Tony Miell's daughter, Katie.

MAY LOTS OF HAPPINESS COME YOUR WAY IN THE NEW YEAR!

Hey, classmates!!

I just received a phone call from Jeff Guilford. He wants me to wish you all a Happy New Year. He got a new cell phone for Christmas and was trying it out. We had such a nice long chat. I am picking him up next Sunday and we are going out for lunch!!!!

Scott, Jeff wants me to tell you that he really likes his job at the Monticello Post Office and that he loves to bowl. He also said to tell you not to get hurt in the war.

What a sweet, sweet man! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. :-)

Happy New Year!

Carron

Carron,
I just received package 11. Wow, I am overwhelmed. Thank you and everyone so very
much for all you have done for me and also for my family. The donations were fantastic
and mean so very much to Carol and me. I want to thank everyone involved for remembering
us over here. I shared all the goodies (well not all) with the members of our unit
and others. They all got to hear the story of where these items came from and how
wonderful you all are.
Yesterday the CD's arrived with music from 78, 79, 80, and 81. I put in the CD from
1978 and we all laughed at first and then you could see the expressions as the music
took some of us more seasoned soldiers back in time. We are going to have a little
New Year's eve celebration (no alcohol, of course) and I might sneak one of these
CD's in and see what the young ones think.
I know I owe many classmates letters and e-mails and I promise to write all of you.
I have seven plus months left and I will eventually get to everyone. Write if you
get a chance.
Thanks again and I want you to know how moved I am by your generosity. Thanks for
being so kind. Have a super and Happy New Year.
CW3 Scott Weber
1034th CSSB
302-242-9545
To Serve The Warrior

My canine nephew, Hayden.

Brad, I hope he poops in your most expensive shoes! :-/

Alamo Bowl - Saturday, Dec. 30, 3:30 p.m., ESPN.

Here's a song that sums up my hopes and dreams for all of you in the new year. I hope all your wishes come true. Thank you for making 2006 a fun, heartwarming, life-changing year for me. I adore each and every one of you and want only good things for y'all in 2007.

"My Wish" - Rascal Flatts

I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin' til you find the window,
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,
But more than anything, more than anything,

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,
And always give more than you take.
But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Carron,

I received 6 boxes from you and the class yesterday....Christmas day!

I received a nice letter and photos from Lisa Toner also. She has a son in the Air Force. It has been great to hear from so many people. Lisa didn't leave an e-mail address, so I plan on including a message to her.

We worked on Christmas if you can call it that. We were here to answer calls and I stopped by the warehouses I oversee. The rest of the day was spent eating.

Thanks again for everything.

CW3 Scott Weber
1034th CSSB
302-242-9545
To Serve The Warrior

"Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is to say 'I don't want to.'"

Hey Woman!

Lance told me that you called today. I was totally crashed.

I wound up stuck at work during this killer blizzard we had. I'm ready to go back to sleep again........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........We just had two beers with supper, and now I'm zoned.........

We'll call you when we get to Iowa. I have your cell number programmed into my phone...

Have a nice day!!!!!!!!!

Deb

I received correspondence from two more classmates today saying they are making donations to the "Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund" in Scott and Carol's names to add to our class donations.

How fabulous is that??

I never cease to be amazed by the generosity of the classmates from the Class of 1981.

God bless you all.

Carron

Carron,

Thank you very much. I know that you and your children, along with your parents, will have a wonderful time together this Christmas.

Each year brings so much change. This past year, I know that you have positively affected and changed many peoples' lives. From the class reunion, to the reuniting of friends, to what you have done for Scott Weber. May you continue to touch so many hearts, in so many good ways.

I, along with many others, highly respect you. I am glad for the time we spend together. I am proud to know you as a friend.

The offer goes to you as well. If you need anything, I will do my best.

Merry, Merry Christmas!

Doug (Wortman)

Carron,

THANK YOU so much. I continue to be overwhelmed at all of this.

