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April 2003 Hello again great '98! Dave is nearing the end of his deployment and eager to enjoy some well-deserved time in Monterey. It's nice to be on shore (even if I'm stuck in the shipyard). Although conflict has kept us gainfully employed, our Classmates still know how to relax as evidenced by this month's submissions. Jim Day provided this summary of his golf exploits over the past year: I am now two-thirds of the way done with my second sea tour, this time on MCINERNEY (FFG-8). Brendan Mahon left MCINERNEY two months ago and is now at ATG in San Diego. Sadly, my time in the golfer's paradise of Jacksonville appears to be coming to a close. The movers are coming this morning, and I expect to reunite with my belongings in the Washington, DC area, after deployment. I have been given orders to the Office of Naval Intelligence. I will miss the driving range at TPC at Sawgrass, but look forward to rejoining my friends and Classmates in the DC area. This last year was good to me; I shot my life low (65-7-under par) in the opening round of the All-Navy Golf Championship, going on to play for the Navy the following week at the Armed Forces Championship in Fort Bliss, TX. The third week saw the U.S. Military Team take on (and defeat) teams from Canada and South Africa in the CISM, which is a match-play event that attempts to simulate a three team Ryder Cup. I managed to compile a 5-3 record in match play this year, thanks to a holed bunker shot in the closing stage of my singles rematch against a Canadian Sonar Technician. Earlier in the year I played in qualifiers for the U.S. Open and the PGA Tour's Genuity Championship; although I didn't qualify this year, I definitely benefited from the experience. I can be emailed at dayj@mcinerney.navy.mil until August; afterwards my personal email address of navygolf98@yahoo.com can be used. Anyone needing a place to stay in DC will be more than welcome. ATB. Jim Day during a pre-deployment ski trip to Austria Thanks Jim, say hi to Tiger for me. Ashley McCrea sends the following update from the Pentagon: Here's a little update on the Spice Girls (I would call us by our real name, but I'm sure I'm not allowed to use that word in this most distinguished forum...). We are still friends, still crazy, annoying, loud, and dead a**. We recently had the opportunity to catch up and wreak havoc on the city of Las Vegas when our sponsors, Rod and Patty, had their wedding vows renewed by Elvis for their 20th anniversary. Shout out to the Pavlaks! We also all made out with Fred Savage from The Wonder Years (FSFTWY). He loved us. Gaby "Bolton" Bolton, an OSO in Albuquerque, NM, and proud mother to 3-year-old Ziggy, hates where she lives, and can't wait to get out and start business school. She says of her current residence "there's a lot of dirt here." She rocked her GMAT, and will be attending not-Harvard in the fall. Becky "Dowling" Adams, a double-bad-a** pilot with VFA-83 in Oceana, VA, just got back from deployment. She and her husband, Mike Adams '96, a recent graduate of Georgetown Law and newly appointed JAG, recently welcomed a new addition to their family...8-week-old Noah joins big sister Madison. Oh, and she's thinking of buying a Soft Tub for her back deck. Katy (Evans) Dynan, a 46 pilot with HC-11, is currently on a 25-month deployment on BRIDGE. She had her subscription to "Tiger Beat" changed to this ship's address, and lives vicariously through her husband, Sean Dynan, a section OIC at MCRD San Diego (he goes out with her friends more than she does). Ashley (McCrea) Hamburger still a huge Neil Diamond fan-is on the Secretary of the Navy's Action Team (hah), and is livin' large in the greater DC area with 3-year-old Lulu. She and Jimmy (Bailey) Sullivan carried on the tradition of Army Week pranks into the Pentagon this year by stealing the Army/Navy trophy from the Sec. Army. They also wild-manned Secretary Rumsfeld, and set off a shaving cream bomb during a Joint Chiefs meeting. Check out her husband's web site at: www.realultimatepower.net. Rodi "Rodi" Cain and Esposito "Espo" Lopez were arrested recently for celebrity stalking in LA /San Diego. A la Mary Kay Letorneau, Rodi is teaching English (as a second language) at EWTGPac, and Espo is counting her days as admin officer at the Naval Air Technical Data and Engineering Service Command in San Diego. She'll be going to chiropractor school in the fall. Jen "Seguin" McGraw, a 60B pilot normally stationed in Hawaii, is on CHOSIN right now. She keeps busy in her spare time by going up to the bridge to work on her OOD U/W quals, teaching aerobics classes on the foc'sle, and providing much-needed counseling to the other females onboard. Mary Kate "Sully" Sullivan, Bailey-O'Shea-Murphy-McCourt-any other Irish name you can think of is the base inspector at Quantico, and enjoys playing parcheezi and eating crumb cake. Sully represented full-time by finishing third female overall in this year's Marine Corps Marathon. She and Jimmy just bought a real grown-up house in Fredericksburg, VA, to accommodate Sully's growing bell-she's due in August! Speaking of stomachs, Corpsi (Thornton) Abdullah is "as happy as a tapeworm in Fat Albert's stomach" as a logistics officer on the tip of the spear with the Third Marine Air Wing. She's passing the time by practicing putting on her gas mask and picking at her smallpox vaccination scabs. Ws in Vegas: Jen, Ashley, Elvis, Espo, Katy, Gaby, Jenny, Rodi, Cori. Not pictured: Becky (defending our freedom) and Sully (winning a marathon) Thanks Ashley. Here's an update from a fellow NAPSter and recovering SWO, Mike Llenza (I've heard some rumors Mike- congratulations!): Greetings to my brothers in the "real fleet" from Pensacola where I'm getting my second loving dose of Training Commands. I'm at VT-86 and am headed to either Prowlers or Vikings in a couple of months after four exciting and unforgettable years as a SWO. I also recently got engaged and will be getting married this summer on the Virgin Islands! Brian "Doctor" Love just joined me down here as well, apparently we can't get enough. Updates on some guys I keep in touch with, Scott Pichette is still living on my island flying H-3s, Todd Tavolazzi's headed out to Sigonella to get in touch with the motherland, he'll be flying 53's out of there (another SWOtivated veteran), Dewey "Donger" Lopes and Pete "Peener" Shoemaker are providing all of you with the blanket of freedom that you sleep so soundly under every night, DJ's deployed with the Ragin' Bulls and Pete's in Japan with ____ (would love to know but since he doesn't keep in touch with any of his friends it's hard to tell (hint hint...) And Gil Clark and Chad Schumacher recently returned from being, as they say, "in the s___" Also, one Kenneth Robb, yet another ex SWO (and this makes all of us at the "other" end of the selection line proud) recently selected Superhornets! Kenny, smashing, absolutely smashing! Looking forward to joining you guys again real soon. And now for the epic from Pat Smith-livin' the dream in Rota: Getting stationed in Spain was a great decision. Dan Arndt and myself are in VQ-2 flying EP-3's out of Rota. Another great man to have in Rota has been John Collins '99 who is the Suppo at Naval Special Warfare Unit-Ten. Our Spanish is coming along well. When we are not deployed you can find us surfing El Palmar or enjoying a tinto verano at La Pinta Tavern in downtown Puerto de Santa Maria. I just made aircraft commander and Dan will shortly. Pat Smith, Shawn Williams, Dan Arndt, and Brad Hipp enjoying some Guiness at La Pinta Tavern in Puerto de Santa Maria Bill Davey made it about six months ago and is also expecting #2 with his wife. Recently we had an all '98 flight station for a bounce flight. Karsten Spies is taking orders to Germany after Spain. Joe "Tico the Hitman" Femenia recently came through after med cruise for some unselfishness. We also met up for some Christmas time enjoyment in New York City. He is going TAD to Washington for four months. Dr. Brian Love was rescued from SWO and is in Pensacola and just starting API. I have