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November 2004
Greetings Classmates!
I hope this edition of Shipmate finds you well and I look forward to
receiving more submissions from you. Some of these are a little late due
to some computer issues I've had, but with those resolved, please keep
them coming.
We've got some great updates for this edition, starting with Steve
Aldridge:
Wow, writing a letter to Shipmate has been on my to-do list for over
five years, better late than never I guess. First, I'll bring readers up
to recent times: Graduation, SWOS, USS BARRY (DDG 52) in Norfolk, got
married to Mary Liz, Power School, Prototype, our daughter Cordie was
born, then went to the USS HARRY S.TRUMAN (CVN 75) in Norfolk.
I reported to TRUNMAN's Reactor Department in November 2001 and joined
up with several 97 grads: Ben Aton (currently a USNA Systems Professor and
recently married), Judd Krier (currently a USNA EE Professor), Craig Wiesen
(Norfolk shore duty), Pete Rybski (now in Europe, England I think), Rob
Toliver (also in Europe, Italy I think), and Elaine Luria (now in Japan).
LCDR Julius Taylor '91 was the REA and has since moved on to become XO on
ELROD. Other 98ers that spent time with me as nukes on
TRUMAN included: Jim Grigg (DC for shore duty), Nicole (Stavros) Hardisty,
Sam Stahl (staying in Norfolk for shore
duty), Beth Thorowgood, and Tina Dalmau (headed to NAPS to coach
basketball). Not long after'98 arrived, the
'99 nuke SWOs started to show up: Ty
Biggs, Steve Clark, Derek Cedars, and
Dan Huber. John Fiefs a Duke 99 nuke
SWO and son of Dr. Hehnuts Feifs
'66, also worked with me on TRUMAN.
CAPT Mike Groothousen'75, was the
Commanding Officer and was recently
selected for Admiral.
Before leaving TRUMAN in August
2003, 1 had to knock out the dreaded
PNEO exam. I was flown back to
Norfolk from the Mediterranean to study
while the ship stayed to fight the war.
During my time studying for the exam I
met up with other 98 nukes: Gil Clark
(headed back to Charleston), Liz Adams
(CIVLANT), Jen Schulze (CIVLANT),
Jeff Messer (CIVLANT), Jen Childs
(CIVLANT), and Brian Degnan
(CIVLANT).
Ryan and Shantel (Utton) Smith
'96 bought a house only a couple of
blocks from Mary Liz and I in Norfolk
andjust added a second child to
their family.
In August 2003, Mary Liz, Cordie, and
I moved out to Evanston, IL and I started
school at Kellogg. Also working on an
MBA with me at Kellogg are Rob
Wyssbrod '95, Dan Gomez '96 and
Pete Andrews. Scott Pitcock '91 just
graduated and is now working for United
Airlines. Joe Abbott and Toni Frayne
'99 are assigned to the Northwestern
ROTC unit and are working on their
MBAs at Kellogg as well. Derek Cedars
'99 will start at Kellogg this fall.
Mary Liz and I were blessed to have
our second child this July 7th. Preston
was 8 pounds 10 ounces and is
doing great.
My brother, Mike Aldridge '00,
spent about 8 months in Japan and
Okinawa on a deployment with his
Marines. He is transferring from Camp
Lejeune to Coronado this month. While
driving cross country, he plans to stop and
go to about a half dozen baseball games.
Since graduation I have been keeping
in touch with several good academy
friends, some updates include: Ken
Wallace (flag aid to RADML McGee '78 at Stennis Space Center), Pat
Hourigan (headed to become a Top Gun
instructor), Micah Smith (getting out of the Navy and going to work for
Shell Oil in New Orleans), Stacey Moy (out of the Navy and at the FBI
Academy), Christian Sewell (selected for Test Pilot School and headed to
Pax River), Eric Grant (out of the Marine Corps and starting law school at
UVA), Bob Geiger (out of the Marine Corps and headed back to Utah to
become the COO of Descente North America, a ski apparel company) and Brian
Hogan (flag aid to SUBPAC, RADM Sullivan '70 in HI).