Postage is no small gift, we both know that.

What a great idea to do with the rest of the money! I know that is a great charity, and it means a lot to Scott and me to be honored with that.

What a giving person you are, and your classmates too!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!!

Carol (Weber)

Donelle Lena Hatcher

Carron,

Merry Christmas to you, too.....

Wonderful idea you had to send care packages over to Iraq.

Tina is making Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas dinner, as well as cookies. Tom is enjoying her cooking. Seems like we're having a "Dora the Explorer" Christmas... (as if we needed more of that stuff.)

Otherwise very warm and humid -- could use a day or two of 'old fashioned' Iowa Christmas weather.

Attached is photo of our little "Christmas Angel/Devil".

All our best,

TOM

I don't know how much free time I am going to have over the weekend, so I wanted to wish you all a very happy holiday.

We, at the Bungum/Rickels household, have had a wonderful year. Reconnecting with long-lost classmates has certainly been a highlight for me. The kindness and generosity you have all shown me and our fellow classmates is heartwarming and sometimes too emotional for words.

Bless you all and here's hoping for a fabulous 2007.

Carron

Carron,

The photos were taken at the Pow Wow, which we traditionally do at each gathering of this nature (Spring Fellowship, Sectional Conclave, National Conclave, etc…)

I belong to a group that is part of the Boy Scouts of America called the Order of the Arrow, which is the Honor Society of Scouting. Much of the OA is directly tied to Native American culture and heritage and each Chapter is asked to try and emulate the tribes in their local region. Our Chapter has adopted the Great Plains tribes for their main focus of study. I have chosen the Cumberland River basin tribes for my particular studies for various reasons, so my Regalia (Outfit) is based on that information that I have gathered.

The Pow Wow is a great way to show off your Regalia and just dance around with fellow Scouters without fear of being ridiculed for the lack of rhythm. I have to tell you that over the past three years, I have had the most glorious time with this whole Native American Studies part of Scouting and my children have been involved as well which makes it that much more enjoyable.

I have enclosed a picture of my son Josh (in red) and daughter Brooke (in pink) at one of our meetings practicing one of the dances that we perform for other groups.

Merry Christmas to you and yours,

John Starr

Hi, Carron,

Great to hear from you. I am also happy to see that the weather has been warm back home. People are all worked up over this global warming, but I am all for it. It keeps my utility bills down and Iowa will be a tropical vacation Mecca in a few thousand years. Heck, I am thinking of putting in a coal fired furnace to speed things up. The weather here is really pretty good. The mornings are cool, in the upper 30s, but the days are sunny and in the 50s. The rainy season is here and a couple days a week are rainy.

Christmas is almost here. The care packages arrive daily and we are overwhelmed with the generosity of family, friends, and a host of people and organizations I have never met. There is a group out of Michigan that sends packages and letters. There are great people in the world.

I hope you have a great Christmas break. Don't work too hard and try to relax. We are going to have a few light days here.

I think it is great what you are doing for the kids of Tanager Place. I don't know where you find the time.

Take care and have a safe and Merry Christmas and an even more safe New Year...

CW3 Scott Weber

1034th CSSB

302-242-9545

To Serve The Warrior

Hi!

This takes a couple minutes, but it is really neat!!! It's a salute to the troops, to the song America the Beautiful, with a scene from all 50 states!

http://oldbluewebdesigns.com/mybeautifulamerica.htm

Brenda

Brett and his wife, Jen, at the Big Texas Toy Run today.

I have a whole gallery of pictures to see. If you are interested in seeing them all, let me know and I will forward on the e-mail. It would not allow me to post the link here since a real quick registration is required, but it is worth taking a look at. Way cool!

