USNA Class of '86 25th Reunion Planning Page

Reunion Feedback

2011-10-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

I'm back home in New York (for another three weeks, when I move to Iowa), and had a great time seeing so many of you over the weekend. We had about 70 golfers, 250 diners Friday night, and just under 1,000 people at the tailgater. Good parties, all around.

While things are fresh in your minds, I'd appreciate it if you could take a couple of minutes to share thoughts and feedback on the events. I will compile your feedback and pass it on to Scott Gureck to assist with planning for the 30th reunion. We are hoping that we will come of this year's events with enough resources in the class fund to hire a professional event organizer to handle that one, as a lot of the older classes do. (Not that we're old, mind you . . . )

I've got a few more weeks of bill paying and account reconciliation to handle, then my work on behalf of the class will done. It's been an honor and a pleasure to serve you all as web drone, e-Secretary, class secretary, Shipmate columnist, class President and reunion coordinator over the years. I appreciate the kind words that many of you shared with me this weekend, and hope that your alumni experience was just a little bit richer as a result of my efforts.

Again, it was great to see more than a third of our class return for Homecoming . . . in these days of soft economy and social networking, that's quite an accomplishment, and speaks highly of the importance that the Academy and Annapolis hold in our hearts. Special thanks to 1st, 25th and 26th Companies for bringing more than 50% of their members back . . . we gave 25th a bottle of 25 Year Old Scotch to share in recognition of their 57% return rate. Here's hoping it went down smooth!

We will be doing the final fleece mailing in the next ten days or so, so if you registered in the last month, you should get your merch by mid-November at the latest. The class store will remain open for the foreseeable future, if you want to pick up some extra items . . . I heard a lot of favorable feedback on the merch we offered, especially the women's fleece. (I liked the men's one a lot, but must agree that the female version was a sharper article of clothing!)

Finally, I'm very happy to report that nobody lost their wristbands . . . at least to the best of my knowledge. (Don't burst my bubble if you did and nobody told me, please and thanks).

All best to you all, and I look forward to seeing you again in five years, if not sooner.

E

More FAQs

2011-10-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

A few other questions that I've received, with answers:

1. Can I drive to and park at the stadium for the Friday night dinner?

Yes, you can, though they will charge you $5.00. You need to be in and parked before 7:00 PM, and you need to make sure you have a designated driver who can get your car off the lot that night, because if you tank and taxi/bus home and leave your car, it will be towed to clear the lot for the game the next day.

2. How long will the dinner go?

We have open bar from 1800 PM through 2130 PM, and people can hang out beyond that (though, presumably, once the open bar closes, the party may quickly shift to Loews or downtown). If memory serves, at the 20th, things had pretty much run their course in the 2200-2230 range. Note that we will be doing brief remarks around 1930 . . . color company recognition, remembrance of fallen classmates, a word about the next class project, etc.

3. How long will the tailgater go?

Last call will occur when "Navy Blue and Gold" is sung after the football game. A note for those who haven't been back for awhile that the tailgate paradigm is a bit different now than it was when we were there due to later kickoff time (1530). We will open check-in at 1300, and be in full tailgate mode as the Brigade marches on (they make their final turn off of Taylor Avenue into the stadium right next to our location). If you have game tickets and plan to go into the stadium, you will still have several hours of tailgater time before you need to head in. By the time the game winds down, so will daylight, and the party . . . so the old post-game "drift around the parking lot begging for beer" approach won't be serviced by our tailgater (though I'm sure there will be lots of folks tailgating out of their trunks who will be happy to oblige wandering waifs of appropriate age).

4. You gave times to pick up wristbands, and I can't be there for any of them. Can I also get them at the tailgate itself?

Yes, we will have four people working the check-in table at the tailgater. You will just be able to clear the desk faster if you have your wristbands on in advance.

5. My fleece and cap haven't gotten here yet. Will they be here in time?

If you registered before September 15, your fleece should either be in hand, or get to you before next weekend. If you registered after that, it may or may not. We will do one more mop-up manufacturing and mailing run next week, after registration closes.

Okay, that's it for today!

E

Reunion FAQs

2011-10-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

A week from now, our 25th reunion will be a (hopefully) fond memory for us all . . . as we get down to the final days, I've had several questions being asked repeatedly, so figured I'd send the answers to them out to everyone, in the name of efficiency. If you have questions beyond these, your best bet for a quick response is to e-mail me at jericwrites@gmail.com, rather than asking them on the LinkedIn, Facebook, or Class Reunion Page, since I don't monitor those as often as I monitor my e-mail. Here are the most common questions at this point . . .

1. Is it too late to register?

Not technically, although I have given the final headcounts (with a small buffer contingency) to the caterer, so late registrations cut into allotted food and beverage for those who registered on time. The online registration page will remain active for the dinner and the tailgater until 8:00 AM Thursday morning; I had originally said noon that day, but my travel schedule means I need to have access to the data that morning, so we will be closing four hours earlier than originally planned. Online golf registration is closed, though cash walk-ins will be allowed for that event, and that event only. If you plan to show up unregistered on Friday, please e-mail Eric Johnson beforehand at eric.walter.johnson@mepcom.army.mil.

2. Is the golf tournament at the Academy golf course?

No, it is at Compass Pointe. Directions and other information available here: http://jericwrites.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/86golf.pdf

3. What is the dress code for the Friday night dinner?

While I didn't promulgate an official dress code, past Friday dinners/cocktail hours have generally seen the men in corporate/cocktail level dress (sport coat and slacks, tie if you feel like it), and women in comparable level of attire (I do not profess wisdom in defining what that level might be). My own personal rule of thumb is to never be the most under-dressed dude in a room, so if you operate on a similar assumption, you'll be fine.

4. Will there be music and/or dancing at the dinner?

Bo Brooks has Sirius radio piped into the dinner room, and they'll be broadcasting one of the '80s-era channels through the evening. I am not certain that there will be a formal dance floor, but having DJ'ed rocking dance parties in hotel rooms at Army-Navy, I suspect that won't be an impediment if people want to bust a move as the evening goes on.

4. Can I pay cash at the tailgater or dinner and get in?

No. I do not want our check-in staff to have to handle cash, and I do not want them being put in the uncomfortable position of having to adjudicate whether or not someone can come in. If you aren't on the check-in sheets, please don't try to talk your way in, or to bring in guests who have not paid in advance, even if they don't plan to eat much. I kept the margin on pricing fairly tight, and with nearly 1,000 people registered for the tailgater, access control in and out of the event is going to be crucial if we don't want to run out of food and beverages before the intended end date, or get billed for extra charges that we haven't collected money for. There's no pool for me to draw on if our expenses exceed our revenues, so it is imperative that we remain within budget.

5. Am I supposed to have a ticket in hand for the Friday dinner?

No, we will have check-in staff with a list of registered guests. It's not a bad idea to have a copy of your e-mail receipt with you, just in case something goes awry. (I do know that some of you did not get them during the couple of weeks when the Alumni Association servers were down).

6. Do I need tickets for the tailgater?

You need a wristband to get into the tailgater. There will be two colors: one for over 21, and one for 20 and under. As above, if you have an e-mail receipt, it's not a bad idea to stick it in your pocket before you come, just in case. You can pick up your wristbands before the event in one of the following times/locations:

Friday, 1400 to 1600: Tailgate wristbands available for pickup from me in Room 350 at Loews.

Friday, 1800 to 2400: Tailgate wristbands available for pickup at the N* Room at the Stadium during the Friday dinner. (Note: if there's a line when you get there, just check in for the dinner to keep people moving, then get them later in the evening once the big initial rush is over).

Saturday, 0900 to 1100: Tailgate wristbands available for pickup from me in Room 350 at Loews.

If you pick your wristbands up early, for God's sake please don't lose them, as I also don't want our check-in staff to have to adjudicate replacements, either. When you get to the tailgater, put them on before you enter, so you can bypass the check-in tables. Catering staff will be monitoring guests and will send you back to the check-in station if they see you without one.

7. My [friend/kid/brother/mom/neighbor] won't eat or drink anything, so can I just bring them into the tailgater to visit?

No. It's going to be something of a free-for-all in the area where the tailgater is being held (by Gate 5 on the Taylor Avenue side, right where the Brigade makes its turn into the Stadium during march-on), so we need people within out tailgate area to all be wristbanded. If you have a wristband, you can walk out a visit in the parking area immediately outside the tailgater enclosure, then come back in when you're ready to do so.

8. Are you providing transportation to and from all of the events?

Only for the Friday dinner, when we will have three shuttle buses making loops between Loews and the Stadium (with stops at Westin and O'Callaghan en route) during peak transport hours (5:45 PM to 8:00 PM, 11:00 PM to 12:30 AM), and one bus running the loop in the 8:00 to 11:00 period. We learned the hard way at the 20th Reunion that trying to get vehicles in and out of the Stadium lots during game day is a recipe for aggravation and lateness. Plan accordingly.

9. My fleece is too large/too small. Can I exchange it?

Only if the vendor shipped you the wrong size, based on your original order. We were given, and I posted and encouraged everyone to review, a sizing chart that's still up on the reunion registration page, so if you used that, your fleece should fit. They are meant to be roomy (to wear as outerwear over other garments), and they do shrink a bit in the wash, if that helps.

10. Who won the color company contest?

That will be announced at the Friday night dinner. The finalists are 1st Company, 25th Company and 26th Company.

11. Where and when does [insert event here] take place?

Here is the list of class specific events: http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/10/schedule-of-class-events.html

And here is the list of events on the Yard: http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/10/football-tickets-golf-color-company-and.html

12. How do I drive and park in the Yard?

You don't, unless you legitimate, significant physical concerns that require you to do so. Alumni Association strictly controls and limits the number of auto passes issued, and I've taken the stance that the older folks who are returning for the 50th reunions need them more than we do. Your best bet is to park in town or at the stadium and walk or take public transportation to Gate One, where you will need to present ID at the visitors center to be able to get onto the Yard.

13. Who do I contact if something goes wrong?

Me, and I will do my best to make it right, within reasonable, human limits, or direct you to whoever can do it. There's one of me, and 1,000+ of you, so I may not be able to drop everything to fix it, so your patience is appreciated in advance. My e-mail is jericwrites@gmail.com. My cell phone is (518) 669-9540. Use them sparingly, for incidents or questions beyond things available on the class website or in this e-mail. I will be in Room 350 at Loews from mid-afternoon Thursday until late Sunday morning for on-site consultation, except immediately before and during the various events, of course. (Please do not penny my door shut for sharing this information with you).

