Summertime is here: By the time this issue of Checkpoints shows up in your mailbox, we should be approaching the summer solstice, although by the time that comes around, we normally feel like we’re already deep into summer. The Southerners and Easterners will be cursing the humidity, the Northerners will look forward to the extra hours of daylight and then plunge into despair when they realize every day after the solstice gets shorter for the next six months, the Western desert inhabitants won’t venture more than 100 yards from a functioning air conditioner, and the Midwesterners will curse because of the heat, humidity, shortening days, and the fact that out-of-staters are using their highways to get to other parts of the country.
This year, however, things may be different. Following the bizarre winter the country just experienced, or, in the case of the Rocky Mountains, the winter that never showed up, all bets are off. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, hailstorms, plagues, and pestilence are all on the table, and that’s the good news. The bad news is that midterm elections are coming, which means the commercials for drugs that treat afflictions we’ve never heard of will be replaced by political ads consisting mostly of accusations of incompetence and malfeasance of one’s opposition while perched on a pedestal of pure and innocent hypocrisy. Now that you’re mired in a swamp of doom and gloom, let the lowly scribe that took you there remind you that the reason you read Checkpoints is to catch up on what your classmates are up to, so let’s start that portion of the column and let you find your happy place.
Classmates’ Updates: Scott Hente, Gary Shugart, Ken Finn, Paul Williams, and their wives have been taking cruises together for the last few years, and this year they took a Southeast Asia cruise. While the guys were there, they strolled onto the bridge over the River Kwai and badgered a stranger into taking a photo of them on the bridge made famous by a movie produced in 1957. Gary looks a little bit like Alec Guinness, and Scott bears a passing resemblance to Jack Hawkins, but the only way Ken or Paul could look like William Holden would be with their backs to the camera from a hundred feet away. Congrats to the guys for getting a pin in the map in Thailand for the ’75 guidon.
Dave and Libby McDaniel joined Bill and Cleo Dalson at “the club” in Aiken, SC, during the Easter weekend. No mention was made of which club, and it’s probably one of those where if you have to ask which club that explains why you haven’t received an invitation to join it. Judging from the photo, life is good at the club.
Mark "Scotty" Scott flew to Washington state for the promotion ceremony of his daughter, Scottie, to Major in February. Scotty’s CS-27 squadron mate, Robert Stewart, gave the oath the day prior to the official ceremony, which was held at the 7th Airlift Squadron at McChord AFB. Scottie is in an instructor/demo pilot for the C-17. Brian Barnes also attended the ceremony.
As the Class Legacy rep, Dick Dye was able to give out 2d Lt bars to 14 more members of the Class of 2025. He used Scott Hente’s line as he talked with each group: “I have two requests with these 2d Lt bars. First, hold onto them, and if you have the opportunity, give them to members of the Class of 2075 because the ’25-75’ engraved on them will apply. Second, call me so I can join you.” Scott obviously gets an A+ for positive thinking and less than a passing grade for accepting the reality that he’s as mortal as the rest of us.
Paul Kent had surgery for hyperparathyroidism on April 16th in Tampa, FL. His doctor declared the parathyroidectomy a success and sent him back to his home in Seattle to recover. Hyperparathyroidism is one of those conditions that could have its own set of commercials on television because there aren’t a lot of us who have heard of it before. According to Paul, it sucks calcium out of a person’s bones and is not good for the golf game, which made the surgery mandatory. He’s hoping the surgery added five yards onto his drives, but notes, “I’m an optimist. My fellow hackers are doubtful.”
Oliver and Debbie Lorenz were married on February 7th in the Stagecoach Ballroom in Ft Worth, TX. Oliver’s and Debbie’s union is further proof of what Danny Kaye and Vera Ellen sang about in “White Christmas,” which is, “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.” Dave Commons, Dale Meyerrose, Paul Williams, Tom Popp, Rick Wright, and their spouses attended the wedding, danced, ate Texas barbecue, and then went to the Lorenz’s home to “bring Debbie up to speed on our time at the Academy.” It is duly noted that Debbie wasn’t brought up to speed until after the ring was firmly affixed on her finger. Smart thinking, Oliver. 
GBNF: Michael Heil, CS-07, passed away on February 9, 2026. More information on Mike can be found via link, right.
Dave, Bill & spouses at the club
4. Chris Bosma: This was cool. We not only found the flat that Dad [Ben] was born in on Zonnebloemstraat (Sunflower Street) in Arnhem, we found the exact spot the original picture was taken in 1951 [see inset] . It's also only short walk south of John Frostbrug (aka The Bridge too Far). (April 2026)
