Special Operations Warrior Foundation Second Annual SW Loop Ride

Dear Friend,

I am at it once again!  I am riding on April 18-21st, 2013, the Second Annual SOWF SW Loop Ride with a few other Retired/Veteran USAF Combat Controllers and other Special Ops folks in honor of USAF Capt. Derek Argel.  I am accepting donations for the SOWF (Special Operations Warrior Foundation) which you can read about on the link on this page below.  All donations will go directly to the SOWF and a donation receipt will be sent to you for tax deduction purposes.  If you donate $100.00 or more, I will mail you a 2nd annual t-shirt...

Furthermore, if you'd like to join us for the ride, please click on the link to find out how to reserve your rooms in Palm Springs, San Diego and Long Beach (Queen Mary).  It will be approximately 565 miles round trip in three days...

Hope you can help out in some small way... NEVER FORGET!!!

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/mark-nevatt/1stannualsowfswloop

Once again, thank you in advance for reading about and learning about the SOWF and what we are doing to help those that have gone before us...

Sincerely,

Mark Nevatt / CCA LM-877

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher P. Larkin Retirement Invite

Colonel Kurt W. Buller

Commander, 720th Special Tactics Group

Requests the pleasure of your company

at a Retirement Ceremony

in honor of

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher P. Larkin

on Friday, the twenty-sixth of April, two thousand thirteen

at two o’clock in the afternoon

Special Tactics Training Squadron

Covered Physical Training Area

Hurlburt Field, Florida

R.s.v.p. by 15 April Dress: Uniform of the Day

Comm (850) 884-2281 Civilian: Business Attire

Rebekah.Hedstrom@hurlburt.af.mil

25 Apr is Golf--JH is the POC

25 Apr is a dinner

 

Steven Armand Patterson (1988 - 2013)

Steven Armand Patterson February 11, 1988 - March 14, 2013 Steven Armand Patterson, 25, passed away on March 14, 2013 in Shafter. Born on February 11, 1988, Steven is the son of Matthew and Therese Patterson. After graduating from Shafter High in 2006, he enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Combat Controller. During his five years of service, he was deployed to both Afghanistan and Iraq. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for combat actions in service of his country.

Link to obituary:

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bakersfield/obituary.aspx?pid=163737954

TSgt. William H. Jefferson Memorial Push Ups

TSgt. William H. Jefferson Jr., 34, of Norfolk, Va., died 22 March 2008 from wounds received when his vehicle struck an IED near Sperwan Ghar, Afghanistan. Jefferson was from Air Force Special Operations Command’s 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Pope AFB, N.C.

Knock em out.

“Big Andy” Inaugural Carry

On 15 March, 2013 the CCT Pope Brethren paid homage to one of our fallen, Andy Harvell, by introducing a new log for CCS.  This log is twice the size of the traditional “Motivation” and “Teamwork” logs many of us carried in our time at CCS. 

One side of the log has “BIG ANDY” carved into it; the other side has “Victory or Valhalla” with “HL” next to it.  TSgt Richard Rodriguez and TSgt Cecil Gilbreath did all the carving and painting of the log to prep it for the introduction to the school. 

A ‘flight line’ walk was the opening ceremony.  CCS cadre and support staff carried the log up the hill to the 21^st STS, where members of the 21^st carried the log another 2 plus miles to the vicinity of Green Ramp, where members of the 24 took it off their shoulders.  The 24 carried it to approx. ¾ of a mile short of CCS, where CCS cadre picked it up again and brought it home to rest in front of the Memorial. 

All, including class 13-002, gathered to do Memorials when the log arrived.  After Memorials, the log was officially transferred to 13-002 and carried to its home in THE PIT. 

The event was organized by SMSgt Innis, Commandant CCS.

See attached pictures.

DK sends.

Dale R. Osborn has Passed

I regret to inform you that Dale R. Osborn deceased on March 2, 2013 of cancer. He graduated from Combat Control School in Class 70-1 while stationed at the Dover CCT with subsequent assignment on the Dyess Team. He separated from the Air Force during November, 1972

A Memorial service was conducted at the Holloman AFB Chapel on March 12 that was well attended. Church services will be conducted at Our Lady Queen of Angels Liberal Catholic Church at 1701 Tulip Road SE; Rio Rancho, NM on March 23^rd at 1030. A reception will follow the Church service at the Elks Lodge 2500 at 1530 Barbara Loop in Rio Rancho.

Dale was a 32^nd degree Mason, a member of the Elks Lodge 2500 and VFW Post 10249 at Ubon, Thailand.

