usmma colorado parents association

USMMA COLORADO PARENTS ASSOCIATION
Representing Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming
Fall 2016
Newsletter
Congratulations to the USMMA class of 2016 on a job well done!
The USMMA’s 80th commencement ceremony took place Saturday, June 18, 2016. The 229 graduates receiving a bachelor of science and Coast Guard license are off to exciting careers in the military or maritime
industry.
Thomas Hill
Jeremy Guettlein
Weston Iannone
Kevin McMahan
Nathan Robbins
Gus Sawicki
Rachel Smith
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Class of 2016 Celebrations!
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Welcome class of 2020!
The annual Welcome Aboard Picnic was held Saturday, June 11, in Aurora, CO. We had 90 people in
attendance, including three recent graduates and nine of our 14 plebe candidates.. Graduates Thomas Hill,
Weston Iannone and Kevin McMahan and parents of our other graduates each received a mounted antique
brass bell symbolizing the bell at Kings Point each rang upon passing the Coast Guard Licensing exams earlier
in June. The graduates gave advice and answered questions for the incoming class of 2020. Outgoing Parents
Association President, Dainne Iannone was recognized for her hard work and dedication with a spa gift card.
Welcome class of 2020: Axel Bonney, Daniel Garcia, Micah Grissom, Keith Heimbrock, JC Henderson, Gregg Hermanns, Kyleigh Kappas, Filipa Martinovic, Michael Moore, Zachary Polliard, Zac Polukoff,
Ricardo Pruneda-Castro, Greg Royal and Mitchell Weller.
Kyleigh Kappas
Parker, CO
1st Company
JC Henderson.
Meeker, CO
4th Company
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Izaac (Zac) Polukoff
Park City, UT
Band Company
Welcome class of 2020!
Ricardo Pruneda-Castro
Highlands Ranch, CO
1st Company
Axel Bonney
Canon City, CO
4th Company
Micah Grissom
Parker, CO
1st Company
Gregg Royal
Evergreen, CO
3rd Company
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KP Life!
Congratulations to the USMMA class of 2017! First class midshipmen include: Spencer Blauw,
Emily Finnin, Danielle Garcia-Lance, Michael Havenar, Marjan Martinovic and Patricia Ormond.
Members of each graduating class design a class crest and ring. During the ring dance, which takes
place every year, each senior's name is called and the Admiral (superintendent) dips the ring into a bowl containing water from the Seven Seas.
In addition to the ring dance, seniors also hold a welcome back luau. This is the first time they all
come together since their plebe year!
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KP Life!
Coloradan Devon Klingman (2019) leads the Vibe Tribe in yoga stretches at Melville Hall. The group
meets two to three times per week in the evenings This activity helps midshipmen and plebes reduce
stress while improving flexibility, muscle strength and tone, while also increasing their energy.
The Solar Hydrogen House on Tomb Field provides
an outdoor space for a garden that can be created
and maintained by students and staff. The USSMA
plans to grow herbs, fruits, and vegetables that can
be used in healthy cooking classes.
USMMA sailboats Bandera and Phantom
competed in the 40th annual Around Long
Island Regatta. The 190-nautical mile race
began on a Thursday afternoon off Rockaway
Point and had a wide range of sailing conditions from the Long Island Sound to the open
waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Phantom crew, including Coloradan
Patrick Lyell (2019), second from the left,
finished second in its division after 40 hours
of sailing. The Bandera placed fourth. The
offshore sailing team practices every day after
school.
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Fundraisers
Our biggest fundraiser is the Reloadable
Cards from King Soopers and Safeway.
Membership Dues
AmazonSmile
Grocery Store Reloadable Gift Cards
Spyderco Knives
Acta Non Verba Book
USMMA Flags
Jewelry and Keychains
Christmas Ornaments
Gift
Here is how YOU can participate!
Everyone buys groceries and gasoline, so please consider purchasing Reloadable Gift Cards from the USMMA
Colorado Parents Association. These prepaid cards carry no additional cost to you, yet the Parents Association
receives 5% or 3% of each card’s value for our fund
raising efforts. Gift Cards are an effortless way to give
to the Parents Association. We use these funds for our
Midshipmen.
