USNA 6th Company Class of '92
GOUGE
Updated 24 December 2001.
The good gouge on what's going on with everyone.
The good gouge on what's going on with everyone.
Craig & Janet Barnett: Craig is still in the USMC and he received his Master's degree in Operations Research from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA. They moved to Woodbridge, VA in November 2001 and Craig will be working at Quantico. They have two boys, Caleb (5) and David (4).
Ferdinand Beredo: Fred is living in Orlando.
Parrish Boulware: We think P is still in NC, but we're not sure. Anybody heard from him lately?
Deb & Kamryn Dey: Here is the latest email from Deb..."just me again, I know it has been a while since most of us have had a chance to catch up, so I figured I would send a rambling e-mail to briefly update you...I apologize in advance for the generic e-mail, sometimes it just seems easier this way. As of now we are still in NJ, next door to Bill's parents. It is fine and has given me the opportunity to travel, get out more and even excessively study for my licensure exam-which I finally took and passed last week...thank god! So it is official, I am a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Virginia--too bad we are moving to Maryland, o'well, it has to help some. As for our move, we are having a house built in Crofton, Maryland, which is about fifteen miles outside of Annapolis. We will be near my family, so that is good. It is scheduled to be completed mid-January. I worry about Bill's parents once we move, they absolutely love having Kam next door--she is a little Bill to them and she brings so much zest to their lives--it is going to be a difficult adjustment for all of us...but we will only be two and a half hours away; so I know we will see them quite often. I also somehow fell into a job this week. It is a long story, but here are the basics. Cathy and I have been making these Christmas ornaments with flags, ribbons which read "we will remember...9-11-01" and tags that indicate all proceeds were donated to TAPS (tragedy assistance program for survivors, inc.--a military resource for families who have lost loved ones) in memory of Lt. William Dey. Anyway, we sent one to Bonnie Carroll, the founder and she called to thank me. I have spoken with Bonnie before, yet we have never met. Anyway, we were catching up and she was asking where I was and what I was doing and I told her about our move and my job hunt--well it turns out they had just posted a job that day for a bereavement referral coordinator. It is a part-time, flexible job, mostly out of ones home, doing some travel to places like San Diego and Alaska for conferences--it is not counseling per se, which is good, because I am not ready to sit across from anyone and convince them that they will be "fine"--I am still very much dealing with fine on my own terms. It is more a research and peer mentoring position, which I think would be challenging and rewarding. I know I need to channel this grief in a more productive way and this seems like a great opportunity to learn and grow and be around people who "get it" as well. I also know that the empathy is there and feel as if I could do more with this than I am right now. Bonnie is an exceptionally strong woman and I am sure I will learn a tremendous amount from her and grow emotionally stronger...I look forward to the opportunity. I am meeting with them next week in DC to go over specifics, so wish me luck.
Little miss is great--she will somehow be three in March...she is still spunky, adventuresome and fearless. She still looks just like Bill and now talks like me, ugh. She is challenging and so sweet--creative, brilliant (we all say that) and just fun. She is in school two days a week at Lawrenceville Prep School just around the corner. She absolutely loves it and it is good for both of us to have a break.
Finally, I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your continued unconditional love and support--even from a distance. Somehow today is a year and a half since Bill's accident and I still struggle daily with the how's and why's of it all. I miss him so much and just question if this ache ever goes away--the wanting our old life back, wanting him back. I realize more now that time somehow just continues to pass even when it came to a sudden halt for me...and I am realizing that somehow I need to slowly get back on this thing called life...that it is not going to stop. I also realize I have pushed so many of you away and isolated myself at times as well...for that, I apologize. I know now that I do not need to do this alone--that I can't. So I am trying to rebuild bridges and be a better person to my family, my friends and to myself. I know I am the only one who can do this, who can change anything for us...but again, I know now that I don't need to do it alone. I know this is a place none of us ever imagined being, let alone at this stage of the game, so thank you for believing in me, even when I stopped believing in myself--for sending little notes, cards, prayers and thoughts our way--for keeping us in your hearts--it all means more than you will ever know, even if it has gone unacknowledged for so long...please know it means so much. Thank you for being so special to me, to Bill and to Kam, she has no idea how much love surrounds her...thank you for that as well. Thank you for being our friends and for not giving up on me...I am grateful for you all...I know I need you all in my life--and I know I need to work on that...just don't give up on me yet...
well, I hope you are all well and that soon we truly get to catch up...I wish you all holidays filled with love, laughter, friendship and family time...and hope to see you in the new year...I miss you! I will send our updated information once it is finalized. with love, Deb"
Here are some recent photos of precious Kam...
