The Combat Control Association

This is an excerpt taken from the CCA Controller Magazine, January 2003

CHALLENGE 2003

The Executive Committee, Board of Directors and the entire Membership challenge YOU to gain a least one new or returning Member during 2003. If you don't know, or suffer from the CRS Syndrome (Can't Remember Stuff), please let me give you some talking points from my mentally challenged quiver of arrows.

The Association began during 1975 with just a small nucleus of men which has grown to a database of 2,469 former and present day Combat Controllers. From this total database, a list dating back to 1953 is maintained of former Combat Controllers who have deceased which now hovers near 200. Two Memorials are maintained by the Association: One at the Combat Control School (CCS) and one at Hurlburt Air Park. This year, wreaths were laid at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC, and the Hurlburt Air Park to honor those that have gone on before us. Flags are flown over the Associations' Memorial at the CCS for different reasons such as: Deaths of a Combat Controller, Anniversary Date of Death, and Retirement of a Controller. A nice certificate is issued by the Association for this service. The widows of all Life Members are automatically given a Life Associate Membership without any further payment of dues. Since 1995 we have formed 58 support groups for those who aren't feeling too well, or for the families who have had Combat Controllers decease. Yes, get well or sympathy cards and flowers are sent from the Association, and attendance at these funerals is really encouraged. The Association is using the Special Operations Warrior Foundation for the educational needs for the children of fallen Combat Controllers. We conduct Reunions each year where upwards of 350 come and rub elbows with some of the finest people you'll ever want to meet with some outstanding guest speakers. The Association sponsors "Get Togethers" throughout the U.S. at various times during the year which are open to all. The Controller Magazine is sent four times a year with news of the past and present day Combat Controllers. A Membership Directory is issued each November with address up dates in the magazines. The Association sponsors three Awards for those now serving our great nation: The Richard Foxx and Jerome Bennett Awards which are given by the Association at the CCS, and the Lee Everson Award that is given at the Airlift Competitions. A Combat Control Hall of Fame has recently been established. The Association is on sound financial ground without any debt whatsoever. This year the Association donated $500 for the Run for John Chapman. The Association has a premier website that has an open forum, site news, newsletters, Constitution and By Laws, Membership Application and Renewal Forms, history and pictures. The Association also has a Store where items are available for sale such as: hats, coins, shirts, mugs, patches, stickers, beverage sups, steins and the like. The current Membership is composed of 636 Combat Controllers, wives, associate members plus honorary life members. This is not an Association just for older men; it's for the younger men as well. Regardless of their geographical location, if the younger men would like to make a difference in the Association they can do so by joining and becoming a member of the Executive Committee or Board of Directors. The Association would be honored to have the people that you contact to be a member. Please don't forget to mention the 50th Anniversary Reunion. The Association has certain members who care so much about Combat Control, the Association itself and their fellow former team mates they purchase Annual or Life Memberships for them. For the clueless, this demonstrates the obvious of such things as care, compassion and pay-back to the community, which are few of the things the Association is all about.

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SgtMacsBar Accepts Challenge 2003

Using the motto; Fifty New CCA Members For Fifty Years Of CCT!

SgtMacsBar Members got involved in bringing us all a little bit closer. Through the bonds we have formed in Combat Control numerous of our brothers were brought back into the fold bringing our brotherhood a little bit closer. As The Combat Control Association grows, we all become a little bit closer. These are a few of your accomplishments before the end of February 2003;

60 New CCA Life Memberships

11 CCA Life Memberships Funded By SgtMacsBar Members

$9000.00 Generated for the CCA Life Membership Fund

$1650.00 of the fund was generated by you!

We Increased The Life Membership Fund By Over 25%

In the process of bringing us all a little bit closer, SgtMacsBar Members donated funds to assist their fellow Combat Controllers in joining the CCA. There is no excuse for your absence and we want you a little bit closer. How the fund works; You fill out a CCA Application, which you can download from the CCA website. You then send the application to me; Mike McReynolds, 2500 Hillshire Dr., Columbia, MO. 65203, with or without a check, depending on your financial stress. Please make the check payable to The Combat Control Association, Inc. and The SgtMacsBar CCA Life Membership Fund will finance the remaining portion of your CCA Life Membership.

This is not a handout or a loan, but a gift that keeps on giving, to bring us a little bit closer. You may donate back to this fund as financial stress is relieved, but there are no requirements. We just want you a little bit closer. Please email me, at JumpMasterMac@aol.com with any questions. All transactions are kept confidential and if you would like to donate to this fund, please make the check to Mike McReynolds and mail to 2500 Hillshire Dr., Columbia, MO. 65203.

We Want You A Little Bit Closer!

A Letter From Randy Schlotman, a new CCA Member;

CCA mini meandering of the insane and good looking!

I received my CCA membership packet in the mail on Tuesday. Lisa and I sat there for several hours pouring over everything in the packet. There are so many names in there that brought back some great memories. It feels great to be reconnected to this fraternal order of brothers again. I always have been, in my heart and mind. Now I am connected in another way such as the CCA. Before I die I want to make sure that I have no regrets and joining the CCA and emailing, seeing and visiting old friends from CCT is just one less thing on my very small regret list.