That's all I've got for now . . . looking forward to seeing everybody soon, and safe travels to you all as we wind our way back to Annapolis . . .

E

Football Tickets, Golf, Color Company and Events On The Yard

2011-10-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Just wanted to let you know that we have filled our block of seats in the stadium, so there are no more reserved seat tickets in our section available at this point. You can buy standing room only tickets outside of the block if you are interested in doing so through normal ticket purchase procedure. I have removed the link from the class page related to '86 block at this point accordingly.

Golf online registration is also closed. Compass Pointe can still accommodate a few more golfers or day-of-event arrivals . . . but please touch base with Eric Johnson at johnson1986@verizon.net beforehand so he can make sure they have everything set for your arrival. You will need to bring $100 cash in hand to play.

Color Company competition is also now closed. We had three companies hit or break 50% of classmates returning for the reunion: 1st Company, 25th Company, and 26th Company . . . . overall, we have about 30% of the class returning, so they beat the average by a good amount. One of the three of these companies will be awarded the Color Company honors at the Friday night dinner. We will continue taking straggler registrations through noon, Thursday, October 20, though they will not count toward color company competition.

In addition to our class specific schedule (which you can find here: http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/10/schedule-of-class-events.html), I have received a schedule of Events in the Yard beyond '86-specific things. There may also be a ship visit, though this has not been confirmed yet. I am copying the events schedule from another document below, and have no idea whether this e-mail utility will accept the formatting, so if it looks like a jumble, my apologies in advance . . .

E

HOMECOMING WEEKEND EVENTS ON THE YARD

Friday October 21:

Midstore Hours: 0730-1600
1205: Noon Meal Formation
1250 – 1320: St Andrews Chapel – weekday Catholic Mass
1400 – 1500: Superintendent’s Briefing – Alumni Hall
1600 – 1700: Formal Parade on Worden Field
1730: Silent Drill Performance in T- Court
1915 – 2015: Jewish Service in Levy Center
1930: Glee Club and Gospel Choir Concert in Alumni Hall
1930: Hockey vs. Canisius college

Saturday October 22:

Midstore hours: 0900-1500
0530: Brigade PRT (Rip Miller)
0800-1700: Robert Crown SC McMillian Cup (VOST Sailing)
0830: Rugby Alumni Match at the Sports Brigade Center
1200: Rugby vs. Towson at Sports Brigade Center
1530: Navy vs. East Carolina football in stadium
2000: Men’s soccer vs. American

Sunday October 23:

Midstore hours: 0900-1500
0900-1000: Catholic Mass in Main Chapel
1130-1230: Protestant Service in Main Chapel
1300: Women’s Soccer vs. Holy Cross

Final Call for Golf and Color Company

2011-10-10T09:16:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

A quick note to let you know that Online Golf Registration will be closing early tomorrow morning, so if you want play, please sign up NOW so we can get the check cut for golf course. Here's the golf gouge:

http://jericwrites.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/86golf.pdf

Also, I will close registrations to support Reunion Color Company at the same time that the golf registrations come offline. The winning company will be announced and recognized at the Friday Night Dinner.

The final deadline remaining is noon, Thursday, October 20, when all registrations close. Again, sign up now, so I have an accurate count for the caterer when I speak with them this Friday (the 14th), and you don't end up taking food out of someone else's mouth by registering later than that.

All reunion registration information remains online at the class reunion blog, here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

Only a few more of these e-mails from me . . . . promise!

E

Schedule of Class Events

2011-10-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21

0700 to 1300: 25th Anniversary Golf Tournament

* Compass Pointe Golf Course in Pasadena, Maryland.
* Directions and information here.

1400 to 1600: Tailgate wristbands available for pickup from J. Eric Smith at Loews Room 350.

1800 to 2200: 25th Anniversary Dinner at Stadium N* room

* N* Room at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium.
* Age 21 and older only; honor concept applies, we won't be carding.
* Reunion Color Company will be awarded at the dinner.
* Wristbands for tailgater will be available at check-in.
* Complementary shuttle service between Loews and the N* Room (with stops at Westin and O'Callaghan) from 1745 to 0030.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22

0900 to 1100: Tailgate wristbands available for pickup from J. Eric Smith at Loews Room 350.

1300 to ~1900: '86 Tailgate

* Navy Fan Fest Area, Near Gate 5 on Taylor Ave.
* Catered by Bo Brooks Restaurant and Catering; all you care to eat and drink.
* No cash sales or free admissions on day of event. Period. Please don't put our check-in staff in awkward positions by asking. If you want to have the ability to bring in an unexpected guest, buy an extra ticket beforehand.
* Wristbands required to enter and stay; if not picked up before event, you must check-in at the tent to get your wristbands.
* There will be over-21 and under-21 wristbands; honor concept applies, since we're not going to card people, so only request what you actually paid for.

Deadline Tweaks and Other Items

2011-10-05T06:33:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

I've got a couple of tweaks on deadlines from vendors and Alumni Association as we get closer to the big event, per below:

1. Online Golf Registration must be completed by 2300 EDT Monday, October 10, so we can cut a check to the course the next morning, and get foursomes set up, etc. This is the ONLY event where we will handle cash, so if you fail to register on time but end up wanting to get out on the course, Eric Johnson will be there to collect your $100 . . . if there is space available. The only way to guarantee that you will get to play is to register in advance. Your pre-registration price includes greens fees, golf cart, continental breakfast, free non-alcoholic drinks on the course and prizes for longest drive, closest to the pin, and low score. What a bargain! Sign up now!

2. On Friday, October 14, at around noon, I will need to make my final head-count and provisioning order with the caterer for both the Friday night dinner and the Saturday tailgater. While I will leave registration open until noon on Thursday, October 20 for stragglers on unexpected attendees, basically if you register after October 14, you are eating someone else's food. Please avoid doing that if at all possible, and remember that we are not doing any cash handling at the tailgater, so please don't show up unregistered and unexpected and expect to sweet talk your way in with a C-Note or two. You're not that sweet. Honest.

3. Color Company Competition will officially close on October 11. We will announce the winning company at the Friday Night Class Dinner, and present their representatives there with their due reward for reunion excellence. 25th and 26th Companies continue to slug it out for the lead, with 1st, 9th, 29th and 33rd closing fast, and still other dark horse candidates within range, should a dedicated offensive be launched.

Some other non-schedule items . . .

1. As we did at the 20th Reunion, we will be issuing wristbands for the Tailgater for access control. Those attending the Friday Night Dinner will be able to pick their wristbands up that night, and I will put out my room number and hours on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning when I will be available for you to pick up your wristbands from me before the event. Otherwise, you will be wrist-banded as you check in to the tailgater, so the more wristbands we can get out in advance, the quicker that entry/access process will go. Not to sound like your Mom . . . but if you pick them up early, then DON'T LOSE OR SHARE YOUR WRISTBANDS!!! I do not want our check-in staff and volunteers to be hassled or harassed by classmates who lost or forgot to bring their credentials . . .

2. I am working with Loews to have Balfour in the hotel on Saturday morning, for those of you who want to have your rings serviced, repaired, etc. More news on that when I have it, but if you've got an unwearable ring sitting in a box at home, this might be a good chance for you to get it back on your finger.

3. For Friday night, we will have three shuttle buses running between Loews and the Stadium N* Room from 5:45 until 8:00 PM and from 10:00 to 12:30 PM, with one bus doing continual loops during the middle part of the evening. I'm talking to the transportation provider about having one of the buses make interim stops at Westin and O'Callaghan . . . if I have a sense that there's a critical mass of folks who are staying there AND attending the Friday night dinner. If this includes you, please let me know.

As always, you can get all of the registration, game ticket, hotel and class store information at the Reunion Planning Website, here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

I will be heading to Annapolis two weeks from tomorrow to get final arrangements in order before most of you arrive . . . so looking forward to finally being past the planning phase of this event, and into the execution!!

See you all soon,

E

Next Deadlines, And Sorry to the Procrastinators

2011-09-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Sorry to report to the procrastinators among you, but late registration fees kicked in this morning for the dinner and tailgater. (Golf pricing does not change, though registration closes earlier for that, per below). The various server outages moved this increase back by nine days from the original plan, so I'm glad a good number of you were able to get in under that deadline.

Until noon on October 20, when all registration will close, prices are as follows:

Friday night dinner: $90/person (21 and up only)

Saturday tailgater: $160 per classmate (first ticket purchased must be a classmate tickets, which includes geedunk, though it will not now arrive before the event), $100 per other adult, $50 per teen (age 13 to 20), $25 per youth (age 8 to 12), and still free for kids age seven and under.

If you placed an order for a classmate ticket or at the class store before September 15, your NAVY '86 fleece and cap should arrive no later than a week before the reunion events.

The next deadline of note is October 11, when golf registration will close, and when we will wrap up the Reunion Color Company competition. Anyone who wants in to golf outing after that point will have to pay cash the morning of the event, subject to availability, which may be limited if we hit our goal.

The winner of the Color Company Contest will be announced at the Friday night dinner. 25th and 26th Companies have been swapping the pedestal for a few weeks now, with 1st, 9th, 29th and 33rd nipping at their heels, and any number of dark horse candidates within range, should a dedicated offensive be launched.

Finally, one more item for those staying at Loews: if you have a room there, but did not get the '86 group rate because either (a) you registered after it closed, or (b) the block was full at the time you tried to get in, please shoot me a note . . . I can't get you the better rate anymore, but your rooms will count toward our pickup totals if I identify you as members of '86, and that will help us avoid any last minutes surprises due to attrition or unclaimed rooms.

As always, everything you need to register for events, get game tickets, reserve rooms at Loews (if any left), or buy additional merchandise from the Class Store (recommended!) is available at the reunion planning website, here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

At this point, we are registered to 91% of over-all goal, with 874 tailgate tickets, 215 dinner tickets, and 61 golfers signed up. This is very good, especially in an era when the reunion industry is being hammered by tough economy and the impact of social media, which, while allowing people to reconnect, also tends to remove incentives to go see them in real life, after you've already been bored by the minutiae of their day to day existences on Facebook for a couple of years.

Bottom line: if registration trends match what we did in 2006, we should get pretty close to our goals of 950, 250, and 75 for tailgater, dinner and golf. Spread the word, please and thanks . . . and looking forward to seeing you all soon!

E

Another Reprieve for the Procrastinators

2011-09-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Today was supposed to be the last day for reunion registration without late fees being applied . . . but, as several of you pointed out to me, the Alumni Association servers were down for most of the day, so you were unable to register.

So . . . for the SECOND TIME, I am deferring the late fees until Monday morning, September 26, around 10:00 AM. If you want to register at current prices, get it done this weekend.