Mike & Lynn Doherty: CONGRATULATIONS!! Allyson arrived on September 3, 2001! Big brother, MJ is almost 3. They are live in Jacksonville, FL.
Stuart & Amy Egeli: From Stuart on 9 Oct 2001..."I pulled my letter in light of what has happened and took orders to the Kitty Hawk in Japan. Very emotional month for Amy and me. Tyler was born Sept. 10th. He's doing great and so is Amy. Obviously, our life has changed dramatically. We will be on the move in February and expect to be arriving in Japan in April." They are in Jax until then and their daughter, Allison is 2.
Tim Flecker: CONGRATULATIONS!! Tim and Marcy Goisse were married over Memorial Day weekend in PA. Tim is in Kingsville, TX working as a flight instructor for the T-45 Goshhawk. He is due to separate from active duty in April '02.
John & April Goodpaster: John is leaving the navy in December 2001 and they will be moving to Kalamazoo, MI. He will be working for Stryker Corp in their Medical Division and designing hospital beds, engineering fun. They have two sons, Joshua (7) and Matthew (5).
Dave & Nicole Hanson: Nicole received her MBA from the University of Florida in 1998 and Dave received his from Harvard in 2001. They are now living in the Boston area with their little guy, Andrew (almost 2).
Jeff & Sherri Harris: Here is the latest update from Jeff: "I remember these "increased ThreatCon" days from the Academy....gate guards in camo w/ sandbags....gate 8 closed to non-Academy personnel, etc. I'm sure you're back in the swing of that now. It's a damn shame. Anyway, Ryan is doing wonderfully. I love being a dad--I knew I would, but it's impossible, of course, to really know what it's like until you do it. We had a photographer take some pictures of Ryan a couple of months ago (when he turned 1 in June) which I scanned and put on the web. They're AMAZING, not just spoken as a proud dad. She managed to get all the shots of Ryan in 3 different outfits and all the props in about 30 minutes. Miraculous. http://www.harrisit.com/ryan
On to the mold saga...we are smack dab in the middle of a situation just like you'd hear about on 20/20. Long story short: we've been living in a rent house for the last three-and-a-half months because of mold in our house. We've always had what we thought to be garden-variety mold/mildew in a few places in our house that we figured everyone just had. As more and more stuff got on the news about the dangers mold contamination could cause, we starting thinking "is this OK?" After Ryan was born, we just couldn't take the chance and wonder anymore with his health at risk, so we called our insurance company who came out to look and poo-pooed it, downplayed it, and made it seem like no big deal. Not satisfied, we called another company later who specializes in helping homeowners with insurance claims and told them the deal. They told us that if we had visible mold we probably shouldn't be there. We grabbed a suitcase, went to a hotel, and haven't lived there since. We stayed in a small suite for 2 weeks, moved into a slightly larger suite with a small kitchen for another month, and finally got into a rent house on July 4th. With two dogs and a baby, the hotel scene almost drove us f***ing nuts--I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It became evident to us pretty quickly that we needed to hire a lawyer to help us get our insurance company hopping, so we did. The insurnace company has started paying our bills at the rent house now and has comissioned lab tests to determine the extent of contamination in our house. Rush testing--it's hard to call it "rush" when it takes 1 month--came back recently and we have all kinds of yucky-sounding molds with long scientific names growing in high concentrations in our house including the famous variety known as Stachybotris or "black mold". We have gotten a few posessions out over the course of time, but the vast majority of our stuff is sitting in the house getting ruined. We just had a remediation company come out to get us a bid on cleaning our stuff and basically rebuilding our house which is what they have to do in such a severe contamination. We're not sure at this point if we'll even move back into that house or if we'll sue the insurance company and move somewhere else--probably plan "B" since they broke several laws in handling this situation. To put the problem in perspective, you should look at these pictures http://www.harrisit.com/mold. What you're looking at is not loaves of bread but actual belongings in our home. Some of the things will be able to be cleaned, some of it will have to be thrown away. We should know more about that in the coming week. Other people that we've talked to who have had this problem have been out of their houses for as long as a year. Since we've been out for over 3 months and they're JUST NOW getting testing done, I'd say that's probably not unthinkable for us. Love ya', Jeff, Sherri, and Ryan
Jen Lasswell: Jen is now out of the Navy and is now with Indus Technology in San Diego, CA.
Jimmy & Billie Lewis: Last I heard Jimmy is out of the Navy and living in Louisiana. I think they have two children.
