eNotice 2003-06

THIS IS SURRATTS FOUNDATION E-NOTICE 2006-6 OF JUNE 1, 2006

Hello Hornets!

Here are some items that might be of interest:

1. FOUNDATION AWARDS 2006 SCHOLARSHIPS. I am very proud to report that the Foundation has awarded scholarships to two outstanding graduating seniors, Jenese Reed and Cordell Kennerly. Jenese will attend Savannah State University in the fall planning to major in civil engineering. While at Surratts, Jenese participated in AFROTC, softball, volleyball, and regularly volunteered to work on Foundation projects and attended Foundation Board meetings. Jenese also was active in her church and worked as big sister for the Little Sisters Organization and volunteered for a number of other community organizations. Cordell will attend Capitol College in the fall. Cordell was a scholar-athlete at Surratts who participated in AFROTC (in which he was Cadet of the Month three times), varsity football and various PTSA programs. Cordell served as an aide in the Guidance Office, and also was active in various community and church activities during his years at Surratts.

Photos of these two outstanding Hornets, and prior years' scholarship recipients, can be found on the Foundation's web site at www.surrattsville.org.

2. FOUNDATION SELECTS 2006 ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS. I'm also very proud to report that the Foundation has selected two very accomplished alumni to receive its 2006 Achievement Awards.

FRED KEENEY (73) has had a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, and today holds an especially important position in light of these times of heightened security. (Fred is the first member of the law enforcement community to receive the Foundation's Achievement Award.)

Currently, Fred is the Assistant Chief of Police for nationwide operations for the Amtrak Police Department. Before being named Amtraks Assistant Chief of Police, he served as Chief of Police from 2000-2006 for the City of Mount Rainier, Maryland and as Chief of Police from 1997-2000 for the City of District Heights, Maryland. Prior to 1997, Fred served for 20 years with the Maryland-National Capital Park Police. At the time of his retirement from that force in 1997, he held the title of Assistant Chief of Police.

Throughout his career, Fred has held various other leadership positions in the Fraternal Order of Police, including President and Vice-President (FOP 30, Maryland State) and served on the FOP's the Grand Lodge Legislative and Labor Committees, the Maryland Municipal League, the Police Executive Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He also is Past President of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association. Fred authored Leadership 96 an award winning police leadership program that received the Washington-Metropolitan Area Council of Governments Training Program of the Year. Fred received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland. He and his wife of 32 years have two grown children, and they reside in Maryland.

TOM TRAVIS (72) has had a similarly long and distinguished career with the U.S. Air Force. As components of his extraordinarily unique career in the military, Tom has the very rare distinction of being a medical doctor, a fighter pilot, and a Brigadier General. Currently, he is the commander of Malcolm Grow Medical Center on Andrews, with the title of Commander, 89th Medical Group. Malcolm Grow is a 60-bed medical center, with more than 1,500 airmen and civilians who deliver quality medical care to more than 393,000 beneficiaries in the national capital area.

Tom entered the Air Force in 1976 as a Distinguished Graduate of the ROTC program at Virginia Tech. He also earned three Masters degrees: in physiology at Virginia Tech, in public health at the University of Texas, and in national resource strategy at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he was the Distinguished Graduate. He earned his medical degree at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine, where he was the top Air Force graduate, and in 1987 he became a flight surgeon. Tom is board certified in aerospace medicine.

For more than three years, Tom was Chief of Medical Operations for the Human Systems Program Office at Brooks AFB, Texas. He later served as the Director of Operational Health Support and Chief of Aerospace Medicine Division for the Air Force Medical Operations Agency in Washington, D.C. He has commanded the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and the 311th Human Systems Wing at Brooks AFB.

He was awarded his pilot wings in 1978 and served as an F-4 pilot and aircraft commander. A command pilot and chief flight surgeon, he has more than 1,800 flying hours and is one of the Air Forces few pilot-physicians. He has flown the F-4, F-15 and F-16 as mission pilot and, most recently, the Royal Air Force Hawk as senior medical officer and test pilot.

Tom has been awarded the a number of commendations, medals and decorations by the Air Force, and various associations and societies. (Tom's complete bio can be found at http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=7834.)

[Photos of these very distinguished alumni can be found on the web site at www.surrattsville.org, along with photos of previous years' outstanding Achievement Award recipients.]

3. CLASS OF 86 PLANS REUNION.   The Class of 86 is finalizing its 20th Reunion plans for September 16, 2006 at the Solomon's Holiday Inn. Please contact Kelly Gray at kellyandtonygray@verizon.net if you have any information on Class of 86 grads (or their family members. (The Class also has a group site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shs1986/.)

4. HORNET'S NOVEL, WITH LOCAL THEME, IS PUBLISHED. I'm proud to report that a new novel by Surrattstock I and II performer (and my brother) Bill Smith (73), Welliott55@aol.com, entitled "Tanaki on the Shore," has just been published by Portal Press (theportalpress.com). The novel was launched at the Washington, D.C. Book Expo on May 19, and is available through the Portal Press web site and in book stores around the Chesapeake Bay region. (The book launch was featured on the front page of the May 27 Washington Examiner, and in the Literary Life section of the May 27 Baltimore Examiner.) The book, which has an ecology theme, is full of Chesapeake Bay area references that likely will be familiar to area readers. Bill has a number of readings scheduled around the area that the literary-minded of you might be interested in attending. (These events will be announced over the course of the summer on the "Events" section on www.theportalpress.com.)