been informed he is already in with the local crowd of w**s. Very unselfish. Mike Llenza is with him in VT-86 and about to select either S-3's or Super Hornets. Todd Tavolazzi is finishing the CH-53 FRS and will be in joining me in Europe in Jan. I missed my old roomate Steve "Picante" Fortmann in Souda, Bahrain, and Rota this year by only a few days each time. Recently dropped in on Luke Radlinski at USNA on the way to pick up a plane in Greenville, SC, when my C-20 broke at Andrews for a night. He is one of the first '98ers already back teaching. While I was in Greenville I had a chance to make it to Beafort where I hung with Brad Hipp, AJ McNiven, and Shawn Williams. Shawn just recently got engaged to a girl in VA Beach. I also ran into Dan Moll, Nicole Ringel, Shane Marchesi, and Kevin Sprogue. Hippster and Shawn came over to Rota in June and destroyed my liver and sleep patterns for two weeks. Dan, JC, and I had great times with those fine gentlemen. Ran into Sandy Kosloski on my way through Brunswick during that trip to South Carolina. I guess sister Colleen Kosloski bailed on her and stayed in Jacksonville after the FRS. Hung with Brannon Bickel '97 and John Kiefaber '97 in Jacksonville. Both are headed West to San Diego to be H-60 FRS instructors. Just got done with a det in Souda where I patried with Steve Bird '97 in VP-16 and also ran into Andy Ross '97 and Dave Townley flying CODs off WASHINGTON. Patrick Mattes and Mat Bryant came through Rota with VP-16 and it got silly. Also hung with Matt Sobecki and Katie (Birch) Milligan '99. Shared a drink with Eric Bersen '99 in Souda who just finished deployment recently. Nicole Nollette is permanantly stationed in Souda Bay as the NEMOC OIC. Had a chance to watch some air refueling in a CH-53 with Rocky Burns as the pilot. We recently schooled his all HC-4 team in hoops as they came through with Truman. I always run into John Thomas on during his dets from Brunswick to Rota in VP-26. Jen Seguin is gearing up for another deployment in Hawaii and can't wait to leave. Ashely McRea just took a job at the pentagon as an Admirals Aide. Started to hear more from Dr. Peter "Venkman" Shoemaker and Jason "PTR" DeGroot '99 as they went underway on KITTY HAWK for carrier quals. Carrier equals instant email buddys...Dr. Venkman got married right before he shipped off to Japan for all that didn't know. Adam Smith '99 and I hung in Rota one night this past December as he finished deployment on the GW. Adam is living with Kevin Robb in Virginia Beach. Rumor has it Matt Moberly's new nickname is "Dumper" for adjusting his gross weight right over the flight deck of the GW this past deployment. Solid. Derek Solon has had his resignation letter accepted five years to the day...22 May '03. After his run in with a rogue wave, you cannot blame the kid. Colleen and Scott Pichette are doing well in Rosy Roads after recently moving on base. Dave Moore and Steph Merritt made it official with their wedding in Niagra Falls in late December. Gabe Kelly '99 is flying H-60s off the back of a small boy with his dad as DesRon commander in the gulf. Dan Lennon '99 is loving deployment on CONSTELLATION. Kevin Ferrer is still wearing civilian clothes to work and is finishing up his masters in Washington, DC. Sumner Lee continues his unselfish behavior on the West Coast flying H-46s in SD. Brendan D'Anna got married and is at the E-2 FRS in Virginia Beach. Jerry Shafer recently emailed me from the Lincoln that E-2s was the best decision he has ever made. While on deployment, he and Steve Fortmann have signed a release for me to permanently take over as front man of the famous rock band "National Velvet." Thanks fellas, its best for the band. That is all the people that I can think of. Hope everyone's holidays were enjoyable. Look up either myself or Dan if anyone is coming through Rota. See ya. Pat (bonsmithers@hotmail.com, drarndt@hotmail.com) Pat Smith and Joe Femenia at home on Long Island over the holidays Thanks again for all of the great submissions this month. Until next time, Fair winds... -Shawn