I found an online version of "Message to Garcia" recently, and while it didn't explicitly discuss timeliness, the narrative makes it pretty clear that Rowan didn't hang out at Riordan's or Fran's for six months before heading off to Cuba to find Garcia.

Hint hint: http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

This will be the last warning before the late fees are applied (unless, of course, the Alumni Association servers crash AGAIN . . . ) . . . for what it's worth, we are well over 200 folks signed up for dinner Friday, and are closing on 900 folks for the Saturday tailgater.

Do you really want to miss all that? Answer: no.

E

Miscellaneous '86 Reunion Updates

2011-09-16T16:21:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

1. While you all made me nervous for a couple of months, I am glad to report that '86 remains a "We will get around to it when we really HAVE to" outfit, and with a desperate charge on the original September 15 early registration deadline, we have 790 tickets sold to the tailgater (including 306 classmates), 190 to the Friday dinner, and 55 folks signed up for golf. Everyone who registered before September 15 should receive your fleece and cap in the mail before the reunion . . . some who register after that date will too, but we can't guarantee it at this point.

2. Despite the fact that your geedunk may not arrive before the reunion, if you register for tailgater at this point, your first ticket purchase MUST still be for a Classmate Ticket, since that cover cost not only to the merchandiser, but also for tents and toilets for the tailgater. Those things are important. Don't try to be a sea lawyer and figure out a way to not pay your share, okay? Thank you.

3. The next deadline of note is next Friday, September 23, when we will jack up the registration prices to reflect late fees at about 9:30 AM. You can still register without penalty between now and then. Fashionably late doesn't win any points in my book, though.

4. There are still rooms in the Loews hotel block, so I encourage you to use them, as things will get pretty tight downtown during Homecoming Weekend, and you're not likely to get a better rate without staying further out from the action.

5. Congrats to Kip Pagach, Dave Watts and Eric Johnson (golf guru) for being the winning recipients of our drawings for room upgrades at Loews . . . see, people, when you sign up early, good things happen, right? Let's consider this a teachable moment.

6. The Reunion Color Company Competition remains tight, with 25th Company pulling into first place this afternoon, both in terms of total numbers of classmates registered, and percentage of the company registered. 26th, 33rd, 29th, 32nd, 1st, 21st and 28th are nipping at their heels, so nothing is decided yet . . . though October 11 is the last date to register to have your sign-up count for Color Company kudos. We will honor the winning company at the class dinner on Friday night.

7. That's it for now. If you haven't signed up yet, get on it NOW . . . you can get all the information you need to do so, and to get a room at Loews, and to buy game tickets, here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

See you all soon!

E

Various Reunion Items

2011-09-12T10:54:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Couple of quick notes:

1. Alumni Association continues to have some technical difficulties, post-hurricane. When you register for reunion events and push the final "done" button, the registrations are taking, but the confirmation e-mails are not being sent, and some people's browsers are timing out. If you register and have any questions about whether the transaction went through or not, e-mail me at jericwrites@gmail.com and I will confirm for you and let Alumni Association know of the continuing tech problems.

2. We have had some cancellations at Loews over the past month, so there are rooms available in our block. I would most strongly suggest and encourage folks to use them . . . if we drop below 85% of contracted room block, we incur some pretty steep penalties from the hotel if they can't resell the rooms. If you aren't sure where you want to stay, then please stays at Loews. It will help us all, and it will be a good time to have as many of us in one place as possible (there are currently 151 folks from '86 using 372 rooms over four nights . . . so we'll be running the joint, for the most part). Barring emergencies, I would also most strongly ask that those who have reservations, honor them. We will all pay if you're a late cancellation or no-show.

3. To encourage participation at Loews, I have one more executive suite that I can raffle off . . . the winner will pay the normal block rate, but will be upgraded to a nicer, bigger room. In order to be eligible for this perq, you have to have a reservation at Loews AND be registered for reunion events. You can do both at the class reunion planning page, here (see bullets in top right hand side of that page for links):

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

4. Reminder that September 15 is the last day to get your geedunk orders in if you want to guarantee that you will receive them before the reunion itself. Classmates registering for tailgater get the fleece and cap as part of the deal, and you can also buy additional merch for the family at the Class Store, also linked from the website above.

5. Another reminder that on September 22, late registration fees will be applied to all transactions . . . that the Color Company competition and Golf registration end on October 11, and that all registration will close on October 20 for all reunion events. The sooner you sign up, the happier everybody will be.

Sorry for the increasing volume of e-mails heading your way, but as we get closer to the event, there will be more to discuss . . . hard to believe that it's almost upon us, and that in a mere five weeks, you won't be receiving any more reminders and goads from me!!!!

See you soon,

E

Reunion Deadlines

2011-09-07T13:25:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

With Labor Day behind us, we have some deadlines approaching regarding the 25th Reunion:

September 15: If you want your geedunk to arrive before the reunion (every classmate who registers for the tailgater receives a fleece and a cap, and there are other items available at the class store), you must register by close of business Eastern Time on this date.

September 22: There will be a $20 late registration fee applied to all tickets purchased for tailgater and dinner after close of business Eastern Time on this date.

October 11: You must register for golf by close of business Eastern Time on this date, and the Reunion Color Company competition will end at the same time.

October 20: Registration for reunion events closes at noon. I do NOT intend to have cash handling at the doors for any of our events, since that creates an unfair and unpleasant situation for the volunteers working there.

October 21-22: REUNION!

We've currently got about 525 folks registered for the tailgater, 180 for the dinner, and about 45 for golf. These are good numbers five weeks out, but they can be a whole lot better . . . so, please, register now if you plan to attend.

You can register for all events, purchase game tickets, and buy geedunk at the class store, here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

E

USNA Servers Back Online, Registration Resumes

2011-08-31T16:05:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Hurricane Irene knocked the Alumni Association servers offline for the past several days, so reunion registration disappeared with the usna.com website.

They are back online, so registration resumes. As I wrote last e-mail, this is crunch time, especially since we lost a week of registrations. If you plan to attend, please register ASAP so I have as much information as possible to make menu, shuttle, tent and other arrangements. Fashionably late is going to hurt everyone in this case, so please register now if you're going to do it. Here's where you can get it done (at the top right "REUNION REGISTRATION PORTAL" link):

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

Also, Golf Grandmaster Eric Johnson has got all the gouge on the Friday morning tournament, including where to send your foursomes, etc. Here's the flyer for the event:

http://jericwrites.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/86golf.pdf

Again . . . we need you to register if you plan to attend the events. Your support is important and appreciated. Get on it, '86!

E

Reunion Registration: CRUNCH TIME

2011-08-26T08:03:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Three weeks from today, I will need to make some significant pre-event decisions related to catering menus, shuttle transportation, geedunk manufacturing and other ancillary services associated with our 25th Reunion. If you are planning to attend any of the reunion events, now is the time to register accordingly. Registrations made after September 15 will have a late fee applied to cover costs associated with late changes to pre-order purchasing levels.

Here is the reunion website:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

There are links at top right for:

REUNION REGISTRATION PORTAL (Golf, Dinner, Tailgater);
Loews Rooms (we have had some cancellations, so there may a few rooms left in the class blocks);
Football Tickets (in the class block, not required to attend the tailgater this year); and
Class Store (if you want extra geedunk beyond the fleece and cap being provided as part of classmate registration).

I encourage company reps to reach out to your company mates to encourage their attendance . . . 25th, 33rd, 26th, 5th and 20th companies are currently jostling for Reunion Color Company, but the gap between them and everyone else is not insurmountable, by a long shot.

I know you're all probably sick to death of me badgering you about this, but we really are at the point where I need to have a good solid sense of how the reunion numbers are going to look. Please register now if you plan to attend . . . it benefits all of us!!

Here's hoping all of you and all of yours are safe and comfortable this weekend as the storm comes up the coast . . .

E

Late July Update: New Leader in Color Company Competition

2011-07-26T05:50:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Here's hoping that summer is treating you well . . . and that your lawns haven't spontaneously burst into flames yet under duress from the heat waves and droughts that are rolling across the country this month . . .

Since my last report on reunion registration, we've now got 127 classmates registered for a total of 435 combined tickets to the tailgater, dinner and/or golf tournament. That puts us at about 34% of goal, with just under three months until Homecoming.

While that seems like a long way away, please note that the current registration pricing will close on September 15, when we need to lock in some of catering and event support contract numbers. After that date, we will be charging higher per-head rates for all three events, and will no longer guarantee that your geedunk will arrive in time for the reunion . . . so get your registrations in before that time, please and thanks, the sooner the better, as always.

Our Reunion Color Company Competition has seen some changes at the top of the leader board, with 25th Company moving into the overall lead. The top five companies are as follows:

25th Company, with 21.2% registered
20th Company, with 19.4% registered
33rd Company, with 18.8% registered
5th Company, with 16.7% registered
1st Company, with 15.8% registered

We have four companies that have yet to get on the board at all . . . 2nd Company, 10th Company, 14th Company and 15th Company have still got chocks on, with 0.0% registered between them.

Here's the link to the Reunion Planning Website with all the FAQs, and a link to the actual registration page itself . . .

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/03/usna-86-25th-reunion-registration-is.html

Thanks as always for your continued support, and let's get those reunion registration numbers up, please and thanks!

E

Loews Giveaway Winner, Color Competion and More

2011-07-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

First up, congratulations to Kip Pagach, who won the Executive Suite upgrade drawing for three nights at Loews. As a reminder, the winner had to be registered for both a room in the class block at Loews and at least one of the reunion weekend events. The first FIVE names that I selected out of the Loews block didn't qualify for the prize, because they weren't registered for reunion events . . . presumably, this is just because you haven't gotten around to it, but if, for some reason, you blocked a room off and aren't planning to use it, it would be great if you clear it sooner rather than later, since late cancellations could cost the class money, if they can't be re-booked. I will do another drawing for another suite upgrade in a month, so here's hoping that the Loews block has a higher event registration rate at that point!

