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40th Reunion – Update #1
Posted: 1/1/2022
40th Reunion – Update #1
Happy New Year ’82! Do you believe that it’s been almost 40 years since that day in May when we gathered at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial stadium and tossed our hats in the air?  I know, it’s hard to wrap your head around but as we learned so well in our “four years by the Bay” – time, tide and formation wait for no one.  I am excited and honored to serve as your reunion coordinator again this year! We have most of the band who did the 35th back with us plus a few new faces and we’re ready to start the preparations in earnest.  Here is our first update:
1.  Reunion Weekend – in case you haven’t heard the dates have been set for 27 – 30 October.  This is homecoming weekend and right now the only class that I’m aware of holding their reunion that weekend is ’72.  I’m sure there will be one or two more classes added to the mix so Annapolis will be rocking in late October.
2.  Registration – things have changed with the Alumni Association since our 35th and right now we are working to develop the registration process for reunion events, geedunk ordering, etc. Once we have that worked out we will send everyone a link to the registration web page and we’ll post it on our class website and Facebook page as well.
3.  Lodging – coming off the pandemic year most of the hotels in Annapolis have gone to a policy of offering large blocks of rooms with an attrition clause meaning that if we reserved a block of 100 rooms and only had 60 rooms booked by a certain date (usually 60 days prior to the weekend) we (as a class) would be responsible for paying the hotel for the rooms not reserved.  This could potentially put a huge financial burden on the class, something the committee and the class officers did not want to do.  Therefore we have opted to reserve smaller blocks of rooms at these hotels without an attrition clause.  We have also engaged the services of Dan Morio (’96) a travel agent who specializes in booking blocks of rooms for classes holding reunions.  Dan has built a landing page which contains all of the hotel information for our weekend.  Here’s the link for that page: Dan & Lisa Morio (gonavytravel.com).  You can go to the landing page, review the information, click on the link provided for any of the hotels, input the code and book your room.  You can also call the hotels directly to book as well.  If you have any problems with that process you can contact Dan and he will assist you in booking your room.  His phone number is 904-297-1391. Some of the hotels may be able to add rooms to the block if all the rooms in that block get reserved – Dan would be the person to contact the hotels to work that out. If you can’t find suitable accommodations with the hotels on the landing page you can also try VRBO and AirBnB for houses/condos in the Annapolis area for that weekend.  Many will allow you to book for the weekend or longer if you desire.
The reunion committee is working hard on the preparations for the 40th and as we get our schedule of events, prices, locations, dates and times for events finalized we will put out more updates and post those on the class website and Facebook.  Rett Rasmussen is one of the new faces on the committee and he is serving as Communications Director.  Expect to see these updates coming from Rett as we go forward.  In the meantime, if you have any reunion questions, concerns, suggestions or issues, please feel free to shoot me an email.  I’ll do my best to get back to you in a timely manner.  My email address is rbclyborne@gmail.com.  We’re looking forward to another great reunion weekend and hope that many of you will be able to join us back at the Boat School in October!

 

WR,

Rich
Rich Clyborne
410.703.3138 (C)

40th Reunion – Save the Date
Posted: 10/19/2021

40th Reunion – Save the Date:

Thursday, October 27 through Sunday, October 30, 2022

Please direct any questions to Rett Rasmussen, Communications Director, at Rett@Rasmussen.biz or 562-822-0755 (text or call)


John Vena (30) Reports from 2020 Commissioning Week
Posted: 8/7/2020

John Vena (30) was in Annapolis for the graduation and commissioning of his son Val ’20, and provided this first-hand report:

Commissioning Week 2020 is in the books, and as they say, “We plan, God laughs!”  My son Valentine graduated from the 23rd Company and commissioned USN with Nuclear Power School (subs) looming in his future.  His USNA journey began in 2003 at the Notre Dame football game.  Sitting amongst the Irish faithful, my 6-year-old cheered for Navy right up to the closing seconds when ND kicked a winning field goal.  While Navy might have lost that day, my son Val was so emotionally invested that he began a journey, that never faltered, and that finished this past May.

As a family so much of what we planned fell by the wayside:  The big house for family and friends, catering, parties, portraits, dances, classmates, Herndon, Commissioning…the list goes on.  What we experienced instead was not insignificant, though much of it fell under the “Better to ask forgiveness” column.  While my son rightly feels loss, I have a slightly different take on it.

First and foremost, he graduated.  He stood in T-Court and threw his hat up in the air with 200 of his classmates, and we were there.  Sort of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the Yard was closed, we were allowed to drive on with him.  With officers ringing the perimeter from Bancroft – Chauvenet – Michelson – Mahan – Preble – to the Chapel we were as close as possible sitting in our car in the Mahan parking lot.  That’s when fate took a hand.  Our son’s classmate was cross commissioning into the Air Force and his father was in our car.  After the ceremony they came to get him for a private ceremony in Memorial Hall.  We took all our camera gear (My wife and I owned a photography studio) and just followed him inside like we belonged.  Once there we were able to take photos of our son and 15 of his closest friends.