5. SOUTHERN MARYLAND CONCERT BAND SCHEDULE. The Southern Maryland Concert Band, directed by Richard "Butch" Mortimer (57 and former faculty), has released its summer schedule:

June 3, 2 p.m., Charlotte Hall Veterans' Home
June 10, 1:45 p.m., Indian Head Village Green
July 27, 7:15 p.m., Indian Head Village Green
August 25, 7:15 p.m., La Plata Town Hall
September 24, 3:35 p.m., St. Mary's County Fair
October 8, 3 p.m., Calvert Marine Museum, Solomon's
October 15, 2 p.m., Clark Senior Center, La Plata
October 28, 7:30 p.m., Fall Concert (TBA)

Updates can be found on the Band's web site, www.smcb.org. (There's a nice photo of the Band on the web site.) Also, the Band is always seeking new members, and no audition is required. For information on joining, email smcb@mac.com. Currently, there are six Surratts grads in the ensemble: Mort (57), Don Eaton (70), Steve Smith (72), and John Ryan, Barbara Brewer, Laurie Martin Roberts (all from 74).

6. HORNET DAUGHTER SERVES IN IRAQ. I received this email from proud Mom, Sheri Poehl Vanek (71): "Hi Henry: Just a quick note to let you know that my daughter, Julie Vanek, is currently serving in Balad, Iraq, with USAF Security Forces there. Please keep her and all of our troops in your thoughts and prayers. It is great to know that our troops are supported. Sheri"

Here's hoping Julie returns home safely and soon.

7. UNOFFICIAL MEMOIRIST'S LATEST REMINISCENCES. I received these colorful recollections from John Curry (60): "Hi Henry: Spotting wild, four legged critters in the Clinton area is nothing new. A neighbor of ours said that he saw a large cat-like animal down by the Navy Radio Station in Cheltenham, MD. He said it took one bound to cross the road. That was in the early 50's before all the GE houses were built in the area. Here is my addition for the Andrews AFB location: "Pride of the 95th" -We lived near Andrews Air Force Base and were accustomed to low flying aircraft. One evening we heard an odd sounding aircraft pass over our house followed by the sounds of sirens and large fire trucks racing up and down the road. We noticed that some of these vehicles were military crash trucks, which meant that an aircraft was down in our area. We jumped into the family car and followed them only to discover the fire trucks all assembled at an intersection discussing their next move. With this my friend Gene said, I know where the plane is, Woods Farm! We turned around and headed down the dirt road leading to the pasture and swimming hole so familiar to us. As we crested a small hill we could see flickering lights and sure enough there it was. The jet aircraft sat at the edge of the pasture near the creek and was engulfed in flames that made an eerie glow around the field. We sat for several moments not knowing what to do next. Then the fire trucks arrived with sirens blaring and lights flashing. They rumbled on down the hill and proceeded to extinguish the flames. The pilot meanwhile was safe inside Mr. Woods home. His only injury was a bump on his head and a sore back from running off the creek embankment in the darkness while attempting to get as far away from the wreck as possible. The aircraft was an F86D from the 95th Fighter/Interceptor Group stationed at Andrews. It had developed engine problems just after taking off. After everyone else departed the area we went back during the day to look around. We sat down and pondered the events of the night of the crash. That pilot had guided his stricken plane in the darkness to this location, landed with his wheels up and slid down the hill to the creeks edge. He did a great job of flying and preventing further problems for the rest of us close to the base. What a cool guy!   John"

8. ANOTHER SMALL WORLD STORY. Lost Surrattsville class rings continue to create absolutely fascinating "small world" stories for these e-Notices. We just received this email through the Foundation's web site: "Dear Surrattsville: I live in Heidelberg, German and teach at an Army Elementary School. Someone has turned in a ring, class of 1971: one side of the ring has a triangle on it with, "pupil, parent, teacher" in it and on the other side, has 1907 and a Hornet on it, male ring with the initials, "DLD". I was wondering if you are the right school and would have a name that fit the initials?    Then, hopefully, it's one of our students' parent and I could return the ring. Thanks for any help. Sincerely, Jeanette Brownfield"   (We're currently working with Jeanette to try to identify DLD (71), since those initials don't match-up with any known 71 grads. Anyone have any ideas?)

(This is at least the second Class of 71 ring found by a nice person with no connection to Surratts who reached out to us to find its owner (and the third ring overall)!)

9. SURRATTSTOCK II PERFORMERS TO RE-UNITE IN CLINTON ON JUNE 9 AND 10. I just learned that Surrattstock performers Ray Gibb (72), Richard Clifton (72), and John Previti (72) will be performing on June 9th and 10th from 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. at the Decoy Lounge located in the Colony South Hotel at 7401 Surratts Road.   They'll be performing a repertoire of classic rock and classic R&B.   What a great opportunity to see this rare grouping of extremely talented Surratts musicians on one stage, and right in our old backyard!

I hope you're all enjoying the lovely Spring weather!

All the best, Henry Smith (71), hsmith@smithdowney.com

IN MEMORIAM

JANA SIMS NESTOR (72) died on March 16 of a brain aneurism. She is survived by her husband Roy Nestor (72) and several children and grandchildren. Jana and Roy were married for 34 years and together for 40. Roy has developed a memorial site for Jana at www.mem.com (where you just type "Nestor" under the search function on the lower left side of the web page, with Jana being second on the list).

MANY THANKS TO THESE 2006 CAMPAIGN DONORS!

Steve Profilet (71)
Carol Tisdale Whitsell (64), In loving memory of her sister Jeanne Tisdale Burke
Vivian Bounds Edelen (Faculty, 1938-1942)
Robert Brewer (67)
Henry Smith (71)
Donna Rae Smith (70)
Bill Harris (71)
Patricia Becker Oles (71)
Linda Dorsey Blum (66)