Just so you all have it again, here's the registration FAQ with link the Alumni Association site where you can update your contact information and register for the events, all at the same time:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/03/usna-86-25th-reunion-registration-is.html

I also wanted to give you all an update on the Reunion Color Company competition, where the company with the highest participation percentage as of the September 15 registration deadline will be recognized at the Friday night dinner, win boasting rights, plus some other as-yet-to-be-determined perks, rates or bennies. The full Color Company standings table as of 9:00 EDT this morning is reproduced below . . . this is where you Company Reps can really make your mark, so get mobilizing:

20th 19.4%,
33rd 18.8%,
25th 18.2%,
5th 16.7%,
1st 15.8%,
23rd 15.4%,
26th 14.7%,
34th 14.7%,
12th 13.9%,
21st 13.9%,
6th 11.8%,
8th 11.1%,
22nd 11.1%,
28th 11.1%,
31st 11.1%,
9th 10.5%,
24th 9.4%,
13th 8.3%,
3rd 8.1%,
4th 8.1%,
11th 8.1%,
7th 6.3%,
29th 5.7%,
16th 5.6%,
18th 5.6%,
17th 5.3%,
30th 5.3%,
32nd 3.0%,
19th 2.9%,
27th 2.9%,
36th 2.8%,
35th 2.6%,
2nd 0.0%,
10th 0.0%,
14th 0.0%,
15th 0.0%

Finally, as Facebook becomes an ever-more-dodgy application, I'm going to be shifting most routine social networking communications to the LinkedIn Group that Class President Scott Gureck set up . . . the link is here:

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=3775797

Congrats again to Kip, and thanks to all of you who registered over the holiday weekend: we're at about 110 classmates now, with a goal of 400, so keep those registrations coming!

E

Reunion Update and a Note for Those Staying at Loews

2011-06-29T05:25:00.000-07:00

Good morning, all,

I checked the registration report this morning for the 25th Reunion in October and noted that 86 classmates had registered for one or more events, purchasing a total of 315 tickets for the Friday golf tournament, Friday night dinner and/or Saturday tailgater.

Now, that's certainly nice work from a class spirit standpoint . . . but our goal for the reunion is for 400 registered classmates to purchase a total of 1,270 tickets, so we're creeping up on a quarter of the way to the final objective.

I know it seems like it's a long way away still, but we're only about 75 days from the September 15 registration deadline for pre-order ticket prices, and we're moving into the part of the summer where payments are due and decisions have to be made regarding merchandise ordering, hotels, shuttles, etc.

As I've noted before, since we haven't "taxed" the class over the years to build up a large kitty of funds, we essentially live hand-to-mouth from reunion to reunion, so I can only spend what we raise in real time. The geedunk sales we ran over the past couple of years were useful in this regard, but we've long since spent all of what we raised there on down-payments for catering, hotel and golf.

(Note: you can still purchase a wide variety of '86 merchandise at our class store, here: http://www.usnaclasstore.com/86store.html . . . proceeds benefit the reunion, as always).

Here's the page with all the information you need to register for all of the reunion events now:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/03/usna-86-25th-reunion-registration-is.html

Here's looking forward to seeing 186 classmates registered the next time I check the report!

FOR THOSE WITH RESERVATIONS AT LOEWS IN THE CLASS BLOCK:

Since we've filled our contractual obligation to fill our class block, Loews is offering us a couple of complementary Executive Suite upgrades.

I will randomly raffle one of these upgrades off to a classmate one week from today, on Wednesday, July 6. The winner will still pay the group rate they reserved for, but will receive a larger, nicer suite at that price, rather than the "run of house" rooms we have contracted.

To be eligible to win this upgrade you must (a) have a room reserved in Loews in the class block, and (b) be registered for at least one event at the reunion itself, per the link above.

Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible in October . . . which is NOT that far away, so please register soon!

Best,

E

A Quarter Century of Excellence

2011-05-21T04:47:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Just a quick note to remind you all that today is the actual 25th anniversary of our graduation from USNA

So a collective "B.Z." to us all for a quarter century of excellence . . . in my various roles in class leadership over the years, it's been awesome to hear the accumulating accomplishments we've achieved as a group in so many sectors, and in so many ways.

Fond memories, too, of those who are no longer with us . . . with respect and gratitude for their service, and great affection for their families . . .

Enjoy the day . . . and here's looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible in October!

E

Reunion Color Company (And Other Matters)

2011-05-13T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Reunion registrations are trucking along, so thanks to all of you who have signed up so far . . . as I've said before (and will, no doubt, say again) early registration helps us with getting deposits and interim payments made, and since we operate the class coffers pretty close to the bone, this is crucial to us in honoring all of our contracts.

Responding to a great idea suggested by Kip Pagach, we're gonna tap into the competitive spirit that I suspect most of us possess (probably in over-abundance, if we're honest with ourselves) and stage a 25th Reunion Color Company Competition, based on percentage of classmates who register for at least one of the three key events (Golf Tournament, Reunion Dinner and Tailgater).

So there's no arguing the results, here's how they will be calculated: the denominator (that's the number on the bottom, for my fellow Poli Sci majors) is the total number of living classmates shown in the Alumni Association database as of May 1, 2011, with companies as listed in that same database, in cases where classmates were in different companies in different years. The numerator (top number, Poli Sci guys) is the total number of classmates who have registered for any of the three events, per the daily reports I get from the Alumni Association. For the married couples in the class, if you registered your spouse as an "other tailgater adult" on your registration, let me know, so I can properly count you both.

The final results will be based on registrations as of close of business October 11, 2011. We will recognize the Color Company at the Friday night dinner with some sort of honor, and they will have obnoxious boasting rights until the 30th reunion. I'll also be working with the new class officers to see if we can identify some sort of special rate that the Color Company's members can enjoy at the 30th reunion. (Not rate in the financial sense, but rate in the privilege sense, mind you).

As of this afternoon, the leading companies are as follows:

23rd Company with 15.4%
1st Company with 13.2%
33rd Company with 12.5%
26th Company with 11.8%
31st Company with 11.1%

I should note, as a member of 23rd Company, that this situation should cause HUGE embarrassment to the entire class, since we were, shall we say, pretty much lousy at everything when we were in Annapolis (with no small credit due to me in that regard, ahem).

Even more embarrassing: we have 0.0% currently tallied for 2nd, 10th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 29th, 32nd and 35th. What's up with that?

Class President Scott Gureck is working on the class LinkedIn Page to make sure that we have a complete roster of Company Reps as we move toward the reunion . . . if you had signed up to be one after the 20th reunion, and haven't touched base with Scott, please do so. The LinkedIn Page (registration required) is called "USNA Class of 1986" and can be found here:

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3775797

Reunion news will continue to be posted there, as well as on the Class Planning Blog and Facebook Page, links below:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=57907001534

The actual page with all of the information you need to register for the various reunion weekend events is here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/03/usna-86-25th-reunion-registration-is.html

It's going to be a shameful, shameful reunion event if my 23rd Company takes Color honors . . . so here's trusting that you other company representatives are going to get your acts together to knock us off, because if you don't, the me and my room-mates are going to pick the music for the Reunion Dinner, and you DO NOT want that to happen . . .

All best to all of you,

E

I Had It, You Got It . . .

2011-05-02T13:20:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

This e-mail constitutes my final communication to you all as '86 Class President.

Effective immediately, the current '86 Class Officers are turning over our responsibilities to the new slate of Officers you elected in January, and I will assume the position of 25th Reunion Coordinator, serving them in an advisory capacity. Please join me in thanking our new officers, and in offering them your fullest support in the months and years ahead:

President: Scott Gureck

Vice President: Pat Hoffman

Treasurer: Jeff Hornberger

Secretary: Norm Weakland

We had originally planned to conduct the Class Officer Turnover at the 25th Reunion, but I'm stepping down as President early because I feel that it is important for our new officers, who are all based in and around the Annapolis area, to have the freedom to hit the deck running with the various committees, groups and other on-the-Yard activities that I've not typically been able to participate in from my fortress of solitude in deepest Upstate New York.

They have my fullest support, and I look forward to working with them all.

I also want to extend a special thanks to Anne Groves Hammond as I step aside for working so well with me to support the class over the past five years. It's been a pleasure, Anne, and I'm grateful for your hard work in keeping the communications lines flowing over the years.

While I'm not quite exactly sure of the initial date when I got involved with class leadership, I think that 2011 will mark my 14th year as either Web Drone or Shipmate Columnist or Secretary or President or Fundraising Coordinator or Reunion Coordinator for '86, and it's been an honor and a pleasure to serve the class in those various capacities.

I'm gratified to see a strong new cohort stepping forward to assume the reins of leadership, and I am confident that they will blaze a strong path to the 50th reunion, helping '86 to craft a proud and productive legacy for ourselves along the way.

Thanks again to everyone in the class for your support over the years as well. I've always appreciated it, more than you probably realize . . .

E

Reunion Registration Update

2011-04-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Many thanks to those of you who have registered for our 25th Reunion events in October already. As noted before, early registration helps us with various deposits and interim payments in advance of the event, as well as helping us hone our estimates for merchandise and food service.

Here's a recap of where we stand with tickets sold at this point, showing goal numbers we need to reach based on pricing we've set.

Tailgater:

Classmate Tickets
Actual: 45
Goal: 400
Pct: 11.3%

Other Adult Tickets
Actual: 39
Goal: 320
Pct: 12.2%

Teen Tickets (13-20)
Actual: 14
Goal: 100
Pct: 14.0%

Youth Tickets (8-12)
Actual: 6
Goal: 75
Pct: 8.0%

Child Tickets (0-7)
Actual: 5
Goal: 50
Pct: 10.0%

Friday Dinner Tickets
Actual: 43
Goal: 250
Pct: 17.2%

Golf Tickets
Actual: 10
Goal: 75
Pct: 13.3%

TOTAL TICKETS:
Actual: 162
Goal: 1270
Pct: 12.8%

I'm pleased to see the early interest and commitment, and appreciate all those who have registered . . . and hope that more of you will consider doing so soon. Here's where you can get all of the information you need to do so:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/03/usna-86-25th-reunion-registration-is.html

That link is a part of the overall reunion planning page, which is worth bookmarking, since there's where I'll be putting news as I have it, whether it goes out by mass e-mail or not . . . if you are still interested in the couple of open rooms left at Loews, scroll down and there's information on how to get them here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

Finally, I'd also like to point out that the '86 Class Store is open for business again, with some new items that we've not sold before . . . we're going with a straight-up "NAVY '86" motif this year . . . keeping it simple . . . all classmates registering for the tailgater will get a complementary autumn-weight fleece and ball cap, but you can get those and other items for friends and family as well, with a small portion of the proceeds benefiting the class account. Here's that link:

http://www.usnaclasstore.com/86store.html

That's it for now . . . again, thanks for all the great early support and registration, and keep 'em coming if you can!

E

Reunion Registration: Live and Ongoing

2011-04-11T05:41:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

I'm assuming most of you received your copies of SHIPMATE this week with the information related to our 25th Reunion in October.

