres at 1800 followed by a sit down dinner in a banquet room at 1900. If sufficient numbers decide to join, we can add our own room for breakfast on Saturday and brunch on Sunday. Let me know you are coming and I will email the dinner menu selections.

If at least twenty-three people are interested in a bus to and from the game, we can have one that will get you to the march-on and bring you back to the hotel. The tickets will be $30 per person. Remember, the town will be crowded, it will likely be rather chilly (hopefully not as cold as last year's Army game!), parking at the game will be reserved ($30, if you can get a pass), and it's about a mile walk. If we get at least 33 for the bus, we'll get a large one for the same price per person.

The Navy ticket office reports they don't have any tickets remaining. If you don't have game tickets, try the ticket exchange on http://www.navysports.com/ . If you want to talk to them, call 1-800-US4-NAVY.

We have a block of rooms for 14 and 15 November at the Lord Baltimore that will be held until 15 October, though you can probably get reservations after that date if you're a late decider. They are less expensive than were advertised in the first notice: $159 per night plus tax of 13.5%; add $30 plus tax if you want the concierge level. Call 800-333-3333 or 410-539-8400 and tell them you're with "63 Navy". The code for online reservations is just "Navy", http://www.radisson.com/lordbaltimore.com ; be sure the correct reservation shows - they had their digital wires crossed for awhile and it was showing a different group.

Please let me know soon if you will be joining us for dinner and if you're interested in the bus. Also, let me know when you make room reservations so I can keep the hotel straight.

15 October - Room block expires.
NLT 30 October - Select menu items.
NLT 10 November - Send payment for dinner ($70 per person, includes reception); and bus tickets ($30 per person).
15 November/1200 - Kickoff for Navy Victory

Don't hesitate to join later if you can't make a decision now.
Call or write Steve Leisge sleisge@comcast.net if you have any questions.

We will be having a memorial service for Don at Palm Mortuary, 7400 Cheyenne Avenue, Las Vegas, NV on Monday evening Sept 29th at 5:00 p.m. Since Don suffered a lot throughout his treatment, we felt he would have preferred not to have a viewing. The memorial service will be a celebration of his life. He will be buried in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Thank all of you for your love, support and generosity. We couldn't have made it through the difficult past 6 months without your help.

Mary Jane

On November 8th(correction), George will be inducted into the Lax National Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Hunt Valley MD......a suburb of Baltimore. It would be great if classmates from the area could attend to support the event.
This is the bio the Hall of Fame is using:

George Tracy (United States Naval Academy, 1963)
A three-time All-American, Tracy was one of the leaders on Navy teams that captured three consecutive USILA national championships from 1961 to 1963. An attackman and midfielder, Tracy was captain of the 1963 team and played in that year's North-South game, scoring three goals. Tracy developed his early lacrosse skills on Baltimore's Bolton Hill, inspired in part by his lacrosse cousins, the Corrigans. A three-sport athlete at Loyola High School who also played football and ice hockey, Tracy contributed two goals to help Loyola win the final MSA hockey championship in 1956. Following the 1962 collegiate season, Tracy had the opportunity to help pioneer televised box lacrosse as a member of the Collegians team that won the championship of that summer's Maryland series. Tracy's awards include the U.S. Naval Academy's Stuart Oxnard Miller Memorial Lacrosse Cup (1963), the Navy Commendation Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (three stars) and the National Defense Service Medal. Following his collegiate career, Tracy played and coached for 15 years on the club level in five different states. He has been inducted into the USNA Athletic and US Lacrosse Greater Baltimore Chapter halls of fame. He is being inducted as a truly great player

The Class stood tall at Bobby Campbell's funeral 13 September in Brick, NJ. I don't recall ever being part of a group more sad than those of us at the funeral Mass; family, friends, clients, community. Representing the Class were Spence Johnson and Andrea, Rob Black, John Conroy, David Honhart, Major Howe, Mike Krause, Jim Lloyd, Robbie Newton, Vern Shock, Jim Stewart and Linda, Erwin Storz and Kathy, Jack Reed's wife Linda, Tom Robertson and Julie.

A Navy honors detail rendered military honors outside St Dominics Church while eleven classmates stood at attention as an honor guard. We looked reasonably fit for duty, though surely not at the level Bobby was before being struck by cancer. Diane, son David and daughter Jennifer were most gracious in trying to comfort the many mourners. We joined the family at a wonderful reception/luncheon afterwards in Spring Lake which served to continue the celebration of Bobby's life.

