Jim Orgeron

James (Jim) Orgeron retired from the Air Force after 20 years in 1989 in the rank of Lt. Col. He flew KC-135’s at Blytheville AFB and for a short period, RC-135’s at Offutt AFB. He received a graduate degree from AFIT which got him assignments at SAC Hq. and PACAF Hq. After retirement from the Air Force he taught in public schools for a short time then decided to change second careers and worked for the La. Dept. of Environmental Quality. He retired from the state in 2009.

Jim has been married to his wife, Lois, for 38 years. They have 3 children, (two are married) and 4 grandchildren.

James J. Orgeron — “Orge”

“Arriving at Columbus AFB from ‘Slack Slidell,’ La., Lt. Orgeron, or ‘The Orge’ as he is more commonly known (No one could learn to pronounce his name) immediately proceeded to drink his way through UPT…

A change was soon to come. After a string of multiple pinks in 38s, Jim decided to become a straight arrow… On the third day, he took off on a routine solo flight. Not being in his usual inebriated state, he saw no reason to raise the gear and flaps. At 280 he noticed the plane did not fly like it used to. He then remembered to retract the gear and flaps and came back and landed. He wrote up his error in the 781 and was promptly pinked for his honesty!”

71-01 Yearbook, page 49.

Dave Hartmann

Greetings Classmates of Class 71-01

Biographies come in all sizes, shapes, and numbers; measured by factors as diverse as we want. Here are a few ways to introduce “Dave” after 42 years:

• 1 = One lovely wife, Carol, of 43 years marriage — one grandson — one granddaughter
• 2 = Number of…, daughters and grandchildren — addresses of Oklahoma domiciles over the years
• 3 = Number of…, professional careers: USAF; commercial manufacturing; university professor — number of engines left operating on a KC-135 from which I was refueling in an operational mission over Saudi Arabia in 1980 [NO! didn’t contact the tanker]
• 4 = Number of…, earned academic degrees: Ph.D., MS, MBA, BS — my birthdate in June — date in June of graduation from USAFA — date in June of commissioning in USAF — pet dogs in family over the years — European/Middle Eastern countries into which I flew the E-3A/B

David H. Hartmann — “Fat Boy”

“Dave is one of 71-01’s most ‘easy going’ members, one who was able to make it through the year without complaining all the way. His steadying effect was felt by the class and he certainly did his best to make 71-01 the ‘First of the Finest.‘ One of Dave’s outstanding assets is his wife, Carol, who helped our class in many ways.

Dave was the first member of 71-01 to take advantage of Saturday medical services at the Columbus Base Hospital to correct a minor stomach ailment and headache, apparently the result of something he ‘ate’ at the first ‘Hairy Buffalo Party’ given at the BOQ…

We all enjoyed knowing both Dave and Carol this year and look forward to many years of continued friendship.”

71-01 Yearbook, page 31.

Ray Keating

It’s been an interesting 42 years, to say the very least. Twice married, four sons, two of which I adopted from my first wife’s first marriage. The oldest son, Kevin, is an attorney in Santa Barbara CA. The next oldest, Brian, is an Assistant Professor Of Physics at the University of California, San Diego. Funded by the National Science Foundation, he designed and built an infrared telescope capable of observing background radiation leftover from the “Big Bang”. He’s been to South Pole Station twice, to Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii, and, ,just recently, to the high Atacama Desert region of Chile to install these instruments. He was a winner of the Presidential Early Career Award For Scientists and Engineers in 2009. The third oldest, Nick, is a 2011 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY and is currently working for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel of Los Angles, CA. The youngest, Chris, is an automotive technician for a Hyundai dealership in Courtlandt Manor, NY.

Raymond Keating — “Automatic”

“Ray will be remembered as the man who barely got to classes on time, and then spent most of class time standing in the back to stay awake. On the flight line, Automatic will be remembered as ‘Mr. Dispatcher’ for his unceasing accuracy in filling out 900’s.

…As an individual and a motivated flyer, we wish him all the best in the real Air Force (if there is really such a thing).”

71-01 Yearbook, page 39.