Given the long lead-time for SHIPMATE articles, we didn't have the actual registration site information at the time we had to submit it, so here's a link to the page with all of the gouge you need to register:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/03/usna-86-25th-reunion-registration-is.html

There was also one small pricing adjustment after we went to press: the price of a non-classmate adult ticket to the tailgater is $70, not $65 . . . I cut the margin too close on that one in my original estimate . . .

The Alumni Association is handling our registration processing this year, so will need to make sure you log in there and have accurate, current contact information, since we will be using the addresses and other information there to mail things and make other notifications (like this one).

Thanks to those who have registered early . . . and I encourage others to follow suit, as early registration helps us significantly with deposits, interim payments and other expenses leading up to the event. Between now and September 15, your maximum liability/exposure is $50 in non-refundable processing fees, so if plans change, your registration is refundable, except for that processing charge. After September 15, we won't be able to offer any refunds, so I'll remind everyone about that as we get closer to the date.

Also, regarding our block of rooms at Loews, there are still a few left in the second block we secured. Once we get into August, we will be liable for all rooms still reserved as a class, even if you cancel out . . . so, please, if you are holding a block of rooms and are not serious about using them all, it will be a great help if you release them sooner rather than later so we can get them re-booked.

Here's the information on how get rooms in the block:

"The rate for 25th reunion is $297 for a single and double occupancy. Guests may call 1-800-526-2593 and ask for the USNA Class of 1986 reunion. They may also make their reservation on line by going to http://www.loewshotels.com, pulling up Annapolis and filling out the tabs to make a reservation, the group code they will need is USAO20 (that is the letter O after A and the number 0 after 2). If they get a note saying the block is full, please advise them to call the 800 number above. It could say this if they are booking rooms outside of the peak reservation nights, where there aren't as many rooms contracted. Our original block code is USNO20 (letter O after N and the number 0 after 2), so if the block above fills up, you can try the original in case there are cancellations, etc."

That's it for now . . . again, your early registration is a great help and much appreciated!

Eric

USNA '86: 25th Reunion Registration is NOW OPEN

2011-03-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

I'm pleased to announce that online registration for our 25th Reunion is now open. The event dates are October 20-23. You must be logged in at usna.com in order to register (great time to update your contact information if you need to). Once you are logged in, here is the registration site:

https://www.usna.com/SSLPage.aspx?pid=11907

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE REGISTERING . . .

You can register for three events at this page: The Golf Tournament (October 21), The Reunion Dinner at the N* Room (October 21), and the Class Tailgater (October 22).

STEP ONE of the registration page gives you all the information about all these events, and also provides external links to shop in the Class Store and buy Navy Football Tickets in our Class Block (Note: You don't need game tickets to attend the tailgater, since it is outside the stadium). Those transactions are optional and independent of your event registration here.

STEP TWO of the registration page has four boxes you can check: for the three events listed above, plus a box labeled "Fleece Sizing for Classmate Ticket". Click the boxes of the events you wish to attend, and if you are attending the Tailgater, also click that Fleece link. The windows will expand to allow you to select what you want to purchase. The registration for Golf and Dinner is straightforward . . . just enter number of tickets you want to purchase. For the tailgater . . . YOUR FIRST PURCHASE MUST BE A CLASSMATE TICKET, as this includes all of the overhead associated with the weekend and this event. You can then purchase additional adult and youth tickets at reduced prices, but you HAVE to buy the Classmate ticket first. As part of this ticket, each classmate will receive a NAVY '86 autumn-weight blue and gold tailgating fleece and class ball cap, which will be mailed out in advance of reunion. You need to indicate your fleece size on the order form on the "Fleece Sizing for Classmate Ticket" section. If you do not indicate a fleece size, your ticket price will not change . . . but the funds associated with production and mailing of your fleece and cap will be held for the 30th reunion seed fund, with thanks. (Note: Again, based on classmate feedback, for all of the items in the Class Store this year, we're sticking with simple NAVY '86 blue and gold apparel, rather than using crests, USNA, etc.)

STEP THREE will autofill with the information saved in your profile at usna.com. Please make sure it is accurate.

STEP FOUR is the final purchase summary and authorization page. Review carefully before clicking confirmation.

While we're still over six months out from Reunion weekend, early registration helps us out tremendously, as we need to cash for various deposits and interim payments as the events approach. I have set pricing this year to provide the high-quality events that you've come to expect in a fair fashion (e.g. some of our kids now eat and drink as much as we do, so the old "family" ticket concept, where a classmate/spouse pay the same thing as a classmate/spouse + four kids, is no longer viable), and also to provide about a $5,000 seed fund for the 30th reunion, so our new class officers don't have to run annual geedunk sales to be able to get early contracts placed.

Is it pricey? Yes . . . but it's competitive with other reunion classes, all of the local providers are operating on similar fee schedules during homecoming/reunion season, and I challenge you to spend less anywhere else in town for an entire afternoon of high-quality all you care to eat and drink. At bottom line, the contract costs alone for the three main events are expected to run to about $115,000 . . . so it's neither a small nor cheap undertaking.

There are still a few rooms (less than 15 last time I checked) available in our second block at Loews, so grab 'em if you want 'em. The block information is here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-rooms-at-loews-plus-election.html

And that's it for now. Let me know if you have any difficulties with the registration process and I will work Alumni Association to resolve them expeditiously. Thanks in advance for considering early registration . . . it truly helps a lot.

See you in October, if not sooner,

E

Tickets for Homecoming Football Game in '86 Block

2011-02-28T06:06:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

The Class of '86 will have a block of tickets together in the stadium for the football game during our 25th Reunion. While game tickets are NOT required this year to attend the tailgater (outside the stadium), if you would like to watch the game and support the team, the ordering information for getting tickets within the Class of '86 block is provided below.

I am working with Alumni Association on final stages of online registration for the golf tournament, Friday dinner, and Saturday tailgater. We should be ready to go live with the registration page sometime in March. More updates as we have them.

E

**************

Click here: Navy Ticket Group Website (will open new window)

Sign-In ID: Class1986

Password: 1986

Click: Saturday Oct.22.2011

Check the Seat Price ($40 each)

Enter ticket quantity and delivery information

Enter the required contact and billing information

Proceed to checkout.

USNA '86 Election Results

2011-01-28T17:31:00.001-08:00

Hi all,

Our class elections closed this evening, and results have been tallied and certified by the Alumni Association. Please join me in congratulating our new class officers for the 2011-2016 term:

President: Scott Gureck

Vice President: Pat Hoffman

Treasurer: Jeff Hornberger

Secretary: Norm Weakland

Official turnover will take place at our 25th Reunion in October. I'll be working with the officers elect between now and then on final reunion preparations, etc.

Thanks to all of the candidates who ran in this year's election. It takes a lot of commitment and guts to put yourself up for an unpaid volunteer position of this variety, and I am grateful for their willingness to serve the class.

As I prepare to transition out of a class leadership position after nearly 14 years as '86's Web Drone, Shipmate columnist, Secretary and/or President, I want to also note what an honor it's been to work with and for you all over the years.

Those who actually knew me in Annapolis can attest that I wasn't exactly the model midshipman, and if you'd told me then that I'd be writing an e-mail like this now, I'd have bet good money against you.

But we never know where life's going to take us and put us, so here I am . . . I've enjoyed my service to you all, and have been grateful for the support you've showed for the Naval Academy, for the Class of '86, and for me, personally.

Here's looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our 25th Reunion in October, and to formally passing the conn to Scott and his team.

Congratulations again to our new officers, and thanks to everyone who ran and voted.

All best,

E

More Rooms at Loews (Plus Election Reminder)

2011-01-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

We've added another approximately 20 rooms for each of the three nights of our reunion weekend (October 20-22) at Loews . . . first come, first serve.
Here's the instructions on how to make reservation . . . note that this is a different group code than in earlier instructions:

"The rate for 25th reunion is $297 for a single and double occupancy. Guests may call 1-800-526-2593 and ask for the USNA Class of 1986 reunion. They may also make their reservation on line by going to http://www.loewshotels.com, pulling up Annapolis and filling out the tabs to make a reservation, the group code they will need is USAO20 (that is the letter O after A and the number 0 after 2). If they get a note saying the block is full, please advise them to call the 800 number above. It could say this if they are booking rooms outside of the peak reservation nights, where there aren't as many rooms contracted."

Our original block code is USNO20 (letter O after N and the number 0 after 2), so if the block above fills up, you can try the original in case there are cancellations, etc. This is probably as many rooms as we're going to be able to get at Loews. If any of you grabbed large blocks and don't intend to use all the rooms, I'd appreciate it if you'd release the ones you don't intend to use as soon as possible. I would recommend Westin and O'Callaghan as lodging alternates if you want to stay close to the stadium (Friday dinner will be at the N* Room in the Stadium, tailgater will be outside stadium along Taylor Avenue), as their pricing is comparable. Prices drop dramatically if you choose to stay back out near BWI where we have been in the past.

Reminder, too, that this is the last week for voting in the class election. The polls will close at 5:00 PM this Friday (plus or minus 15 minutes, depending on Alumni Association and my work schedule). I plan to notify all of the candidates of the results before sending an all-class announcement, so expect something over the weekend, most likely. For voting information, go here.

I have all contracts and pricing structures ready to go for the 25th Reunion Weekend, and will review with incoming officers next week, then promulgate to the class. I hope to have registration for the reunion up and running around March 1 this year . . . it helps us to have those payments in hand earlier in terms of deposits, downpayments, etc. We will do six months of open registration (through end of August), then after that, the prices will increase as they will cause change notices with vendors, etc.

That's it for now . . . more news as I have it . . .

E

Election Update

2011-01-20T13:11:00.000-08:00

You all received an e-mail via the alumni association class announcement service this morning from Dan White, campaigning on his own behalf in the class elections. Dan was able to send this e-mail as an open administrative relic of his prior tenure as class president. The other candidates in the competitive Presidential and Vice Presidential races (Scott Gureck, Alan Jarusewski, Chris Corish and Pat Hoffman) did not have such access, and have not been able to send such e-mails. I spoke with Dan this morning, and he did not realize that he was using a feature that was unavailable to other candidates.

While it's not a perfect solution, I am working with alumni association to provide the four other competitive candidates with the opportunity to also each send one "blast" e-mail to the class in the next week, should they chose to do so. Some of the candidates had already done some online e-mailing and campaigning work, so you may receive a second e-mail from some of them, but I ask that receive them in a spirit of good faith on the candidates' parts, and not as attempts to spam you or hit you up multiple times for votes.

Voting ends at close of business, Eastern Standard Time, next Friday, January 28. Candidate statements and information on how to vote are available on our class reunion planning website, click here.

