On 02/05/2009 - Mike Steele wrote:

Classmate: Hope you are all doing well as we enter a new year. A quick update on Citadel and Class information follows. It is organized around Our Class, Our Citadel and Your Contribution.

OUR CLASS.

Last fall Ms Priscilla Jones, widowof our Classmate Ed Jones' (Kilo Company), asked the Citadel Alumni Association (CAA) to sponsor a ceremony where the survivors of graduates could return class rings to The Citadel as part of the "Band of Gold" program. CAA accepted her recommendation and included it as part of the Alumni Memorial Service held annually during Homecoming. Priscilla and her grandchildren returned Ed's ring during the 2008 Homecoming Memorial Service. Many of our Classmates supported Priscilla by contacting CAA supporting her request and recommendation and several attended the Memorial Service..

Mrs. Diane Bruton, widow of our Classmate Mike Bruton (Golf Company), arranged with The Citadel Alumni Association for an inurnment service for Mike's remains. The service was conducted 2 February 2009 at 1300 in front of the Memorial Bell Tower Columbarium in the Thomas Dry Howie Carillon. A reception hosted by the family followed in the Holliday Alumni Center. Mike passed away several years ago. He asked Diane to keep his ashes until she found a proper place. When she learned about The Citadel's Memorial Bell Tower Columbarium she knew that was the right location. Since Mike passed away, Diane has been one the The Citadel's most loyal contributors...all in Mike's memory. Mike Bozeman, Dave Banner, Skip Atkinson, Bob Hall, Leon Yonce and George Gray attended from Golf Company. John Sams, Dwight Groggel and Mike Mercer also attended.

Our Class Battalion and Company Representatives will continue in their respective roles in 2009.Eddie Cole, 1st BN Representative, is looking for a member of Charlie Company to step forward as the new Company Representative to replace Charlie Reger, who passed away last year. Peter Curcio has signed on as the new Lima Company Representative. You can expect your Company Representative to be in contact. They will provide you updates on the Class and The Citadel, maintain accurate Company contact lists and encourage your participation in Class fund raising efforts to support The Citadel. I will be emailing you an update twice annually (1st and 3d quarter) and sending a hard-copy update twice annually (2d and 4th quarters) also. Please contact me directly or through your Company Representative if you have information you want distributed in these updates.

OUR CITADEL.

State Budget Update/Impact. On 13 January, LTG Rosa held a town hall meeting to discuss State budget cuts with the work force and interested Cadets. The slides from the meeting are available at:

State appropriations for The Citadel in 2008 were $16.2M. This year that was reduced to $12.5M with additional cuts possible. Next year the Governor has proposed an additional cut in State funded education that would leave The Citadel with $8.3M…50% of the 2008 appropriation! Needless to say these cuts will have a significant impact on The Citadel. College leadership has taken a proactive stance on how these cuts may be implemented. The plan calls for protection of the core competency of The Citadel…developing leaders of character for the State and Nation. There are several ways you can assist The Citadel in overcoming these potential funding cuts. You can help make the case against these cuts with the Governor and State Legislature and contribute to The Citadel Foundation and Brigadier Foundation to provide resources to offset State-funding cuts. If you know any South Carolina Legislators, contact them and help make the case for The Citadel…resources, messages and themes can be found at the advocacy website:

Get involved through the advocacy program, contributing to one of the foundations or both.

Citadel Alumni Association. Retired Air Force Col. Edward B. Carter of Dorchester, SC has been elected the new president of The Citadel Alumni Association. He replaces Gary Durante whose term ended in November.

Graduates Killed in Action. A memorial service was held 2 February 2009 for two Citadel graduates who were recently killed in action. Marine Capt. Warren A. Frank, Citadel class of 2004, was killed in action while distributing humanitarian aid in the Ninewa province of Iraq on Nov. 25. U.S. Army Maj. Brian Michael Mescall, Citadel class of 1997, died Jan. 9 in Afghanistan of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Jaldak. Their deaths bring Citadel graduate deaths in the War on Terror to 14.

Basketball Team. Last year's all-freshman basketball team has matured. Ed Conroy's patience, coaching and recruiting coupled with this sophomore team's playing experience and the return of 5th-year senior Demetrius Nelson has produced a 13-10 overall record and 8-4 conference mark. The team is on a 5-game winning streak, very competitive in the Southern Conference and winning their close games. The Corps is excited about their Basketball team. They are fun to watch. If you have an opportunity to catch a game, attend. You'll see a good team that will make you proud.

All-American Selection. Junior Wide receiver Andre Roberts has been named to his third All-American team. He was the top wide receiver in the Conference last year and held several national rankings. He was the top FCS punt returner, second nationally in receptions per game, third in receiving yards per game and 10th in all-purpose running. He'll be back next year for his senior season!

The Citadel and VMI just signed a new agreement to play each other in "The Military Classic of the South". The agreement is for 6-seasons home and home beginning at Johnson Hagood in 2011.

2009 Football Schedule.

Sep 5 at University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill),

Sep 12 Open,

Sep 19 at Princeton,

Sep 26 Presbyterian College,

Oct 3 Appalachian State*,

Oct 10 at Elon*,

Oct 17 at Western Carolina*,

Oct 24 Furman (Parents Day)*,

Oct 31 Samford*,

N.ov 7 Wofford (Homecoming)*,

Nov 14 at Chattanooga*,

Nov 21 at Georgia Southern*.

YOUR CONTRIBUTION.

The Citadel's fiscal challenges grow as State funding continues to decrease. The significance of fiscal support from Alumni has increased. In 2008, The Citadel Foundation and Brigadier Foundation exceeded their fund raising targets. Our Class was well represented in those efforts. Between the two Foundations, '67 contributed $219,000. $25,000 of that total figure went to our Class Memorial Scholarship. For 2008, our Class goal was not monetary but focused on Class participation in fund raising efforts to support The Citadel. Our goal was 70% Class participation. We attained only 39% participation. Tango Company had the highest participation rate at 60% with Romeo and F Troop exceeding 50% participation. Mike Company raised the most money. Our participation efforts will continue in 2009…Company participation goals will remain at 70%; Battalion participation goals will be 60%. The Citadel needs your contribution. Please take the time to make your contribution. You can do so on-line at just follow the instructions.

All the best to each of you.

Go Dogs!!!

Mike Steele

'67 Class Chairman