Please check the order form in this newsletter, and our
web site for prices. http://www.usmmaparents.com
We have the following Reloadable Cards available
for purchase:

$5 King Soopers (5% back)

$5 Safeway (3% back)
The $5 fee shows up as credit on your card.
The Reloadable Cards must be purchased from us. After
that, the cards may be reloaded at the register or Customer Service Desk BEFORE checkout. Any merchandise (except other gift cards) may be purchased with a
Reloadable Card. You can also use it to buy fuel. You
must continually reload your card as the balance gets
low. The Parents Association earns 5% or 3% every
time you reload.
Shop at Amazon Smile and a percentage of your purchase cost can be donated to the USMMA Colorado
Parents Association, a registered non-profit organization.
Use this link for your purchases:
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/45-2485360
Please see order form in this newsletter.
The buyer pays the
same as when shopping at Amazon.com.
Amazon will donate
0.5% of the price of
your eligible purchases to the USMMA
Colorado Parents Association whenever you shop on
Amazon Smile. You must establish that you want Amazon’s donation to go to the USMMA Colorado Parents
Association.
Spyderco Knives is another one of our fundraisers.
The knives are made right here in Golden, Colorado.
They make a great gift for your midshipman who is
headed out to sea.
Their knife sharpening system is ingenious and is the
best way I know to put a new edge on kitchen and hunting knives, as well as scissors.
Please check it all out at the Spyderco web site:
https://www.spyderco.com/
and then order through the Colorado Parents Association. http://www.usmmaparents.com
Acta non Verba book
by Mary Jane Fuschetto is
a beautiful coffee table
book with full page photographs from the Merchant
Marine Academy.
Flags
We have USMMA flags in stock, 2’x3’ and 3’x5’ with
grommets. They will ship immediately. Please check
the order form enclosed in this newsletter for prices.
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Wooden Ornaments
Parents Association Annual Dues
This is our newest fundraiser, an any occasion
ornament designed by Jean Larson, Kevin
McMahan’s (2016) aunt and arranged by Susan Wolbrueck. They are cut from balsa wood
and are laser engraved. Choose from three different designs, anchor, propeller design or a
combination of the two.
If you haven’t paid your membership dues for
2016-2017, please check the order form in this
newsletter to determine which membership
group is appropriate for you.
Your dues pay for
 3 boodle bags filled with goodies throughout the year, one for each finals week of
each trimester.
 birthday card and a holiday card.
 Plebes receive one ticket to CASAB,
 Seniors receive a commemoration bell following graduation
Anchor
Please mail payment to:
USMMA Colorado Parents Association
Attention: Chris Simoneaux
3064 Madison Ln
Broomfield CO 80023
Propeller
Combo
Price is $12.00 + $2.95 USPS shipping. They will be
available for purchase at the June Welcome Aboard
Picnic.
Pictures by Glant Havenar.
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Useful Links
Board and Chairs 2016-2017 Academic Year
President: Susan Wolbrueck, susan@caferace.com, 719-685-2475
Vice President: Wenonah MacDonald, wenonahm80127@gmail.com,
303-933-7997
Treasurer: Chris Simoneaux, chris.simoneaux@gmail.com, 720-245-5941
Colorado Parent Association Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/USMMAColorado?fref=ts
Colorado Parent Association Web Page:
http://www.usmmaparents.com
Secretary: Glant Havenar, realtormomrocks@gmail.com, 303-246-4552
CO USMMA Parents Association Membership:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1672451942974399/
Committee Chairs:
USMMA Parent, Alumni, Friends Information Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/
usmma.parents.class.of.2018/
CardsNewsletter-Lynne & Kelly Lyell, lynnelyell@yahoo.com, 970-214-1338
Boodle Bags-Jeannette Jones, jeannetteajones@comcast.net,
303-618-2413
Cookie Café-Dede Ormond, ormondll@gmail.com, 303-972-2551
Facebook-Lynne & Kelly Lyell, lynnelyell@yahoo.com 970-214-1338
Webmaster-Regina Miller, mregina@comcast.net, 303-484-8744
Recruitment Chair–Robert Miller, robxmiller@comcast.net, 303-484-8744
Colorado All Service Academy Ball (CASAB) Point of Contact (POC)Karen Heimbrock, five5ks@aol.com, 303-931-3113
Nominations Chair- open
BOLD=board member (4 officer s, Nominations chair and
4 committee chairs)
2016 Colorado All Service Academy Ball
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1557770654514632/
Kings Point Cookie Café:
http://kpcookiecafe.com/
Long Island Railway/Bus reloadable card:
https://www.easypaymetrocard.com/vector/static/accounts/
index.shtml
Ship tracker:
http://www.marinetraffic.com
USMMA:
http://www.usmma.edu/
USMMA Alumni Association and Foundation:
http://www.usmmaaf.com/s/1175/hybrid/start.aspx
Announcements
Next CASAB meeting:
 Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016
 1-3 p.m.