Carron,

I am trying to get excited and mentally prepared for this http://www.thebigtexastoyrun.com/

It's be biggest and coolest but it also sucks. There are thousands upon thousands of bikes, police escorts, police traffic control, etc etc etc. However, of those thousands of bikes, there are several inexperienced weekend warrior riders that just do not possess the skills to be riding around other people - especially with all the distractions, such as media and spectators along the route. My wife insists we go because our friends are going. Well, laddy-fuggin-dah!

Have fun with the shopping.

Brett

(Sent by Stephanie Seehusen.)

I understand that life in Iraq is very difficult to bear right now. Our troops need our prayers for strength, endurance and safety.

"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."

(Poor Sharon. Let's all share our potty training advice with her. Diane and I promised her that Rachel will NOT go to kindergarten in diapers.)

Thanks, Carron.

Rachel is really being a little shit right now!! She refuses to get potty trained and we are soooo frustrated... and tired of changing shitty diapers on 2 kids!!!! She is sooo strong willed and extremely stubborn, and getting very sassy. Not even the threat of Santa not coming works...she could care less, so long as she doesn't have to go on the potty. We have tried putting her in big girl panties all day and then she holds it ALL DAY LONG. Can you imagine being that stubborn??? (Um, Sharon, do you really want me to answer this?) ERRHHHHH...this too shall pass, but until it does I'm gonna need a lot of wine and prozac! :0)

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Oh, dear GOD!!!!! I will pray for you and your teen boy! I dread this....... :o) It's gotta be tough being a mom to teens these days.....Hang in there, woman!

I am going to send you some $$$ for "the" package also. Another great idea from the class of '81 led by the most caring person in the world! Good job, Carron! Have fun shopping!

Love ya, woman!

Sharon (Covington)

From John Starr

Hi, classmates,

Just wanted you all to know that Linda Kerton (Albertson) has been nominated for "Minnesota Teacher of the Year." (She received "Minnesota FRENCH Teacher of the Year" a few years back, but this is the biggie.) Anyway, she asked me write a letter of recommendation for her, and, of course, I was extremely honored to do so. She will find out soon if she wins. Let's all send good thoughts her way. I received an e-mail from her today saying she received my letter and forwarded it on to the committee. I told her that WHEN she wins, I am going to stand with pride at the awards ceremony and scream, "Hatcher hasn't been on a hotel balcony in damn year 27 years and it's all your fault."

Never would I admit my part in that debacle.

I'll keep you all posted when I hear the news!

Linda.Albertson@district196.org

CB

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

And a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wishers to actually implement any of the wishes forher/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wishers. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wishers.)

Regards,
Brett & Jen

Here's one of Kent Reynolds at #8 tee at Fawn Creek. Note the position of club head and postition of ball. Hack-hack.
(also note those attractive 1980 calf-high tube socks -- cutting edge fashion then)

Tom

Hi Carron

Here's a couple of oldies. One is of Curt Shipley showing off some skin at Fawn Creek GC 1980. Mike Hauser and Kent Reynolds in background.

Second one is S. Dakota Band trip June 1980. We're at an overlook trying to see Mt. Rushmore.

Tom Hatcher
WFLX-TV FOX 29
4119 W. Blue Heron Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33404
561-845-2929 x101
thatcher@wflx.com

(OK, I laughed hysterically at this one. I'm all for #'s 3 and 4 - give me my taters and gravy.)

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can and quickly. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an "eggnog-aholic" or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it!!!! Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello???

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, pumpkin and mincemeat - have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips: Start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Hey, everyone!

I have heard from so many of you who have mentioned getting together over the Christmas holidays. Why don't you all leave a comment or send me an e-mail telling me what day would work best for you. And, give me ideas what you want to do. We don't have to go to a bar again. Let's have a change of scenery.

I am tired of making decisions. I am leaving it all up to you guys. You tell me this time. :-)

Hope you're all doing well and I look forward to hearing from you.

Carron

My "I'm-too-cool-for-my-own-good" son, Wes, and his woman, Sarah, on their way to the Winter Formal last Saturday night.

