December Newsletter
Posted on December 17th, 2005 by AlexThe initial response that I got from the Class of 1999 distro was great. I heard from a lot of people, and the site has been getting quite a few hits. I got an email from Brian Sawser that I’ll post in its entirety. Brian writes:
I’m the Battalion S4 in the 54th En Bn, currently stationed in Camp Ramadi, Iraq. We serve directly under the 2nd Marine Division out here doing route clearance missions and convoy security. As the headlines I’m sure report, it is the wild west out here never a dull moment. I take command of Bravo Company in March, so I’ll finally start to earn my pay at that point. I’m married to my Ring Weekend Date, Susanne. She is currently 8 months pregnant and is due virtually any day. We have only been in country for 45 days, so we have the long haul ahead.
Some updates:
Jason Stoneman is out of the Army. He works for Merill Lynch in Washington D.C. making the big money and enjoying those housing prices out there. He is married, coming on 6 years now, to an amazingly accomplished women, Shelly - who is a lead staffer for a Congressmen on the hill.Ben Williams is finishing up his tour for OIF 04-06 with 3rd ID. He is a spook that works in the green zone. I believe his time in the military is numbered as he embarks upon a winery/brewery career in Eastern Washington. He is married to the lovely April, with 3 kids. Fertile SOB.
Matt Breitbach is currently in Afghanistan with Special Forces. Besides having a beard longer than both of the ZZ Top pair, Matt sends messages of James Bond quality every month or so. He is married to an Army Captain, whom maintains the brain cells in the marriage - Jill. She is an Army Psychologist - obviously exactly what Matt Breitbach needed.
Bart Wilkison just returned from Iraq. He immediately packed up his bags and headed to Rucker for his ‘post-command’ Captain’s Career Course so the Army could teach him what he should have done. After that he is one of the golden boys returning to the Point to represent our fabled Class. I’m not exactly sure which grad school he picked, but eventually he is making his way to BS&L.
Kevin Galligan is living the high life in the heart of Manhattan. After a medical discharge from the Army, Kevin landed two consecutive positions with investment banking firms. He is now a VP with the proverbial corner office. He and his Ring Weekend date - Mary Lynn, recently bought an apartment in the heart of Manhattan solely for the purpose of entertaining classmates during reunions.
Colleen Stevens got out of the Army last December, and is currently in grad school in Boston. She’s having a great time as a student.
Matt Abel and his wife Jenna (I’m sure some of you remember her - they were dating at school) are the proud parents of a new baby boy, Alexander Dennis Abel. He was born early in the morning on December 10, 2005 at Langley AFB. He weighed in at 7lbs 14oz, and both Jenna and Alex are doing great. Matt just recently turned in his resignation papers and is slated to leave the service in May of 2006.
As for me, Alex Cammenga, I got out of the Army last December, and moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. I’ve been married to my wife, Luanne, for 4 years, and we have a 6 month old little boy, Noah Riley. I work at a company named Smiths Aerospace on a contract they have for the new Boeing 787.
Cory Henry is out of the Army now and living in Georgia. He was recently back at West Point to attend the Diversity Leadership Council Meeting.
Site Updates:
I got several responses for the “Be Thou at Peace” pages. I’ll be adding pictures and content to Scott Corwin’s page as soon as it comes, and linking all of them to the west-point.org Taps pages. Also, I got a note from Maggie Smith, and she’s going to lend a hand setting up an appropriate page that we can all remember Ben by.
Keep your eyes open for those additions.
Thanks to everyone who got in contact with me. I look forward to more news and another update.
Thanks,
Alex Cammenga