This month, the family and I are moving out to Cambridge, Massachusetts
for more graduate school. Let us know if you are in the Boston area.
Email: saldridge2005@kellogg.northwestern.edu
God Bless, Steve Aldridge
Melissa (Plean) Plaskanos writes:
Here's an update on my life: Neal and I are both civilians now and have
moved to Boston. I recently finished my Masters at Stanford and we both
got jobs here, so we moved out from California. We work in construction
management. I am also 5 1/2 months pregnant with twins and my due date is
the motivating USMC Birthday! Anyway, we recently bought our first house
and are settling in. We spend a lot of time with Dean and Sue Balcirak and
their baby Dean, who live in Newport, RI. We also get to see Steve Fulton
'97, his wife Jill and their two little ones, who all live in Bath, Maine.
It is wonderful being back on the east coast and we look forward to giving
our two dogs some brothers and sisters!
Talk to ya soon, Melissa Plaskonos (maiden name - Plean)
Pat Smith writes:
I hate to crack Shipmate to find our colun-m blank so I will send some
news that I have in hopes it will spark a little more interest in the
column. Big news ... I got engaged in December! Nicole and I met in Spain
while she was traveling after completing 2 years in the Peace Corps in
West Africa.
Coincidentally, her dad, CAPT Dave Miller (ret) '72 is a USNA grad too.
We are getting married at USNA in November. After three amazing years in
Europe, it is time to come back to reality
and move stateside. My next orders are flying P-3s and C-26s atVX-30 in
Pt. Mugu, CA where I report in July.
Here is some more news about some other 98ers. I just spent five weeks
flying a desk in Key West at joint Interagency Task Force South. There I
ran into Hillary Lumpkin, Tom Ogden, and Bob Pudney. Hillary is getting
out of the Navy in October. Bob and Tom are staying in. I also bumped into
Shane Marchesi, Dan Moll, and Becky Dowling on a det to Key West. They are
all doingTop Gun and are stationed in Fallon. We enjoyed some good times
at Smokyjoe's on Duval street together. I was in Annapolis at the end of
March where I stayed with Luke Radlinski who was recently married this
past October. I stopped by Luce Hall and of course, the Midstore. It was a
16th Company reunion in SEANAV. Hassan Booker, Mike Bartram, Alex "The
Russian" Borcz, and Scott Meushaw were all there and are all,
surprisingly, getting out of the Navy. Scott Meushaw is moonlighting by
coaching lacrosse in Maryland. Mike is expecting a baby soon. When asked
how long he thinks he will have left in the Navy, the Russian replied "34
years!" Hassan has been coaching both mens and womens basketball. Steve
Fortmann and Joe Femenia just left on another deployment. AJ McNiven is now
at the Fighter Weapons School in Oceana andjust got married at USNA. Joe
was the best man at his wedding. Sumner Lee took orders in San Diego for
his second tour. Bart O'Brien is flying Cobras in Iraq right now and is
doing very well. John Collins '99 just finished up a two year tour in Rota
and is headed to a desk job in DC. Dan Arndt is headed to Corpus Cristi to
fly T-34s. He is dating a Navy dentist who will be joining him at the
dental clinic in Corpus. It looks serious. Todd Tavolazzi is in Sigonella
flying H-53's. Dr. Brian Love is in Pensacola driving his new 300Z. Jen
Seguin just got engaged too. Mike Burks is headed to Test Pilot school.
Sean Williams and Bradd Hipp are in Beaufort flying F-18's. Sean started
dating Megan Magee while they were on cruise together. Alright, that is
all the news I can think of at the moment. Look me up if you are in Point
Mugu.
PS: Kathy and Steve Fortmann had a baby boy named Bruce Alistair on 1
July. Thanks.
Mike Davis writes:
I got married in April of this year to Catherine Best (Davis now), and
we live in Memphis, TN - if anyone gets an assignment at the base at
Millington, I would like to get in touch with them.
Fair winds, Michael N Davis
Its great to get these updates, so please keep
them coming. I hope you all enjoy, your holiday season and are
blessed throughout the rest of the year.
Semper Fi, CB Johnson
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