I apologize for any confusion or concern that this has raised (or raises) on your part. Thanks in advance for your understanding, and thanks to all of our candidates for their active interest in assuming new leadership roles for our class.

Class Election Reminder

2011-01-10T17:30:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

A reminder that our elections for the 2011-2016 term are underway until January 28.

Here's all the information you need to vote . . . I encourage you all to do so:

On reunion front, we'll have news soon about golf tournament, and I'll have pricing out for all events within a week or two. Golf and the tailgater are going to be in the same ballpark, price wise, as they were last time (adjusted for inflation, and recognizing that in 2006, you had to buy game tickets to go to the tailgater) for a single, a couple or a family of four.

We are going to be charging by head for kids at the tailgater this time (seven and under will still be free, but there will be reduced ticket prices for the 8-21 range), so if you're bringing the whole family, it may cost you a bit more, but it will be more fair to those just bringing themselves than our old pricing structure. Geedunk will be mailed out in advance, so shipping and handling prices will be built into the ticket structure as well.

The Friday night event (adults only) will cost more than last time, due to centralized location in Annapolis, a bigger/nicer meal, a much longer open bar, and complementary shuttle service between Loews and the N* Room at the stadium. Loews is obviously more expensive than the BWI Marriott was, but it appears that the rooms are booking as quickly as I can get Loews to give them to us, so I assume that's been okay with at least a sizable percentage of you.
More news soon . . . but until then, please go vote for the team who will run the 30th reunion and everything between this fall and 2011 on our behalf.

E

Class Elections and Other News

2010-12-29T06:11:00.001-08:00

Hi all,

Our class elections for the 2011-2016 term are now underway. Voting will remain open until close of business on Friday, January 28, 2011.

Two positions are uncontested, so I'm pleased to welcome Norm Weakland as our next Class Secretary, and Jeff Hornberger as our next Class Treasurer. Thanks, guys, for stepping up!

The President and Vice President positions are contested. Here are the slates, with statements from each of the candidates:

CLASS OFFICER CANDIDATE STATEMENTS

Once you have read the statements and made your decision, you need to log-in at usna.com to vote. Once you are logged in there, here is the voting page:

CLASS OF 1986 ELECTION PAGE

It's one person/one vote . . . so early and often isn't an option here. Good luck to all of our candidates, and thanks to you all for being willing to take on these responsibilities. I look forward to working with the officers elect as we go into final preps for our reunion next October.

Speaking of the reunion . . . I had previously reported that our Friday golf outing was confirmed, but, unfortunately, the course we were dealing with gave away our spot while we were waiting for a check to be cut from our class account, even though we had told the club pro that such checks were only cut twice per month. So much for the sanctity of the proverbial handshake, I guess. We're working to identify a replacement option, and will keep you posted.

On a more positive note, we have added 25 more rooms to our block at Loews on Thursday through Saturday nights, so if you want to stay there, and haven't gotten a room yet, please do it ASAP, as they are moving fast, and Loews doesn't have much more to offer us at this point . . .

Here's the link on how to register:

HOTEL REGISTRATION INFORMATION

I am in the final stages of contract negotiation/signature for our Friday and Saturday events for reunion. The Friday night event is going to be more of a full meal deal, rather than just a cocktail reception, at the N* Room at the stadium, with open bar for the duration, etc. Probably 6:30 to 9:30 PM, adults only. The tailgater will be similar to the last big reunion, but with more of a per-head pricing structure, discounted for kids, etc. It will be outside the stadium, so you will not be required to purchase game tickets for everyone in your family to attend, so the overall pricing structure should be favorable.

That's it for now, more news as I have it.

E

Candidate Statements for '86 Class Elections

2010-12-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

Candidate Statements for contested races follow. These are for five year terms, commencing at the Class of 1986's 25th Reunion, and terminating at the Class of 1986's 30th Reunion. Elected officers will assist outgoing officers in executing the 25th Reunion events.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN IN AT USNA.COM, (will open new window), then . . .

CLICK HERE TO VOTE, AFTER READING STATEMENTS BELOW (will open new window)

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):

CAPT W. Scott Gureck, USN (Ret.): Fellow Classmates, I humbly ask for your vote to be our next Class President. As Executive Director of Communications and Marketing for the U.S. Naval Institute, I am uniquely located right here on the grounds of the Naval Academy where I have regular and frequent interaction with U.S. Naval Academy and Naval Academy Foundation leadership. As such, I would be able to attend almost all meetings for which class presidents are invited, such as the Council of Class Presidents. As you know, having a seat at the table is extremely important, and I’m prepared to represent the Class of 1986 each and every time the opportunity presents itself. I am also the proud father of two sons, Bill and Brian, who are members of the Class of 2013, so as a parent, I’m even more “plugged in” to what is going on in and around the Yard. My experience includes a 23-year Navy career – six as a Naval Flight Officer, and 17 years as a Navy Public Affairs Officer, retiring as a Captain in December 2009. I hold a Master of Arts from the Naval War College and a Master of Business Administration from Babson College. I have every intention of staying here in Annapolis as long as I can, and I believe that my experience, current job, and geographic location make me a unique choice for leading our Class, especially our 30th Reunion planning effort. Thank you in advance for your vote. Beat Army!

Mr. Daniel H. White: Hi Class of 1986. Striving to be the Grover Cleveland of USNA Class Presidents!! I was a member of 8th Company and the previous President of the USNA Class of 1986 for 15 years and managed four Class Reunions. For our 20 Year Class Reunion, I am proud that our Class donated over $250,000 to help renovate Memorial Hall. USNA Class of 1986 was also prominent in raising funds for the building of USNA Alumni Hall as well as Memorial Hall. Going forward, I think we need to look “outside the box” for ways for our Class to raise funds and give back to the US Naval Academy. As a 20 year local resident of Annapolis, I will work to keep our relationship with USNA Alumni Association strong, to continue to keep your voice in building a better USNA, and to build a strong legacy of the USNA Class of 1986. “Wasn’t Easy, Wasn’t Supposed to Be.”

VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):

Mr. Christopher J. Corish: Dear Classmates, I hope that the years since graduation have been kind to you and yours. Thank you for reading my candidate statement. Some of you may remember me as "C.J." owing to my time behind the mike at WRNV. While I no longer go by that nickname, my connection to Annapolis remains close. As we approach our 25th reunion, I would like to give back something to the Academy and ’86 as our class vice president. After resigning my commission, I embarked upon a career path that led me to alumni relations and development. For almost 10 years now, I have built a career in institutional advancement – including a short stint in fundraising for the Academy and my current four-year tenure as Director of Development at the George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, VA. Until now, the job description of class vice president has been somewhat open ended. However, I hope to make the role of VP more active in service to our class and the Academy. The role of VP in the next tenure of class officers will be derived through discussion from the newly-elected class officers and advice from past presidents and vice presidents of ’86. What I can promise you if elected is this – as class vice president, my skills in alumni relations and development would be brought to bear in service to all of our classmates by helping strengthen and build our bonds to the Academy and each other. With hard work, I hope to find new ways to turn these bonds into benefits for the Academy, our class, and for each of us. Thank you for considering my candidacy.

Mr. Patrick J. Hoffman, Sr.: Hello All, I am Pat Hoffman, member of Fun One and running for Class Vice President. I reside in the Philadelphia area, Audubon, PA, with my wife, Stacey, and our four children, Meghan, Patrick, Colin and Kelly. Upon separating from the Submarine Service, I moved back to my hometown area working in various industries until settling in Investments 15 years ago and currently I am a Vice President for Legg Mason, Inc. Combining my ‘business experience’ with my participation with the Philadelphia USNA Alumni Chapter, I feel I will bring unique insight and business perspective while I serving in all duties as Class Vice President. Thank you for your consideration.

CDR Alan J. Jarusewki, USN: My family has strong ties to the Navy and the Naval Academy. I continue to serve on active duty in Colorado. My wife, Linda, is the class of 1990 and is an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserves. My son will be a Navy pilot after graduating from Penn State. I have another daughter who has expressed interest in the Naval Academy. My life will be involved with the Naval Academy for many years to come. I want to be able to have some influence on the Academy's future. As Vice President, I will bring experience of managing reunions for my high school class. Additionally, I have run my own business for the past three years. I will work with the President and other officers to keep our class up to date on class news and help in the planning of all reunions. I also want to bring our class into a more prominent role in the Council of Presidents. It is time for one of the largest classes to take a leadership role with the Alumni Association. This is the type of role I would propose for myself as Vice President.

TREASURER (UNCONTESTED): Mr. Jeffrey L. Hornberger

SECRETARY (UNCONTESTED): CAPT Norman E. Weakland, USN

Miscellaneous Updates

2010-12-04T11:32:00.001-08:00

Hi all,

Just a few quick updates on 25th reunion planning matters as we prep for Thanksgiving . . .

1. The Golf Tournament is set for Friday, October 21, 2011 at the Eisenhower Golf Course in Crownsville. It will be an early shotgun start (0730) so that we can, at least in concept, be done in time to attend the Superintendant's Address to Alumni on the yard at 1400. Here's the information about the course: http://www.eisenhowergolf.com/index.php

2. I appreciate all the feedback that I received from folks regarding a premium memento item to be provided as part of the reunion next year. The most common responses centered on practical clothing items for a late October gathering (fleeces, hoodies, jerseys, etc.) with some subtle/tasteful USNA '86 branding, with an all-in premium cost between $50 and $60. I'm working with our merchandise supplier to see what they can do within those parameters. All items will be shipped to classmates, so at the events themselves, we won't have to worry about carrying in boxes, etc.

3. We have competitive slates for all four of the class officer positions, so I will be releasing those lists in a couple of weeks. Voting will take place on the USNA Alumni Association website, so you will need to have a current log-in, etc., in order to vote.

That's it for now . . . more news as I have it . . .

Hope all of you and all of yours have a great, great Thanksgiving!

E

Post-Annapolis Visit Report (November 2010)

2010-11-16T12:57:00.001-08:00

Hi all,

Good to see a bunch of you at the Game and Tailgater last weekend! I have some news to report on planning for the 25th Reunion, and also a reminder about Class Officer positions.

If it's not on your calendar yet, our 25th Reunion will be held October 20-22, 2011, so save those dates!!!

The Saturday tailgater for the 25th Reunion will officially be OUTSIDE the stadium next year. We have selected the choice spot right on the corner by Gate Five on Taylor Avenue . . . good view, good real estate, centrally located, etc.