By then T-Court had cleared out and we went outside and took more pictures.  I was finally “Jimmy Legged” by an active duty commander who flashed his ID, but by then we were sated and pleased to be on our way. Unlike the big party we had planned, that night was Chipotle, beer and Whiteclaws.  It was a blast.  With his classmates dropping in and out all night – and multiple booze runs – it was a lot of fun.

Two days later he was commissioned.  There was no stadium.  No VIP speakers.  No mass gathering of the class… There was also no traffic.  No crowds.  No heat.  No hassle.  Instead we gathered with 9 other Midshipmen outside Gate 3 as BGen Stephen Liszewski – former Commandant – spoke from his heart and then Commissioned them.  Only speaking for myself, it was more personal and powerful than my experience in Navy Marine Corps Stadium.

It was a week of casual dinners, Mids in and out, and ice-cream in Naptown with no lines anywhere.  I know it wasn’t what my son and 1000 other Mids were looking for, but as a parent and grad, it had its moments. Not the least of which was the time spent with so many of his classmates.  The future of our Navy is in good hands.


Dant’s Briefing on USNA 4/24/2020
Posted: 4/24/2020

From Goat One Jane Conley:

Hey ’82

I will send out a few emails over the coming weeks but wanted to get this to you promptly as I know USNA has been in your thoughts.

Dant’s Briefing;

Upon notification of COVID 19, USNA went into planning for return of all mids from study abroad programs.

Currently only single digits number of mids have COVID 19. Several Alumni are in front line positions against COVID 19.

A few of the older alumni have died from COVID 19.

At this time there are about 45 mids living in Bancroft Hall

  • Restrictees that elected to return to serve out their demerits
  • A few firsties returned to complete conduct adjudications
  • International exchange students who cannot return to their home countries due to travel restrictions.
  • A few who need morale from USNA. Jane’s notes – Dant did not go into specifics on this one but did mention that health and welfare checks are completed continually given the recent deaths at USAFA.

Mids still have their liberties given their rank but must follow Maryland rules as far as retrieving necessities beyond the gate. King Hall is still open. Rest of the mids are at home and the squad leaders are a key factor in the communications with every mid. Top desire of the mids is to get back to Bancraft away from their parents!!

Class of 2020 is resilient as they are involved in virtual dining outs, virtual marathons, virtual chaplain’s morale minutes, and “Dant’s Dailies” (think this is on instagram??). They are sad that they may not have a graduation like expected, but also know that in the future they will also miss many important family events while in service for their country. Dant said that Supe is preparing the battlefield for virtual graduation/commission on 22 May. Currently, it is unknown if the class of 2020 will be geographically near Annapolis or at home. Orders from BUPERS will start transmitting next week to those attending flight school class beginning end May and Basic in early June.

Supe and Dant are continually asked why USNA graduation is not being done like USAFA and West Point. They respond that each service has its own policies and the robustness of communities outside the gates are not equal.

Planning for events after graduation:

  • Resetting Rooms for camps (NAFS, STEM, etc) and plebe summer, Class of ‘24
    • Clearing items out of rooms
    • Sanitizing (COVID, rats, cockroaches)
  • Admissions Boards for Class of ’25. ACT/SAT testing not occurring at prescribed times?

SUPE and Chett Gladchuk are still working on decision for Ireland and rest of football season.

Jane’s shopping recommendations:

If you want a piece of the chapel dome copper. Order from Herff Jones at https://usnachapeldome.com/

Crazy times, Set up zooms with your best USNA friends and if you have ideas on how to welcome the class of 2020 from the class of 1982, I can set up a zoom.

As always, We all want to know what you and your families are doing with COVID and against COVID and Rett is standing by to take them rett@rasmussen.biz

You can email me at jtcnaples@yahoo.com

Keep those questions coming.  Jane


R.I.P. Roger Bradford Jr. (2), March 29, 2020
Posted: 4/1/2020

We sadness, we report the sudden passing of Roger Bradford Jr. (2) of Tequesta, FL.  Roger died tragically in a one-man boating accident on March 29, 2020, near his home.

Roger is survived by his wife, Stacey; daughter, Madison and son, Dylan.  Madison attends the University of Florida and Dylan is close to earning his private pilot’s license while finishing his senior year in high school.

April 1, 2020 – the Class received this note from Stacey:

To all of Rogers classmates and Academy friends,

I want to Thank You from the bottom of my heart for your kind words and loving thoughts.

Our family is devastated and going to miss him immensely!!! We know how much the Naval Academy/ Navy impacted him. He loved serving his country, it held such a special place in his heart. The pride and strength he acquired from that experience shaped him into the loving family man he was. We are at a loss words, but know his strength will get us through this. Again, thank you all so much for reaching out. As he would always say.. GO NAVY. BEAT ARMY. 

With much love,

The Bradfords 


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