The family requests that any donations or memorials to honor Bobby be made to the U Penn cancer center which worked so valiantly for Bobby and the family. Address: Melanoma Research and Patient Care Fund, The Abramson Cancer Center of The University of PA, 3535 Market St. Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Our dear friend Bobby died September 9th at home. Most of you know the struggle he successfully waged against cancer. Astonishing to see what can happen in just two weeks. A merciful Lord seems to have intervened here. That is a great comfort to the family.

Funeral home: O'Briens in Brick, NJ; phone 732-899-8600
Viewings: Thurs and Fri Sep 11/12 at O'Briens; times 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.;
Funeral Mass: St Dominics in Brick, NJ; Sat. time 10 a.m.; phone 732-840-1410
David's wife Tara recommends a convenient place to stay for those who will be traveling to area:
Best Western Hotel, 1600 Rt 70, Lakewood, NJ; phone 732-367-0900

Click Here for the letter to the Class from Mario regarding Bill's situation and the status of his clemency effort. MS Word required.

Her death notice:
Milos, Ellen J. Age 67 Of Rosemount, MN Passed away on 9/4/08. Preceded in death by Parents, David & Ernestine Fowler; Brother, Ernest Fowler; Sister Laura Hayes-Bosch. Survived by Husband Roger; Children, Karyn Milos, Roger Jr. "Joe" (Jayne), Christopher (Carolyn), Jennifer Milos, Victoria (Robert) Russell & Amanda Milos. 18 Grandchildren 1 Great Grandson. Sister, Janice (Guy) Shevik; Brother, David (Lucille) Fowler. Memorial Mass, 11AM Tuesday, September 9, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 13900 Biscayne Ave. Gathering of family and friends one hour prior to Mass. Interment of Ashes, Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Mpls. MN. White Funeral Home Apple Valley 952-432-2001 www.whitefuneralhomes.com.

Obituary will be available online at www.startribune.com and www.twincities.com.

Carla Joan Miles, 66, an Annapolis resident for 26 years, died of complications from lung cancer Sept. 1 at Anne Arundel Medical Center after an illness lasting five years.

Mrs. Miles was born Sept. 8, 1941, in San Francisco to the late Gladys and William Schlotter. She earned an associate degree from Diablo Valley Community College.

She worked as a stewardess for United Airlines before her marriage, but was proudest of being a Navy wife and mother. She was the "adopted mother" to many midshipmen.

She was a member of St. Anne's Episcopal Church.

Survivors include her husband of 45 years, Retired Navy Cmdr. R. Jeffrey Miles; one daughter, Erica A. Smith of Crofton; and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Sept. 25 at St. Anne's Episcopal Church, Church Circle, followed by a celebration of her life at Harry Browne's, 66 State Circle. Arrangements are by Taylor Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute, 2001 Medical Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Online condolences may be made at www.johnmtaylor funeralhome.com .

The basic colors are blue and gold for the colors of the Naval Academy. We also added red for the Marine Corps, pale blue (sock-bag blue) for the Air Force and a small black stripe between the red and pale blue for the Army. This was done to recognize members of the Class of 1963 who upon commissioning served in the sister branches of the armed services. The main blue and gold stripes are six units wide and each of the three smaller stripes is one unit wide. That way you get a combination of 6 and 3, for the Class of 1963. There is then a 12-unit drop in Navy blue and the pattern repeats itself.

Class ties, both four-in-hand and bow, are available as well as scarves and cummerbunds. The price of each item is $63 or if you order any three items the discounted price is $163 and if you order all four the price is $200.

Orders can be placed with Ms Dawn Strom, % Lowe Enterprises, PO Box 12393, Aspen, CO 81812.

Here are photos of Cynthia DeFrancia and June and Chuck Stone modeling the items.

I added a brief note concerning the death of classmate Dick Bryant who died in an accident prior to graduation. Click here.

If you look at Last Call you'll note that we have no obituary or other remembrance for over half of our deceased classmates.

If you have any formal information for any of these classmates or just want to express your memories of them drop me a line at Steve C. and I'll publish a page for them.

It is a good time to check your entry for accuracy and to update it in the "My Profile" section. Also remember to keep Mike Shelley and Steve Coester informed of any changes >

Put on a catered meal on weekday or weekend.. They will provide a room and tables. The rest is provided by the party putting on the catered meal including silverware. They would invite family members. Could be for 30 wounded and family members.