 Jeff and Bernece Johnson's home
 9952 Strathfield Lane. Highlands Ranch, CO 80126.
 Phone: 303-471-5630.
Parents Weekend:
Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016
USMMA Day at the Mets @ 7p.m.
FRIDAY, Sept. 2, 2016
7:20 a.m. Colors formation at flagpole
7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m. Land Hall open.
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Waterfront open for general visiting
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Mariners’ Chapel open for general visiting
11 a.m.– 1:30 p.m. Pick up boxed lunch at tent on Barney Square
Noon – 12:10 p.m. Lunch muster and regimental march-in
1-2 p.m. Midshipman life panel
2-3 p.m. Superintendent’s forum
5-7 p.m. Dinner in Delano Hall
7:30 p.m. Beat Retreat at O’Hara Hall
SATURDAY, Sept. 3, 2016
8 a.m. Colors formation at flagpole
9 a.m. Formal parade at Tomb Field
Liberty will commence (at 11 a.m.) for all eligible Midshipmen at the
completion of the parade.
Dress for Friday and Saturday is casual. Low-heeled shoes are
recommended.
Meals for Friday should be purchased through Crystal Enterprises and
must be purchased in advance by Friday, Aug. 26.
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Greetings, and welcome to the 2016-2017 academic year for Kings Point!
Our parents’ association is proud to represent more than 40 students this
year, from Colorado and surrounding states. I am slowly building my email
lists, and I appreciate your patience as I get more organized for regular
communication. You can always reach me by phone, 719-685-2475, or
email, susan@caferace.com. And of course, you can message via our Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1672451942974399/
When I took over July 1 as the association president, we were almost three
weeks into the sea year stand down, and the accreditation report from the
Middle States Commission on Higher Education was just beginning to
come to light. These recent developments have been shocking, disappointing and frustrating. Suddenly, I found I had to make time to do a large
amount of “light reading” as I like to jokingly call it. I have read and reread
the MSCHE report and a litany of Senate and House bills that deal with
defense, transportation and maritime funding. As news broke of the standdown, social media and other communications exploded with emotions, facts, and conjecture all mixed together to create the perfect storm of discontent. By now, you know that USMMA leadership has not exactly quelled this storm with clear and meaningful communications.
It occurred to me that I could throw in the towel. But I didn’t get far with that contemplation. Because as
all the bad news poured in, and with it all the unanswered questions, good news came, too. Creating this
newsletter, we have shared heartwarming and cheerful photos and stories of your plebes and midshipmen.
Are many of our children worried about graduating on time? Of course they are. Are the 2019s and 2020s
worried about getting an accredited degree? Of course. Has it stopped them from pursuing their education
and goals? Absolutely not. How inspiring your children are, and I am so grateful and fortunate to know
them.
I have also had the joy of working with Glant Havenar (secretary and CASAB co-chair) and so many of
you on the Colorado All Service Academy Ball (CASAB) committee. We are hosting this event along with
Coast Guard this year. Yikes! Surrounded by these smart, funny, and hard working parents has certainly
helped me to garner some control over my concerns. No wonder your kids are so smart, hard-working and
have so much integrity! The apple does not fall from the tree, for sure.
Lastly, our treasurer Chris Simoneaux keeps sending me orders for flags, knives, ornaments, and books,
which means there are plenty of folks out there who love and support KP. That is the clear message across
all platforms. While we might all have a different idea of how to solve these recent challenges at KP, we
all agree that we want them resolved as quickly and correctly as possible. I am working on that every day.
