Can you name all the buioldings? Cadet Field House Cadet Gymnasium Fairchild Hall McDermott Library Mitchell Dining Hall Pat's Room Sijan Hall Cadet Chapel Harmon Hall Arnold Hall Vandenberg Hall Stillman Parade Field Athletic Fields Class Crest Air Gardens Planetarium

Chuck Burke joins the ranks of retirees.

Okay, Pat, you asked for it!

Let the record show that I support the Class of 1968 and the website - this now makes twice I've written in with news in the 42+ years since we graduated!

I just retired from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth. 31 Dec 10 was my last day on the active payroll; that ended a run of 35+ years with the company. I served 7+ active duty after we graduated, then resigned and took a Reserve commission. I served another 19 years as a Reservist (mainly with the 301st Tac Fighter Wing at Carswell and 10th Air Force at Bergstrom) before retiring as an O-5 in 1994. I started at General Dynamics in Fort Worth in 1975 (GD/FW was purchased by Lockheed in 1993). I split my career pretty evenly between Contracts and Program Management.

Now that I'm re-retired (!), it's time for Karen and me. We've booked our first cruise for this April, and are planning a road trip to the Dakotas (Mt. Rushmore, The Black Hills, Deadwood, TR National Park) before passing through Lincoln, Nebraska, to help my oldest son celebrate his 40th birthday. I plan to spend a bunch more time playing golf, bridge, and working in my woodshop. And of course, a lot of time spoiling grandchildren!

I'm working on retraining my cat, Prince. He's now 13, and he learned (while I still had a job) that the alarm went off at 0500, I went downstairs, and he got breakfast. His internal clock works so well that if I don't set the alarm, he gets me up at 0500 himself! I need to make him understand that cat food tastes the same at 0730 as it does at 0500.

I'll attach a family picture from my retirement ceremony. Left to right - oldest son, Jim, youngest son, Bryan, Chuck holding granddaughter Katie, Karen, Erin (Robert's wife), middle son Robert holding grandson KC. That's the first time I've had everyone together in about three years.

By the way, my classmate/squadron mate Bob Pavelko also lives in Arlington and works at Lockheed Martin. Bob, Jane, Karen, and I normally get together once a month for dinner and visiting.
Hope this gives you and Tim something useful for the website and for the Checkpoints article. You guys both do a great job keeping the '68 info flowing!

Chuck Burke
68 - 16th Squadron



Left to right - oldest son, Jim, youngest son, Bryan, Chuck holding granddaughter Katie, Karen, Erin (Robert's wife), middle son Robert holding grandson KC.

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