One person had mentioned that he was in during peace time and didn't feel that he deserved to be acknowledged with all the great legends of CCT. I believe that we are all great legends in our own mind, Yet any man that has endured the training and played the game is truly a great man to make the sacrifices that we all have made. We could have chosen the easy route and drove a bus or swept the flight line or worked in supply or the motor pool, but we didn't. We all choose the high road. We saw the other side of the mountain. I for one am proud of anyone that wears or has worn the beret that no man can touch without earning it. Peace time or war time. We were trained to be the best and no matter what, we were volunteers 100%, to take on that which no other man could do or fathom. I strongly believe that if you have earned the right to wear the beret than you are a hero and a great man.

I often recall something my grand father would always say. " Should of's, Could of's and Would of's never did anything." He would also tell me that, "Randy, when you get to be my age you will want to be a grand father that can set with his grand children and be able to answer their questions of what did you do when you were younger?", without hesitation or any regrets. I for one know that when my boys ask me I can proudly say to them that I did this and I did that or traveled here or there; Even though I was in during peace time.

I'm glad I will NEVER be the parent or grand father that sits in his chair talking to the young ones and have to say "Well I could have done this or I should have done that or I would have like to have done that. But I'm to old now" Thank God for CCT, Mike Steinbeck, You and all my other CCT brothers that kept me on the right course in life. I tell my boys that I have seen and done more things in fours years of my life as a CCTer than most people will ever do in a lifetime. The best part is that when I tell them this and share stories with them it is not a lie and they think that I am the biggest hero in the world; Just because I was and always will be CCT.

Love ya Mac, Randy Schlotman

Note From Mac; It makes my day to know I made a difference, thank you for your kind words Randy. However, you mention my name with the likes of Mike Steinbeck, I'm truly humbled. A little know fact; I was Mike's cherry, the first person he ever had to write an APR on, and I didn't make it easy. He was also, my first trainer, so I blame all my faults on him. You know Randy, we served with some pretty good guys, and I for one, want to see them all again!

And Yet Another Letter From, Pat Hall;

May Grace, Peace and Love be to you and yours.

Hello everyone;

I don't usually do this, but since Randy Schlotman and I shared the same pipeline experience I don't think he minds. "Pil Sung", old friend. You may all wonder why that line at the top of my page is here. Well I received my CCA package a gift from you my brothers and this line was at the top of the first page. Mr. Trimple these are very humbling words and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I only know two people listed under the CCA Officers. And it was an honor to serve with Chiefs Jack McMullen and Bob Rankin. I hope to meet the others this year.

As this computer makes the world smaller, I have been amazed at whom I meet. On one bulletin board I visit I received emails asking for Mort Freedman and another looking for Charlie Rapp. Charlie I sent word, not sure you got it, Al Grammando says he has been looking very hard for you. I even got to chat with Dave Holcomb my old school mate. I am not sure what amazes me more with this group; The accomplishments in the military or their accomplishments in retirement.

As I look around I see Don Bueneman is a pilot, and Rodney Haselden is a General Manager of a global business. Chief Martens has gone from protecting the world to protecting our neighborhoods. I can still remember Chief Martens telling me I had to shave every day whether I thought I had facial hair or not! Bob Overland went from protecting me to protecting our nation's travelers. Bill Coffey is another that has gone from protecting the world to protecting our neighborhoods. We had no idea what we were learning and how far running a parachute shop or vehicle maintenance would take us.

How these men raised families and took care of the young men in the unit at the same time was a feat in itself! I managed to get myself on admin hold and deep kimchi in a matter of fifteen minutes and Chief Crutchfield got me out of it and on a plane to the states in five minutes. I think my lower jaw is still in the dust at Clark Air Field. Chief McCarthy set my entire divorce hearings on paper in ten minutes and thanks to his endeavor I raised my children. My girls asked me once how I was so lucky. I just told them God sent an angel and the angels' name was Chief! Ron Childress taught me the value of bringing home flowers for no reason at all.

Billy Howell taught me to lead by example and to pick my arguments carefully. I must admit I am a very slow learner. Billy and Chris Crutchfield had some tough shoes to fill. Or so some thought! They are leaving tough shoes to fill themselves. And I think they have made some fathers very proud along the way.

In my eight years in CCT I had only three First Sergeants; MSgt. Frye (374 TAW Clark), SMSgt. Blowers, and MSgt. Gathings. Dave Frye after getting me out of jail at Clark made me pay for the beers until I only had time to shower and shave and collect my LOR. Blowers and Gathings were always there when I needed advice. Sitting with these men and talking was like sitting back in Ohio with my father. When I had a situation with a troop or when I was over my head in operations they always had an answer.