Would I rather be only focused on planning a potluck? You betcha! Which reminds me, stay tuned for announcements on the dates for our September meeting for board and committee chairs and general meeting
in October. I hope to see you all at Parents’ Weekend and look forward to your continued inspiration.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns, and I will give you my best.
Warmest regards,
Susan Wolbrueck
(mother of Devon Klingman, Class of 2019)
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USMMA Students: CO, NM, UT
Class of 2017
Blauw, Spencer
Finnin, Emily
Garcia-Lance, Danielle
Havenar, Michael
Martinovic, Marjan
Ormond, Patricia
Hometown
Strasburg, CO
Littleton, CO
Evergreen, CO
Palmer Lake, CO
Aurora, CO
Littleton, CO
Co.
3rd
3rd
1st
1st
Band
Band
Engine
Deck
Deck
Class of 2018
Barton, Alexander
Dietz, Kyle
Gramer, Emily
Groen, Alexander
Haire, Austin
Hartman, Tyler
Hegarty, Patrick
MacDonald, Douglas
Martin, Justus
Milafsky, Sarah
Strand, Charlie
Centennial, CO
Loveland, CO
Denver, CO
Arvada, CO
Ignacio, CO
Washington, UT
Parker, CO
Littleton, CO
Eaton, CO
Aurora, CO
Boulder, CO
4th
1st
3rd
1st
2nd
Santa Fe, NM
Strasburg, CO
Castle Pines, CO
Longmont, CO
Manitou Springs, CO
Fort Collins, CO
Broomfield, CO
Colo. Springs, CO
Band
2nd
Class of 2019
Baer, Henry
Blauw, Tyson
Bouchot, Andrew
Dubois, Martin
Klingman, Devon
Lyell, Patrick
Simoneaux, Corey
Sucher, Christian
Major
4th
2nd
3rd
2nd
1st
Split Sports/Extracurricular
Lacrosse
Engine
B
B
B
A
B
Deck
A
Volleyball
Deck
B
Track & field
A
3rd
1st
Band
4th
4th
Crew
A
A
Sailing
Sandhurst, Praise band, CFC
Class of 2020
Bonney, Axel
Canon City, CO
Garcia, Daniel
Albuquerque, NM
Grissom, Micah
Parker, CO
Heimbrock, Keith
Littleton, CO
Henderson, John (JC)
Meeker, CO
Kappas, Kyleigh
Parker, CO
Martinovic, Filipa
Aurora, CO
Polliard, Zachary
Brighton, CO
Polukoff, Zac
Park City, UT
Pruneda-Castro, Ricardo Highlands Ranch, CO
Royal, Greg
Evergreen, CO
4th
1st
3rd
4th
1st
Deck
Engine
Engine
Band
1st
3rd
Engine
Deck
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B
Pistol Club, Sailing, Christian Fellowship
Football
Wrestling
Volleyball
A
Football
A
Midshipmen Leadership Roles
First Rotation
Garcia-Lance, Danielle
Ormond, Patricia
Martinovic, Marjan
1CHRO
2PC3
4CWO
BAO
BC
BOPS1
BX
CAO
CC1
CHBC
CTO2
CX
EMS
PO
RAO
RBM
RC
RCGC
REO
RESCO
RESOPS
RTO
RTOA
RWO
RWX
RX
SEAL/
EOD
SSO
STCW
Zombo
1st Company Human Relations
2nd Company Platoon Commander Flight Deck
4th Company Company Watch Officer
Battalion Academic Officer
Battalion Commander
Oper ations Officer
Battalion EXecutive Officer
Company Academic Officer
Company Commander 1st. Company
Company Honor Boar d Chair man
Company Tr aining Officer 2nd Company
Company EXecutive Officer
Emer gency Medical Ser vices
Petty Officer
Regimental Academic Officer
Regimental Bandmaster
Regimental Commander
Regimental Color Guar d Commander
Regimental Evaluations Officer
EMS Commanding Officer
EMS Operations Officer
Regimental Tr aining Officer
Regimental Tr aining Officer ’s Assistant
Water fr ont Officer
Water fr ont Executive Officer
Regimental EXecutive Officer
SEa Air Land / Explosive Or dinance Disposal
Club
Str ategic Sealift Officer
Standar ds of Tr aining, Cer tification and Watchkeeping
Midshipman Ensign
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