Here's one you may have seen before:

One foggy night, a Iowa State Cyclones fan was heading south from Ames and a Iowa Hawkeyes fan was driving north from Iowa City. While crossing a narrow bridge, they hit each other head-on, mangling both cars. The Cyclones fan manages to climb out of his car and survey the damage. He looks at his twisted car and says, "Man, I'm lucky to be alive!" Likewise, the Hawkeyes fan gets out of his car uninjured, he too feeling fortunate to have survived. The Cyclones fan walks over to the Hawks fan and says, "Hey, man, I think this is a sign that we should put away our petty differences and live as friends instead of being rivals." The Hawk fan thinks for a moment and says, "You know, you're absolutely right! We should be friends. In fact, I'm going to see if something else survived the wreck." The Hawks fan then pops open his trunk and removes a full, undamaged bottle of Jack Daniel's. He says to the Cyclones fan, "I think this is another sign - we should toast to our newfound friendship." The Cyclones fan agrees and grabs the bottle. After sucking down half of the bottle, the Cyclones fan hands it back to the Hawk fan and says, "Your turn!" The Hawkeye fan calmly twists the cap back on the bottle, throws the rest of the bottle over the bridge into the river and says, "Nah, I think I'll just wait for the cops to show up."

Tom Hatcher
WFLX-TV FOX 29
4119 W. Blue Heron Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33404
561-845-2929 x101
thatcher@wflx.com
www.wflx.com

Read this!!!

It is the FIRST time congress has EVER passed a bill on UNDERAGE DRINKING!!!!!!!!!!

This is SO EXCITING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Community awareness has actually helped!!! I want to thank those of you who have been supportive in this movement!!!

Brenda

(Here is the link: http://www.jointogether.org/news/features/2006/going-for-stop-congress.html)

Dean, me, and our daughter, Ellyn, before her Winter Formal last night.

When I saw this picture, the first thought that popped into my head was, "If Brett had a son, this is what he would look like."

Carron,

Sorry for the late reply. We have been extremely busy here. I am staying late to catch up on much over due e-mails and thank you's.

I am doing just fine. The holidays have us all a little down, but I think once we get past Christmas we will be ok. There are decorations up at the Battalion headquarters and the American Forces Network plays Christmas music every now and then.

The weather has actually been very good. I love the fall back home and the weather has been fall like for almost a month now. It is in the upper 30s in the morning and the highs are around 60 during the day. The sun shines and the wind is mild.The rainy season is coming soon. It lasts several months but I am told that it rains for 2-3 days straight and then you have a break. I think we can handle that. Everything turns to mud and the water pools. It should stink, but what are you going to do?

Carol and the kids are doing super. I hope they don't figure out how great things are without me. They are the real heros in these deployments. Carol has to do everything. She always managed the finances (thank goodness) and now she has the yard work, cars, etc. plus she works. I couldn't do what she is doing, I just couldn't or wouldn't.

You would think that a kid in college is pretty much self sufficient, but they never really leave. My daughter is excited because she is going to move into a better dorm like room next year that is only going to cost an additional $1300......but she says she will have her own sink so it is worth it. I would kill for my own toilet. Actually I might have to....just kidding. It won't be her $1300 either. It better be a very nice sink.

I better let you go. Take care and thanks for taking the family photo with you to the get together the other night. It was great seeing everyone and there I was with you in spirit.

CW3 Scott Weber
1034th CSSB
302-242-9545
To Serve The Warrior

Hi!
I just finished an article I'm writing for the Monticello Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol, Jones County Alcohol Reduction Project, and I wanted to see what you thought!

