Sent to members of the Class in 2020

Dear Class of ’80 Classmates, 

Jean Butler mentioned in our Facebook group that ’75 is writing a book about the collective history of their class. A group of us (Jean, Kathy Hamblett, Bill Ramos, Dave Regan, Bob Weil, and Mark Yost) responded to that post, and we decided to start collecting information for a Class of ’80 book. Tim Powers, Chris Quedens and Ron Lokites have joined the committee as well.

We’ve been enjoying the flashbacks from seeing photos on our class Facebook page, and the book promises to provide flashbacks in abundance. Plus, we’d like to share our story as part of the “Long Blue Line” program. The way that program works is that each class writes a book for the class 50 years behind it. The class of ’25 will get the book from ’75, and ’30 will get ours (which will certainly be much more interesting than any of the others!) 

We would like to invite you to share your photos and memories using the channel of your choice, whether it be our Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/58513982782), a new LinkedIn group for our class (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13904580/), e-mail, Google Docs, or whatever.

If you share on social media, it would be helpful to post your photos in the form of an album with a particular theme. This will make it easy for others to comment about their memories of that event and share their own photos of it, too.

We offer the following table of contents to help generate ideas. If you could use a hashtag (see suggestions), that will help to index the information for our history project.

1. Before the Academy, #precga80
   1.     1.1.Deciding to apply
   2.     1.2.The application process
   3.     1.3.Getting accepted
   4.     1.4.Getting ready to attend
2. At the Academy
   1.     2.1.Reporting-In Day, #firstdaycga80
   2.     2.2.Swearing-In Ceremony, #oathcga80
   3.     2.3.Swab summer, #sweatcga80
   4.     2.4.Cadet cruises, #atseacga80
   5.     2.5.Sports, #gobearscga80
   6.     2.6.Swab year, #noexcusesircga80
   7.     2.7.Academics, #beardowncga80
   8.     2.8.Formal dances, #boogiecga80
   9.     2.9.Liberty, #sosweetcga80
   10.     2.10.Discipline, #bustedcga80
   11.     2.11.Chase Hall shenanigans, #rackhijinkscga80
   12.     2.12.Summer training, #coolstuffcga80
   13.     2.13.Cadet leadership, #goldstarscga80
   14.     2.14.Dining-In, #knifeandforkcga80
   15.     2.15.Billet night, #highstakescga80
   16.     2.16.1/c Graduation/ Reception/ Formal, #wediditcga80
3. Classmates that left before graduation, #wheredtheygocga80
4. First assignment, #ensignscga80
5. Careers after graduating
   1.     5.1.Five-year mark, #stayorgocga80
   2.     5.2.Major events in Coast Guard history
      1.     5.2.1.Prinsendam rescue, #prinsendamcga80
      2.     5.2.2.Mariel boatlift, #marielcga80
      3.     5.2.3.Haitian migrant interdiction ops, #hmiocga80
      4.     5.2.4.War on drugs, #drugwarcga80
      5.     5.2.5.LORAN Station Lampedusa attacked, #lampedusacga80
      6.     5.2.6.Exxon Valdez oil spill, #blighreefcga80
      7.     5.2.7.Loma Prieta Earthquake, #lomaprietacga80
      8.     5.2.8.Desert Shield, #desertshieldcga80
      9.     5.2.9.Desert Storm, #desertstormcga80
      10.     5.2.10.Flood of ’93, #opbuckshotcga80
      11.     5.2.11.USCGC Bear Kosovo Op, #kosovocga80
      12.     5.2.12.Attacks of 9/11/01, #forgarycga80
      13.     5.2.13.Maritime homeland security, #newnormal80
      14.     5.2.14.Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, #gwotcga80
      15.     5.2.15.Transfer to DHS, #byedotcga80
      16.     5.2.16.Hurricane Katrina, #katrinacga80
      17.     5.2.17.Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, #deepwaterspillcga80
      18.     5.2.18.Deepwater USCG program, #loysthemancga80
   3.     5.3.Other major events of our time
      1.     5.3.1.Women in the military, #wewerefirstcga80
      2.     5.3.2.AIDS epidemic, #aidscga80
      3.     5.3.3.The internet, #wwwhappenedcga80
      4.     5.3.4.The end of the cold war, #wallfallscga80
      5.     5.3.5.Granada invasion, #granadacga80
      6.     5.3.6.Panama invasion, #noriegacga80
      7.     5.3.7.Hurricanes and storms, #heavywxcga80
      8.     5.3.8.Oklahoma City bombing, #okcitycga80
      9.     5.3.9.Don’t ask, don’t tell policy, #dadtcga80
   4.     5.4.Careers outside of USCG, #wadjadocga80
   5.     5.5.Class of ’80 activities
      1.     5.5.1.Reunions at CGA, #octatfarmcga80
      2.     5.5.2.Get-togethers, #good2cucga80
   6.     5.6.Our lives
      1.     5.6.1.Family, #familycga80
      2.     5.6.2.Friends, #friendscga80
      3.     5.6.3.Kids and grandkids, #youngunscga80
      4.     5.6.4.Faith journey, #faithcga80
      5.     5.6.5.Music, #thebeatcga80
      6.     5.6.6.Hobbies, #diycga80
      7.     5.6.7.Travels, #gocga80
      8.     5.6.8.Retirement, #stillcrazycga80