Provide funds

Semper Fi Fund. Provides every family with money to help them while here. Designated for Marines and NavyCorpsman. http://www.SemperFiFund.org

Yellow Ribbon Fund - Provides family members free taxis, rental cars. http://www.yellowribbonfund.com/yellowribbonfund/

USO - USO hires caterers to provide catered meals. http://www.uso.org/

Armed Forces Foundation - Meets the family members when they arrive in town. http://www.armedforcesfoundation.org/

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society - Pay bills of family members while here. http://www.nmcrs.org/index.html

I have had two types of cancer presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange from my in-country service in Vietnam. It would appear that the VA is now honoring claims for compensation from veterans who also served at sea in the areas near Vietnam. For example, the claim is successfully being made that water sprayed with the poison made its way into the ship's purification systems and into the drinking water.

Based on clinical research, the following diseases are on VA's Agent Orange list of presumptive disabilities: chloracne, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, porphyria cutanea tarda, respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx and trachea), soft-tissue sarcoma, acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy, and prostate cancer. A regulation is being developed to add diabetes mellitus.

In addition, monetary benefits, health care, and vocational rehabilitation services are provided to Vietnam veterans' offspring with spina bifida, a congenital birth defect of the spine. A new law authorizes health care and monetary benefits to children of female veterans who served in Vietnam for certain additional birth defects.

My advice, if you contract one of these diseases, is to work with an outside service organization, such as the American Legion. They will help with the paperwork and get you your compensation. Be patient - it takes forever. . The VA needs proof of service in Vietnam (DD214, etc) and proof that you have one of these diseases from your doctor or medical facility. My claim for the prostate cancer took six months. My claim for lung cancer was submitted in December and as of the end of March was just approved. I still have another hearing in June before it is considered permanent.

Be sure to also take advantage of the VA health care system. Although I have used my civilian doctors for the major procedures (more for convenience only), the VA doctors are real pro's and the benefit of zero co-pay for prescriptions is worth a lot. For example, after my latest surgery I was still losing weight. My doctor was concerned and told me to drink two cans of Ensure daily, costing about $2 per day. I called the VA and I now receive Ensure at no cost.
Regards,
From Mike Cronin:

Until recently it was true that VA compensation was used as an offset to military retired pay. A retired vet who later received VA disability compensation had his military retired pay reduced by the amount of the VA compensation. Since VA compensation is not taxed, the veteran did receive a tax benefit, but the dollar amount of monthly income before taxes did not change.

That has now changed. Several years ago Congress agreed to phase out that offset provision over ten years. Bottom line: if you have any disability that might be service connected you should apply to the VA and let them decide if you are entitled to compensation. If they decide you are at least partially disabled you will come out dollars ahead even before taxes are considered. Apply now. Compensation is dated from the day you apply even though the VA decision process can take years.

One final note. Military retirees can use VA medical facilities without risking their military retired health care (Tricare) benefits.

From Ken Sanger:

Some who receive disability compensation can double dip.

The following is from the VA website at http://www.dod.mil/prhome/mppcrsc.html

"The Department of Defense has two programs designed to reduce the reduction in retired pay due to receipt of Veteran Administration compensation, for certain disabled retirees.

Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP) provides a 10-year phase-out of the offset to military retired pay due to receipt of VA disability compensation for members whose combined disability rating is 50% or greater . Members retired under disability provisions must have 20 years of service.

Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) pays added benefits to retirees who receive VA disability compensation for combat-related disabilities and have 20 years of service ."

And this from a 2006 document found on the above site:

"The Department of Defense is currently receiving and processing applications for the Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) program. The CRSC program became effective May 31, 2003, for qualified retirees with combat-related disabilities. Payments are retroactive to June 1, 2003, for otherwise qualified members. The criteria of eligibility to receive CRSC payments have been expanded effective January 1, 2004, to include members with any percentage combat-related disability compensated by the VA.C"

Irish Pennants
   Irish Pennants are loose threads that invite attention, or may need to be tied up or cut off.  For the purpose of  this web site, they represent miscellaneous thoughts, threads of discussion and points of view by classmates and colleagues.  To submit [or respond] to Irish Pennants, just send an e-mail to  webmaster@usna63.org without objection from the Class Secretary, they will be published on this site, invite rebuttal or response, and eventually [perhaps] fade away.

Carry On!
Class of 1963 facts and lore, Cannonball recipe, satire, humor

Humorous Thoughts for the 40th

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