Johnny Karr and Major John Cummings and Colonel Buck sent a sergeant to operations. I was over my head from day one. And more than once I took my frustrations out on them. I'll never know why JK never just gave me one in the teeth. JK always would hold me to task and taught me that sidestepping attention to detail would always bite me in the butt. I am now teaching that to my children, and we have seven. JK told me that God said to go fourth and multiply but he thinks there was a limit. I'll have to look that up.

Speaking of Major Cummings he is another one that put up with me since CCS just like Randy. I always received much more from Major Cummings than he ever got from me. If the President wants to fix the economy all he would have to do is log on to www.theville.com.

When you entered CCT when I did back in 1980 you were told that Pope was the Manchester road crew. Well we received a road crewmember at Clark, and his name was Bob Overland. Bob taught me that at Pope a young combat controller left with the basics so well known he didn't even have to think about it. Bob also taught me that I was big for my britches and had much to learn. The things I learned from Bob have never left me. And a lot of those things weren't just military related. It was because of Bob that I asked for Pope as my next assignment. Talk about a team rich with talent, just look at that Bart Decker! The least he could do is get a gray hair.

Now you're thinking the Clark team failed me. This is not so. You see when I arrived at Clark I was awol for the first week. When they finally found me I had to answer to Mouse Lyske and Allen Hooper. I had no idea why they were so angry. They wanted to know where I had been for seven days. I explained I had been drunk most of the time and getting a little sleep here and there. Now they were just fired up. They asked if I had remembered that I was to show up at work every day at 0700 hours. I laughed and said ah yeah sure. Well they wanted to know where I had been. So I explained that I had showed every night at 0700 hours and the place was locked up tight. So I would just change clothes and hit the town. Now they wanted to kill me. And I had no idea what Harvey Perriot and Eddie Howard were laughing about. So my first day was spent learning military time. So as you can see prozac had not yet been invented. So how else could they deal with me? That is right! They sent for Bob Overland.

Just think: Bill Coffey, Harvey Perriot, Chief Mike Steinbeck, Chief Jack McMullen, Mouse Lyske, Allen Hooper, Charlie Rapp, J. D. Burch, Gene Havens, Doc Jones, Eddie Howard, Johnny Williams, Tim Arcadi, Mort Freedman, Bob Overland, and Bill at the Shamrock for extra backup! All these men to watch out for me!! And if you think this was overkill just ask any of them. Just don't blame me if their eyes start twitching.

Well your all probably wondering where these roads down reflection drive came from. My daughter who is attending the University of Louisville just called tonight. Her future husband wanted to talk to me. It seems he has been thinking about driving across town to the CCT there. To be honest, I got a lump in my throat and I got sick. You see they have a child together. So this is the father of my Grandson. I know a lot of people here might remember Crystal. He said he has been thinking about it a lot. Then he wanted to know if I was still there.

My first thought was Puerto Rico. Then I thought about Billy Howell and Chris Crutchfield and wondered what their fathers had told them. I am sure that their words tower in comparison to mine. But then I remembered a wonderful email from a NCO from the guard unit there and how he shared with me the sense of family within the unit. And then I remembered that Danny Page, who has more guts than I do who came back in at a time when his country really needs him, was there. So then I realized that the support I received is still there. And just like me every man needs to make his own choice. So I just reminded him that I am blessed beyond my worth, I am still here. I also explained to him that many of my classmates are not.

He persisted that he was very interested and wishes to go and check it out. But as I have reached the generation gap and my tattoo "All the Young Dudes" no longer applies, I didn't understand a word he said after that. I have no idea if he is serious or not, time will tell. My daughter said she doesn't want a husband who ends up like me. She says one family member in the VA is enough. I just reminded her I have been blessed to share her life while some of the children she played with at Pope are blessed with fond memories.

I have not yet been able to bring myself to watch Black Hawk Down, and know I never will. While so many have been there for me I was absent when times got hard. I think often when young 18 year olds watch this, and wonder what they come away with. Nothing more sobering than being 18, getting off the bus in Biloxi Mississippi, and find yourself seated across the desk from Chief Steinbeck. He asked me and two other guys, "If you're not interested you're free to leave, no sense in wasting your time and mine." I was the only one that stayed. Was I stronger? Was I smarter? No, I thought I was smarter then those guys. I just knew this man was going to beat the hell out of whoever left. I even found them later and asked them if he did. I was shocked to find out that they still got to go to air traffic control school and didn't get beat up! I was the accidental tourist who signed up for the ride to get out of being a cop. I had no idea what CCT was nor did I care. Well it was one heck of a ride and Chief Steinbeck and the CCS cadre under Lt. Holmes did a fine job of preparing me.

While I have not discussed so many that have helped develop me as a man and father I am retired for the second time. Meaning I have much more time than most of you. So I just wish to say thank you all for this wonderful gift and it is nice to be home again.

Hey Mac, maybe I do need a hobby! Patrick Hall

How Do I Follow That?

I don't, but I'll leave you with this; There's no reason for you not to belong to the CCA, help bring us all a little bit closer! I Love You Guys, Mac

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