Todd Masters: Todd is with the TR battle group. Whereabouts unknown. Give em hell Toddy!
Kyle & Paula Menzel: They are now in San Diego for Kyle's residency after just recently returning from Japan with Hailey (2 1/2) and Rachel (9 months). Here is an update from Paula: "Hello to everyone! This past month has been quite a whirlwind for our family and we would like to apologize for not keeping in touch as best as we could. My parents were here for Thanksgiving from the 15th of Nov to the 6th of Dec. Our visit with them was great and jam packed! We got the keys to our new home on the 4th of Dec and then got in and did all the premove stuff before the move from our apartment on the 8th of Dec. After that was unpacking and organizing and getting settled. We are STILL so unsettled! The two girls limit the amount of unpacking in a given day but we are getting more "box free" everyday!! Kyle's parents just arrived on the 19th for Christmas. We are so happy to have them here also. Last night Kyle and his dad put the computer up after 3 weeks of being down, so we apologize for not responding to all of the emails and requests for our address that we have received!!! When I turned on the computer this morning I downloaded 120 emails!!!!!!!! Overwhelming and so reassuring that we have so many wonderful friends and family that care about us and that we miss so much!!!!! I am so far behind this holiday season and as of today the tree is not up and presents are not wrapped and Christmas cards are not even written so we just wanted to let you know that we have not forgotten about anyone but will be probably sending a New Year's greeting instead after the Holidays! I have never done it that way before but an open to new ideas!!!!:) We wish all of you a Wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year and thank each and everyone for their love and friendship. We are doing OK and hope to be better at keeping in touch after the Holidays. We have so much to be thankful for and are very blessed!!!! Our thoughts are to all of you this Christmas and wish you lots of wonderful memories with your families! Lots of Love, Kyle, Paula, Hailey and Rachel and Reggie
Scott & Deb Miller: Mills is working as a PAO in New Yawk City and they are living in Connecticut.
Jed & Daryl Morris: I have heard through the rumor mill that the Morrises are back in TX where Jed is working in engineering and I believe they have a few younguns.
Joe & Fydra Muck: Joe is in Alameda, CA and working for Lucent Technologies. He and his wife of three years, Fydra, are expecting their first child in May 2001!
Cory Ondrejka: Cory works for Linden Labs.
Sean & Robin Parker: Sean and Robin are living in Rota, Spain for another two years. They've settled in an area called Vista Hermosa and are enjoying it a lot. Collin and Ryan are now TWO and are into everything! Sean completed Oceanography/Meterology school in Meridian, MS he is working on the watchfloor, basically as a meteorologist.
Rob & Jen Patrick: Rob is currently the Commander for 21st Company at USNA. HA! He and his beautiful bride, Jen, have a great house in Severna Park with two black labs and one very spoiled cat. Rob & Jen just ran the USMC Marathon in October - for the second year in a row!
Pepe & Charlene Porrata: CONGRATULATIONS!! Micaela arrived in May and big sis, Sabrina, turned TWO in July. Also, Pepe graduated from San Deigo State with an MBA in Finance in December 1998 and left the Navy. He's accepted a job with Capital One as a Program Manager in the Marketing/Analysis department and they have moved to Tampa, FL.
Ed & Jenni Rapp: The Rapps welcomed Caitlin to their family on September 14th! CONGRATULATIONS! Big brother, Braden, is 2 1/2. They are living in McLean, VA and Ed wirks for Andersen Consulting.
Mark Sexton: We finally heard from Sexual!! He left the Marine Corps in August 2000 and is currently living in Chicago while attending the University of Chicago's Graduate Business School program. Says he's having a good time and school is certainly a little easier the second time around. He is also flying for the reserves in a squadron based in Norfolk.
Gardner & Michele Smith: Gardner is working for Corning and they live in Corning, NY. Daughter, Peyton, is 1 1/2.
Sam & Kathy Snow: We're now living in Virginia and Sam will be officially out of the Marine Corps on March 31st. He has just started working for Alcatel USA in sales. He completed his MBA through Boston University in August 2000. Scott is FOUR and Shane will be TWO in May...
EJ & Paulette Stohlmann: E.J. & Paulette are reunited in SD where E.J. is an instructor in the RAG.
BJ & Heidi Strouth: BJ and Heidi are having so much fun with Jacob Patrick (Jake) who turned TWO in December. They're living on base in Nebraska. BJ is enjoying the pilot life. Dr. Heidi finally graduated and is in her residency for pediatrics.
Jen Traum: Jen works at Candidate Guidance at USNA. She recently bought a house in Eastport. She's also dating a great guy named Doug.
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