The Loews Hotel block is going FAST, so if you want a room and haven't booked yet, get on it immediately. Here's the instructions: http://86usna25.blogspot.com/2010/10/reunion-planning-update-october-2010.html

I'm working with Loews to see if they can scratch up some additional rooms for us, but since we've already got about 65% of their available bed stock on Friday and Saturday night, there may not be much more forthcoming.

The Friday night event will be at the N* Room at the Stadium, so there won't be any of our major events at Loews . . . so if the block does fill up, the next closest hotels to the Stadium are The new Westin and The O'Callaghan. (Both should be easily Google-able).

I expect that at least for Friday night, we'll have a shuttle bus of some kind running from Loews to the N* Star, and since O'Callaghan and Westin are between those points, we should be able to do some sweep up pickups there too.

The online registration for the Reunion will be administered by the Alumni Association this year, and they're not charging us based on the amount of time the registration is online, so we'll probably open it earlier in the Spring than we have in the past to get the cash flow going sooner for bill paying. Pricing will be finalized and posted in January.

In re: Class Elections, a final reminder that if you would like to be in the running for any of the four class officer positions (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary), please e-mail me before close of business tomorrow (Wednesday, November 17) to put your hat in the ring. My direct e-mail is jericwrites@gmail.com.

We'll be conducting the election in December and January online, if all goes well.

That's it for now,

E

Geedunk and Class Elections

2010-11-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Two quick items of business:

Reunion Merchandise: Input Requested

I have a philosophical two-part question for you all in regard to the '86 merchandise we produce and provide as part of the 25th reunion experience, so would appreciate your input . . .

On a personal basis, I've sort of reached the point in my life where I don't really need any more STUFF in my house, even Navy '86 stuff . . . and I suspect a good number of you may also fall into that category. We've done a couple of merchandise-based fundraisers over the past couple of years, and response was helpful, but modest.

That being the case, I'm personally more inclined to offer one nice, useful thing as part of the reunion package (keep in mind that geedunk is a profit-maker for the class, so it provides the seed cash needed for the next reunion), rather than a lot of small, commemorative things. I have a ton of data and feedback from the last reunion that indicates many of you might feel the same way, and our geedunk supplier indicates that this is an increasingly common approach.

I would have the item shipped to the class in advance, rather than having to have boxes and mess at the tailgater itself, thereby simplifying check-in, clean-up, etc.

So here's the two-part question:

1. What one item would you like to receive as a part of your reunion package, and

2. What premium are you willing to pay for that item as part of your tailgater ticket price?

I'll review the feedback I get here, as well as feedback from the last reunion in my meeting with the geedunk supplier to try to find a best, cost-effective solution.

Class Officer Elections:

Again, as noted earlier, our 25th Reunion will be my last in a class leadership position, as I'll be in my 14th year at point as Secretary, Web Drone, President, Whatever, and I'm ready to say "I had it, you got it" to one of you.

There are four officer positions: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary. It really comes down to the folks in the positions as to who does what and why, so there's no rigid class bylaws or anything that frame how we operate. There is a Class President's manual, and there are varying degrees of involvement in Navy, Foundation, and Alumni Association matters that folks can choose to participate in should they so choose . . . I've always chosen to focus my volunteer time on the class, not the institution, but that was my choice, and others might choose differently. The Secretary position also has some policy guidelines from Alumni Association with regard to formal class communications.

If you would like to stand as a candidate for one of the positions, please let me know via e-mail before close of business on Wednesday, November 17. Tom McGovern (Treasurer) and I will not be in the running again. Anne Groves Hammond will be on the slate for Secretary again (but that does not preclude anyone else from running as well, if you so choose), and Jeff Hornberger (current Vice President) will be on the slate for Treasurer.

I have already received some names of prospective candidates, so there is at least one name associated with each position at this point.

I'm happy to speak with anyone who's considering running, if you'd like some additional perspective. Shoot me an e-mail and we can talk offline.

Thanks for your input on both of the matters above. I will be in Annapolis this Friday and Saturday, so hope to see some of you out and about Friday night, at the class tailgater, and/or Saturday night.

E

Reunion Planning Update: October 2010

2010-10-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
We're coming up on T-minus one year to our 25th Reunion, as unbelievable as that seems!

On October 20, you will be able to begin reserving rooms at our HQ Hotel, Loews in Annapolis. We have blocks of rooms reserved for Thursday night (October 20, a small block) through Friday and Saturday nights (October 21-22, larger blocks). Loews sent the following instructions; I'll put them out again after October 20:

"The rate for 25th reunion is $297 for a single and double occupancy. After October 20, guests may call 1-800-526-2593 and ask for the USNA Class of 1986 reunion. They may also make their reservation on line by going to http://www.loewshotels.com, pulling up Annapolis and filling out the tabs to make a reservation, the group code they will need is USNO20 (that is the letter O after N and the number 0 after 2). If they get a note saying the block is full, please advise them to call the 800 number above. It could say this if they are booking rooms outside of the peak reservation nights, where there aren't as many rooms contracted."

We will be holding golf tournament on Friday, as has been the case in the past. Our Friday night event will be at the N* Room in the stadium, catered by Bo Brooks, who will also be catering our tailgater on Saturday. I am still in negotiation/horsetrading mode with the Athletic Association/Stadium and a couple of other reunion classes about the location of our event. We will either be in Class Ring Northeast (inside the Stadium) or the Navy Fest Tailgate Area, which is in a grassy area on the Taylor Avenue side. (If anyone went to '85's reunion this year, I believe they were in the spot being offered).

There are pros and cons to both locations, and there are folks who feel strongly about each of the options . . . inside reduces costs for stuff like Porta-Pots and remote catering equipment, but it limits the tailgator time and requires tickets to be purchased for every person attending; outside eliminates ticket costs for those who don't want them, allows more flow with other classes, and allows the tailgater to go longer. I'll be in Annapolis on November 12-13 to close the deal on final arrangements, after reviewing the locations and the cost/schedule ramifications for both sites, so will let you know then where it all falls out.

As has been the case in the past, we will begin online registration for the various events in May. We'll be trying to minimize the amount of geedunk that has to be shipped to the stadium, so will plan to have things mailed before-hand for those who register before a certain date. The seasonal sales we did over the past year helped us put a little cash away for downpayments, etc., so thanks to those of you who purchased things.

Reminder that it's crucial to get your contact information up-to-date with USNA Alumni Association, since those are the mailing lists (email and snail-mail) that we will be using to get information out about reunion. Also bookmark this website, where I will post information as it breaks, so you've got it in one space: http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

Finally, and on a personal note, our 25th Reunion will mark my 14th year in service to the class as Webmaster, Secretary, Shipmate Columnist, Co-Reunion Organizer and/or Class President. I think that will be the right time for me to step aside and let others take the reins for the next quarter century or so. I would like to hold online class elections over the winter as we did five years ago for our officer positions, so that the incoming/returning officers can work with the outgoing ones to help get a handle on the events, etc. I'll put out a call for nominations at some point, and we'll take it from there.

More news as I have it . . . and hope all of you and yours are healthy and safe as we move into Autumn . . .

E

Spring 2010 Geedunk Sale

2010-04-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

I won't steal my own thunder by repeating everything I sent to Anne for her next SHIPMATE column, but wanted to check in quickly and let you know that reunion planning is proceeding apace, with hotel accommodations (Loews), catering (Bo Brooks), merchandising and registration management (Anchor Enterprises) contracted and ready to roll.

As noted earlier, we're gonna try to reduce the amount of stuff that we have to haul into and out of the stadium, which will also help us keep costs down a bit. As we did last spring, I've asked Anchor Industries to develop some '86 specific products for sale now to put some up-front cash in out pockets for deposits and other early payments, while also (hopefully) giving you some useful class merch.

This year's '86 spring store is now online here, with proceeds going toward the reunion planning budget.

As in the past, since this is custom manufactured merchandise, we will take orders until May 31, then manufacture the goods. Everything will ship all at once after that, so everything should be in people's hands well before the Fourth of July holiday.

Thanks in advance for your support of the reunion, which will be upon us before we know it!

Eric

Catering Update

2009-12-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

A quick 25th reunion update: the caterer from our last reunion has had a change in ownership/management and I'm not getting warm fuzzies about their ability or willingness to handle our 25th event. I've reached out instead to Bo Brooks, USNA's caterer, who operate the N* Room at the Stadium, among other things on the yard. They've done a lot of class reunions, know the stadium inside and out, etc., and we'll save some money working with them as all of their equipment is already on site. We get priority pick on in-stadium location for the 25th Reunion, though we don't get that hammered out until about a year before the event. I'm also looking at doing a Friday night event at the N* Room as well . . . we'll get some economies of scale that way, and folks who have been to events there say they're great. We're all set with Loew's as our home hotel for the event, so keeping things packed tightly in Annapolis should work well, I think. More news as I have it, but this piece appears to be dropping into place nicely. SAVE THE DATES: October 21-22, 2011.

Eric

Geedunk Update

2009-04-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

There's one week left until the order deadline for the '86 merchandise sale to help defray costs for Reunion 2011. The goodies are available for order until 2359, 30APR09 at:

http://www.usnaclasstore.com/86store.html

We have met the minimum manufacturing requirement for the shirts and glassware, and are close on the hats.

We are lagging on the tote bags and umbrellas and don't currently have sufficient quantities to produce a manufacturing run . . . when I surveyed the class a couple of months ago, we had enough expressed interest to meet the minimums, so hopefully you're all just waiting until the last minute to get your orders in. If we don't hit the minimum manufacturing requirements, anyone who did order either of those items will be refunded the costs associated with them . . . though I do hope we get there so we don't have to do that.

This month marks exactly the halfway point between the 20th and the 25th Reunions. We're locked in our hotel, and later this year will be able to begin getting food service and merch options lined up, and then will have our in-stadium location identified in early 2010.

Reminder that there's a group set up on Facebook called "U. S. Naval Academy Class of 1986" if you happen to be social networking there.

That's it for now . . . so best to you and yours as spring finally hits the frozen Northeast (and hopefully is well in progress in the smarter parts of the country that I trust many of you have chosen . . . )

Eric

'86 Geedunk Now Available!

2009-03-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Thanks for the interest and pledges on buying some '86 merchandise to help defray costs for the 25th reunion. Based on your feedback, we're offering all of the options I had written about earlier, plus a couple of shirts and a totebag. The shirts feature a color embroidered version of the Class Crest, so that's something new we've never offered before. The site to order the class geedunk is now online and ready for you, here: http://www.usnaclasstore.com/86store.html

We're running this sale the way we do for the reunion: orders will be taken until April 30, and the all the merchandise will be manufactured and shipped, so it should all be in your hands before Memorial Day Weekend. The class makes $4 to $5 per item ordered, and all of the funds raised will be applied to the class reunion to mitigate ticket prices.