Thank you, classmates and all the best to you and yours.

Sincerely,

Jean, Kathy, Bill, Dave, Bob, Chris, Tim, Ron and Mark

Proposed "DRAFT" Introduction

Introduction to Class of '80 collective history

By Robert Weil

On 28 June 1976, 327 young men and women from across the United States and the Philippine Islands entered the gate of the United States Coast Guard Academy to form the Class of 1980. We want to publish our collective fifty year history, a story worthy of telling. Told in the "Old Tradition" of publishing a year book and accompanied by the "New Horizon" of a multi-media site to mentor the U.S. Coast Guard Academy class of 2030 as they graduate and set out upon the uncertain waters of a future we will not see.

"Old Traditions, New Horizons" is the Class of 1980's motto. We did find another way neither hard left nor hard right. We individually chose an institution deeply steeped in tradition, and we collectively altered it forever in historic fashion. All of the U.S Military academies admitted women as cadets in 1976, but the U.S.Coast Guard Academy was the only one to do so willingly, without Congressional mandate and our alma mater integrated women to a far greater degree than any of the others. Perhaps this influenced us as a class. It seems that we embraced the higher ideas of our elders but not necessarily their methods. We set our course for the future with the self-discipline that comes through serious, traditional training. We set sail with open minds and a watchful eye for sea change

When one comes of age, a certain choice lies ahead. What to do about tradition, the ways of the past?

Many modern ideas may seem to suggest that traditions are just the vain imaginings of an older generation that should be relegated to the dust bin of history. Yet there is a comfortable appeal to the familiar, the tried and true. Some would say to embrace the was of past generations. to love them and be loval to them. Even to defend the established order against any threats or insults. Which path to take? Go left or go right? Is there another way?

It has been said that one's worldview is largely influenced by what one sees and experiences when one is ten years old. For many in U.S. Coast Guard Academy Class of 1980, that was the year 1968. It was mostly a bad year for traditional ways. A wise and good man, Martin Luther King, Jr. lost his life senselessly.

The reputation of the U.S. military as well as the Office of the President was badly tarnished by events in Vietnam, including the massacre of civilians at My Lai. Robert "Bobby" Kennedy, an outspoken advocate for reform, was assassinated during his run for the power of the presidency. Yet, at the same time, the self-disciplined and tightly regulated folks at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration were making remarkable progress on their quest to put a man on the moon. With their slide rules and rigorous thinking, based on hard lessons learned from tragic failures, they would soon accomplish something that had never been done before or repeated since.

We hope that our story may inform and inspire future generations from all walks of life who want to find a way to new horizons without forsaking the wisdom that has come down through tradition. Young men and women, may you do so "with stout hearts and sound minds and a liking for the sea and it's lore!"