MMCA Article, Teen Brain, submitted by Brenda Hanken

Would you give a pregnant woman alcohol? Would you fill a baby bottle with beer and give it to an infant? Of course not! It’s common knowledge that alcohol has devastating effects on the development of the brain.
Very recent, (2003), research on the effects of alcohol on teen brain development has revealed that the brain is not completely developed until the age of 24 -25 years. This new knowledge has created a nationwide urgency to reduce underage drinking. It is during the teen years that the prefrontal cortex is developing and growing into its adult dimensions. Alcohol creates a negative disruption in this process.
The prefrontal cortex is responsible for complex behaviors and vital reflexes. Included are the behaviors and reflexes of: learning, memory formation, decision making, impulse control, judgment, consequences, self-control, motivation, goal-setting, heartbeats, and breathing.
It is clear that teens often lack the maturity and coping skills to successfully refuse offers of alcohol. Hormonal development is occurring in the brain at this time. Emotions and passions are running wild. Teens are seeking strong sensations, excitement, thrills, thereby engaging in impulsive, risky behaviors.
Dangerous situations may result if alcohol is consumed during this stage of brain development. Teen brains are less responsive to the neurotransmitters GABA, (responsible for inducing calmness and sleepiness), and more tolerant of the intoxicating effects (of alcohol) than that of adult brains. This might explain why teens are able to consume higher amounts of alcohol for longer periods of time than adults.
Serious mental disorders, (mood, emotional, depression…), and permanent or irreversible damage to the brain and the central nervous system may result from underage drinking. If the body has too much alcohol, it will be unable to process it. The brain passes through stages of intoxication to unconsciousness, coma, and possibly death.
It is vital for all people over the age of 21 to be made aware of, and informed about, this new information on teen brain development. Not only is it illegal to provide alcohol to minors, it creates dangerous situations, and could cause permanent and irreversible damage to the brain and the central nervous system.
Teens need patient and loving adults in their lives to keep them safe; to help them interpret their emotions; to help them identify their options; and, to help them make responsible decisions as they move from adolescence to young adulthood.
For more information on the effects of alcohol on the development of the teen brain go to:

http://www.drugfreeinfo.org/; http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/; http://www.drugfreeamerica.org/

I received a most wonderful Christmas card from Jeff today.

Here is a picture of him and my daughter, Ellyn, at the class reunion in July.

(Info about Brett's charity fundraiser yesterday.)

Doing great! The santa pics this past weekend was a huge success. We made a profit of just over $1500 and have purchased a 50" plasma TV for the VA care center.

Let me just give you the figures and you all try to figure out an appropriate word to describe how this year's Santa Pics went.

$647.36 for Saturday
$892.45 for Sunday ($24.45 was in change!)
$1539.81 total raised between donations and pictures for both days
$6.07 expense for gas and oil for generators
$6.84 expense for card stock

TOTAL PROFIT $1526.90

This is about 2x as much as we raised last year!!!

Ever felt like doing this to someone?

(A little Brett humor for you.)

A Iowa Hawkeye fan is drinking in a New York bar when, he gets a call on his cellphone. He hangs up, grinning from ear to ear, and orders a round of drinks for everybody in the bar announcing his wife has produced a typical Iowa Hawkeye baby boy weighing 25 pounds.

Nobody can believe that any new baby can weigh in at 25 pounds, but the Iowa fan just shrugs, "That's about average back home, folks, like I said, my boy's a typical Iowa Hawkeye baby boy.

Congratulations showered him from all around, amid many exclamations of "WOW!". One woman actually fainted due to sympathy pains.

Two weeks later, he returns to the bar. The bartender says, "Say, you're the father of that typical Iowa Hawkeye baby that weighed 25 pounds at birth. Everybody's been making bets about how big he'd be in two weeks. So how much does he weigh now?"

The proud father answers, "Seventeen pounds." The bartender is puzzled, concerned, and a little suspicious. "What happened? He already weighed 25 pounds the day he was born!"

The Iowa father takes a slow swig from his Leinkugel's beer, wipes his lips on his shirt sleeve, leans into the bartender and proudly says, "Had him circumcised."