If this is successful (and based on the feedback I got from you all, I think it will be), I'll probably plan to do it at least a couple more times before 2011 so folks can get as much '86-wear as they want, and then we'll not have as much stuff to be picked up and hauled around on reunion day itself.

Thanks in advance, and I hope you like the items we've come up with.

Reminder for those on Facebook . . . join the "U. S. Naval Academy Class of 1986" group to catch up with folks in real time. (You have to type it EXACTLY that way).

That's it for now . . . order early, order often: www.usnaclasstore.com/86store.html

Eric

Odds and Ends

2009-02-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Just a few odds and ends to report out to you all on networking, events, reunion planning, etc.

1. I have received inquiries from several of you wondering if there were any formal arrangements that had been made to honor the memory of Col. John Ripley, who was so involved with our class over the years. In response to an inquiry to the Alumni Association and Foundation, I received the following from Rich Goldsby '72:
Col Ripley's classmates (Class of '62) are honoring his memory by commissioning a portrait of him that the Academy has agreed to accept and display prominently. Ray Madonna, Class of '62 President, is spearheading the effort to raise $25,000 for this effort and has it well in hand. When I spoke to him about this, he reminded me that Col Ripley was passionate about the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership. Col Art Athens, the Director of the Center, is always in need of general ethics support funds. There are a number of funds that support specific areas at the SCEL. However, two funds provide general support to Col Athens: Fund 746400, 1964 Ethics Center Support (a current restricted fund); and 658400, 1984 Ethics Center Support (an endowment). I would suggest that you ask your classmates to make a gift in honor of Col Ripley to one of those funds. In fact, I would recommend the Class of 64 current restricted fund since this is a bad time to be putting money into endowments. Donations should be marked with the appropriate fund number and "In Honor of Col John Ripley." They can be sent to me at the address below:

Rich Goldsby '72
Associate Director of Class Legacy Gift Programs
USNA Foundation
291 Wood Road, Beach Hall
Annapolis, MD 21402

2. For those of you in the Annapolis area, or for hockey fans willing to travel, '86 President Emeritus Dan White has been involved with planning an event featuring one of our classmates, as follows:

February 14, 2009: In order to kickoff the start of the 32nd Annual Crab Pot Tournament, Navy Hockey is pleased to announce that NASA Astronaut Stephen Bowen (Captain, USN) '86 will be on hand to perform the ceremonial puck drop at 7:30 PM prior to the Navy Maryland game. Capt. Bowen traveled aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in November 2008 to the International Space Station (ISS). He traveled with several Navy Hockey mementos as he was a standout goaltender for the Navy Hockey team from 1982-86.

Our class helped defrary some of the incidental travel costs associated with Steve's travel to Annapolis, where he will also be appearing as a guest speaker at a fundraising benefit sponsored by The Chartwell Foundation. Steve was the first submarine officer selected by NASA for the astronaut program; he made three space walks last November to support major additions and renovations to the ISS.

3. Class Secretary Anne Groves Hammond continues to find new ways to help us network. She's set up a group on Facebook called: "U. S. Naval Academy Class of 1986." Once you join (www.facebook.com), search for the group in exactly that way (i.e. periods after the U and the S, etc.) While I had major reservations about signing up for Facebook (my daughter's on there, and I don't want to run into her personal life unexpectedly that way), once I did, I've found that it's actually kind of an entertaining way to check in with folks you haven't seen or heard from in ages. Just don't ask your kids to be your friend. They'll thank you for it later.

4. Steve Philips from Anchor Enterprises (our geedunk merchant) is developing a proposal for me for some items that we will begin selling this spring, rather than waiting until the months before the reunion. This way, you can get stuff sooner, we can get a little up-front scratch in the bank for downpayments on caterers, etc., and we'll be able to cut a little bit out of ticket prices for the reunions (since you will have forgotten that you spent this money by then, because you will have enjoyed your merch so much). Once we have our hands around the minimum order requirements, pricing, etc., we will set up a link from our website where you can order the goods. More news when I have it, which hopefully will be within the next couple of weeks.

5. Speaking of websites, remember that reunion planning news (and archives of these e-mails) will be posted here: http://86usna25.blogspot.com/ . . . bookmark the page, or sign up to become a follower so you get the updates automatically.

That's it for this month . . . here's hoping that your winters are progressing less brutally than mine is thus far . . .

All best,

Eric

Loew's Selected for 25th Reunion HQ

2008-10-31T09:24:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

While I've still got a couple of final contractual I's to dot and T's to cross, I wanted to let you know that after a competitive bidding process, we will be using Loew's Hotel in Annapolis as our Reunion HQ for the 25th anniversary get-together. Loew's is close to stadium and downtown, easy to access, easy to park, etc. They have extensive experience hosting class groups, and the feedback I've received from others has been excellent.

We will have 125 rooms on Friday and Saturday nights at a cost not to exceed $297 per night (plus tax), which is about $45 less per night than they are letting rooms on the open market. (No surprise, every hotel in town jacks the rates up on Navy football weekends). You will be able to book your rooms one year before arrival date, and we have to fill the block by 30 days before the arrival date, neither of which should be a problem. We will have an option for more rooms at the group rate, if available, and if booked 30 days before the reunion. We will also have 25 rooms at the group rate on Thursday night for early birds.

Based on the informal survey I conducted earlier this month, the overwhelming consensus was that folks would prefer to be downtown for the reunion, even at the higher rates than we have previously paid for being out at the airport. I think Loew's will provide a great base of operations, and allow us to look at more on-Yard or at-Stadium options for Friday events.

Based on a great idea from Tom McGovern, I'm looking into having some runs of class geedunk produced well before the reunion to help us generate a little revenue before the event itself. You may recall that last time we had to ask the class for donated seed money up front to make downpayments, etc. If enough of you would be able and willing to buy some '86 merch with a little markup on it, we can at least give you something in exchange for your early support this time around.

More news to follow as I have it. A reminder that I'll posting reunion news here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

All best to you and yours . . . I'm looking out my office window at a snow-covered hillside, with the last remnants of orange and red leaves dropping off the trees. Hopefully your views are less wintry!

Eric

Hotels for Reunion

2008-10-02T20:08:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Thanks to everybody who got back to me regarding your thoughts/input on the hotel situation.

There is clearly a critical mass opinion that we want to have our home-base be downtown in Annapolis for the 25th reunion, even if that means that we'll be paying higher costs per hotel room per night.

I have conference calls scheduled with the two best fit downtown hotels in the next week to review their proposals and be able to establish "cost not to exceed" parameters for a block of rooms.

After those calls, and after reviewing the data I glean with the other class officers, I will contracting to get us locked in for a block of rooms downtown for the 25th reunion.

We will be actively reviewing all other elements of the reunion weekend to see where we might find different ways of maximizing event quality while minimizing event costs, in order to mitigate some of the downtown hotel room costs.

I will also ensure that we make available to the entire class information about other hotel alternatives that are closer to town than the BWI Marriott, though are not as expensive as the downtown hotels.

Thanks again for your input. I will be in touch in the next couple of weeks to let you know which of the downtown hotels we will be using as our "home base" for the 25th reunion.

As a reminder: bookmark the class reunion page here . . . http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

Anything I send out by e-mail will also be archived there. You are always welcome to contact me directly regarding matters of class interest at jericwrites@gmail.com.

All best to you and yours,

Eric

Hotels and Site Launch

2008-09-29T08:39:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Yes, believe it or not, machinations are already afoot for our 25th reunion. I want to run some things by all of you at this point for feedback, so forgive a longer-than-usual e-mail from me with more detail than some of you may want or need.

First off: a reminder of the date . . . Friday, October 21, 2011 will be the class golf tournament, then Saturday, October 22, 2011 will be the football game and tailgater.

The weekend is homecoming weekend, but there is no boat show that weekend, so downtown crowds will be less of an issue than they were last time.

There will not be a hotel-based Friday night cocktail reception as there was the past couple of big reunions, since by being downtown, we'll have plenty of places to safely gather, eat, drink etc. If we do a formal Friday night event, it will either be on the Yard or at the Stadium. We will also be working with company reps to get some smaller company-based events going where and when possible.

We will not be able to lock in the 'gater location until a year out from our date, but as the 25th reunion class, we will get dibs on choice real estate, and it is my intention to again do the event inside the stadium in either the same or a similar location to the 20th.

I have proposals in hand for room blocks in hotels in downtown Annapolis, where the lion's share of folks after the last reunion said they'd like to have our home base.

I just want to be clear up front and way in advance that there's a significant cost differential for staying downtown.

Before taxes and fees, we paid $114 per room per night in 2006 at the BWI Marriott and Courtyard Marriott. Factor in, say 3% inflation per year, and that would be about $135 in 2011 . . . which is still far less than the going rate range for downtown room blocks is going to be in 2011: $250-$370 per room per night, depending on the hotel.

I am looking to block 50 rooms for Thursday night and 100 rooms for each of Friday and Saturday night. This is a bit more than we booked in 2006. While the price increase may be a deterent to some, I know we had a lot of folks who stayed downtown last time, who presumably will want to be in our block this time.

The class will incur some significant liabilities if we block these rooms and then fail to fill them. We don't have enough liquidity to be able to readily assume such liabilities . . . so it's very important that we meet the minimum requirements of whatever contract we sign.

So before I go any further, I am interested in just a quick e-mail sense from as many of you who get this blast and choose to reply as to (a) whether those higher prices would cause you to stay elsewhere, and (b) if not, would you plan to stay in our room block downtown?

You can reply to jericwrites@gmail.com, please and thanks.

Finally, for those of you who have peaked at the class website lately, you'll note that it's been largely static since the last big reunion. I will put a link on it later this week to a new location that I can edit far more quickly (the class one is built on 1997 html code), in order to share reunion news, here:

http://86usna25.blogspot.com/

That's it for now. I hope to have a hotel contract locked up by the end of October.

I've been glad to see that the '86 tailgating crew has been actively working their magic this season . . . and glad to hear that many of you have been able to get down there for home games!

Best to all of you and yours,

Eric

USNA Class of 86 Blog for 25th Reunion Planning Established

2008-09-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

This is a holding template for now . . . but rather than continuing to deploy my lame HTML skills on the old '86 website I built in 1998, I'm going to take advantage of Content Management System technology to use this blog page for real-time updates as we lock things in for our 25th Reunion, October 20-23, 2011.

More news to follow as we have it. SAVE THOSE DATES!

Eric