If you would like to make a donation, send cards or gifts to the Osborn family; please contact SMSgt Edward Medina, or 2Lt Christopher Cashen at the 49^th Civil Engineering Squadron at Holloman AFB, NM 88330

Rest in Peace,

Chuck

Death of old CCTer

Mr. Robert Thomas Booth, 74, of  Kissimmee, FL passed away Sunday, March 10th, 2013 surrounded by his loving family in the arms of his loving wife Charlotte.  Robert was born in Nashville, Tenn. on December 15, 1938, to Harris and Lucille (Cole) Booth. He served in the US Air Force for 23 years retiring with the rank of Captain. He was a Custom Home Builder and an Entrepreneur at heart. He loved the Theater, Movies and Fishing, but his true passion was Traveling, he traveled the World he would come back from a Cruise and want to book another one. Along with the love of his life Charlotte his wife of 55 years, he is survived by three daughters, Terry, Melinda and Cynthia. Robert is also survived by a brother, Carl "Buddy" Booth and 4 Grandchildren Amy Rae, Thomas, Michael and Summer. A Visitation will be held from 10am to 12pm on Friday March 15, 2013  with a Funeral service at 12pm in the Osceola Memory Gardens Kissimmee Chapel with Entombment to follow in the Memory of Life Mausoleum in the Osceola Memory Gardens Cemetery Kissimmee, FL. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Disabled Veterans. of Osceola County. Arrangements under the direction of OSCEOLA MEMORY GARDENS CEMETERY FUNERAL HOME and CREMATORY 1717 Old Boggy Creek Rd. Kissimmee, Fla. 34744  www.osceolamemgds.com

 

Thanks,

Tim McCann

SOWF Golf Tournament at Tiger Point

Mort Update

Mort is recovering in ICU after an 11+ hour surgery.  The doctors say they removed the entire meningiomain.  It will be a few more days before they know the effect of the surgery on his mental abilities. 

Mort Freedman Update

 Down to a roll of the dice?

Nita came to Manila on the 22nd of Feb to see the VA.  They would not even let her into the compound without an appointment, so she had to leave Mort's medical records with the security guard.  They promised a return phone call within 24 working hours.  That call has yet to come.

Nita, Don Hammond and I discussed options in Angeles on the 23rd & 24th, frequently consulting with his good friend Jim Bird in Oak Harbor, Wa.

Don took Nita to see Jimmy Boyd, the local expert on Tricare & VA in the Philippines.  Don was a great help on these areas where I have virtually no experience.

I wrote a letter to the neurosurgeons in Cagayan De Oro and had Jim Bird & Don Hammond suggest a few changes.  In the letter I pushed the doctors to reconsider the operation since it was really his last chance for any meaningful life.  Nita agreed to not hold the doctors or the hospital liable should Mort not survive the surgery.  I signed the letter and Don Hammond and another of Mort's friends endorsed the letter.

On Tuesday the 26th Nita took the letter to the neurosurgeons and they agreed to perform the surgery IF they could get all his other medical conditions under control.  Mort was admitted to the hospital on the 27th.  They immediately started treating him for pneumonia and a kidney infection.  Early this week the cardiologist was the first to sign off saying Mort was OK for surgery.  Daily other doctors have signed him off.

Also, early this week Mort's daughter, Abigail, flew back from the USA to see him.  I'm not sure if it was the medicines they are giving him to make sure he has no other medical issues when he goes for surgery or a ray of light from above, but Mort came back to reality and recognized Abigail.  He has had some long conversations with her and the rest of

his family this week.   Nita has explained to him that he will have

surgery on his brain and he acknowledged that he understands and wants the surgery.

Yesterday all his doctors finally agreed that he will be ready as he can be for the surgery on the 11th of March.  This is a dangerous operation for a young person in good health with good doctors.  With Mort's age, risk factors, and provincial doctors the odds are not great.  But, I believe the odds are a bit better now that Mort's is aware of what is going on.  If anyone has that mental ability to keep fighting against the odds, it is Mort Freedman.

Please keep Mort in your prayers next week.

Newest CCT SMSgt

Congratulations to the new CCT SMSgt selectees

Brad Greisen

Brad Lentz

Brad Reilly

Bryan Patton

               

               

 Wayne G. Norrad, CIV, DAF

24th Special Operations Wing

Public Relations & Program Analyst (XPA)

Nashville Reunion Golf Planning

For those who plan to attend the Nashville reunion AND want to play golf, here is the schedule.

Nashboro Golf Club May 17th, 0830 first of four tee times.  Schedule is same for Saturday May 18th.

The Green Fees are $35 Friday, $40 Saturday. Nashboro would like to confirm at the earliest the actual number of tee times required.  Please notify Billie Slayton at billie_w@bellsouth.net or Tim McCann at mccanntimothy@sbcglobal.net if you plan to play.

Thanks Ron,

Tim McCann

Let's remember our fallen comrade today, RIP John.