from the president, rob van sice · rob van sice greeting guests at the stillwell house. to view...

Volume 2, Issue 3 FALL 20141

Volume 2, Issue 3 SUMMER/FALL 2014

From the President, Rob Van SiceIt’s been almost six months since my last column, and a good deal has happened since then. As I wrote then, “my job for the next year, as I view it, is to build on Barry’s success, and continue the upward vector in growing and solidifying HTRA.” I identified areas I feel require attention, and will now address each of those in current context:• Solidify Our Membership And Grow The Club Numbers: We now have 194 dues paying members.• Attract all Tucson Missile Systems retirees, regardless of the heritage company they most love: An issue that is more challenging than it should be. Thus far it’s a

“damned if you do and damned if you don’t” problem. I welcome suggestions that would be mutually satisfying to all parties!• Become relevant to the Tucson community through volunteering, participating, and contributing to worthy organizations and causes we can help: We delivered our donations to seven community charities, have rewritten our criteria for selection, and are looking forward to this year’s nominations.• Continue to be a group of friends and associates who share a common bond by gathering, renewing, sharing and celebrating…and just plain enjoying each other: The Stillwell event was a roaring success, and we expect the PIMA event to be even better. As a reminder, please join us at the Pima Air & Space Museum on Thursday, November 13, 2014 to honor our Veterans. Ticket cost of $29.50 (member) includes admission to Museum, dinner, and access to all the exhibits in the Flight Central Hanger. Our guest speaker – Retired Marine Corps Three-Star General Barry Knutson – has flown many of the aircraft on display. Our social starts at 5:30 p.m. (after the Museum has closed) and lasts until 8:30 p.m. The address is 6000 E. Valencia Road, Tucson, AZ 85756. Click on the Events Page to sign up. See you there! (Remember the construction on Valencia, and plan accordingly). Our Travel Committee is trying hard to provide great opportunities, but not having a lot of success in getting members interested. We need for you to fill out our questionnaires if we’re to be successful…Louie is trying very hard, but we’ve gotten NO feedback to help him. Election of Board Members is coming up. This year we will be electing five Board members, each will serve a two-year term. We hope you’ll get involved by submitting your name (or a friend who agrees to run) for the 2015 elections. You can also become a candidate for the 2015 BoD by completing the form you’ll find on our website and emailing it to [email protected] or sending it snail mail to HTRA Elections, c/o 9662 E Sascha St, Tucson, AZ 85748. You should receive your ballot in the mail during the first week of November, however if you don’t, they’ll be available at the November 13 party.

Inside This Issue:To go directly to the article below, click on the title.

From the President, Rob Van Sice

HTRA Board of Directors and Officers, 2014

Editor’s Note

Upcoming and Past Events

Photo Gallery

HTRA Guest Speaker: Lt General Knutson

Feature: Dr. Jennie Campos

Hughes Aircraft Retiree Association,California

Raytheon Family Group

Personal Transportation for Seniors and Visually Impaired, Americorp

Member Spotlight: Ed Cobleigh

Member Spotlight: Grace Rael

The Titan Missile Museum Tours

About Our Outgoing Editor: Dr. Mary Contini Gordon

Treasurer’s Report

How to Reach Us

Rob Van Sice

2014 HTRA Board of Directors

and Officers

Board of DirectorsBarry Abrahams Bob Dreher Mary Gordon Martin LenziniAnne M. McBride Bo Miller Lisa Ortmann Robert Van SiceArmida Waterbury

OfficersPresident Robert Van Sice Treasurer Martin LenziniVice-President Bob Dreher Secretary Lisa Ortmann


We have informally teamed up with our brethren in the Los Angeles area, Hughes Aircraft Retirees Association (http://hugheshara.com) to share linkages and newsletters, with focus on events and travel. They’ve been around since 1986. A short list of what I need each and every one of your help doing: • Encourage your retired friends who haven’t yet joined to do so • Bring those who’ve quit back into the group• Be willing to help our various committees• Be enthused…we’ll succeed if we really want to I look forward to seeing each of you at the November 13 get-together. By the way, it would be great if you could each bring a guest or two who fit the criteria to be a member but haven’t joined. They might just find they like it/us! Rob

Handing Over the Reins by Mary Contini Gordon

Welcome to the new format of our newsletter designed to be more web friendly. It has been two years since we launched our newsletter. It is a source of pride for HTRA due to all the people who have contributed articles and who have worked on it as staff, especially our proofreaders who wouldn’t let even one iota slip through in error: Kathy Dixon, Kate Fox,

and Dawn Avelinda. Also, people who took on special assignments such as Edie Hund, Hildy Steinbach, and Crystal Barker. Our photographers, Henry Knoepfle, Roy Chamberlin, and Steve Hanson, snapped away at our events so we could include your photos on our pages. And, of course, the one person who got me into this and stayed along for the entire two year ride. Crystal Akazawa put me on the spot at the first HTRA board meeting. We had worked together in California. I encountered her at Hughes about 1989 where she was part of the Publications & Graphics Department. We were embarking on one of the first ever corporate training programs about ergonomics with our company doctor. Computers were coming into heavy use and workplace injuries

related to improper posture at work stations were starting to emerge. This project took managing hundreds of anatomical drawings to create presentations and manuals that were used across the Hughes population. This was different from our usual presentations at the time. (Do you remember Harvard Graphics with the big block letters and few if any drawings?) Always patient, always creative, always professional no matter how different the demands, Crystal got it done—beautifully. It has been a pleasure to work with her again so many years later.

Judy Cameron and Anne Frye are taking over as editor and graphics designer in January 2015. Our newsletter is in very good hands. Thanks to everyone who made my two years memorable. It has been fun!

Editor’sNote

Our Legacy page from HTRA newsletter, Spring 2013.

HTRA membership tri-fold brochure, 2013.

Crystal Akazawa


Upcoming and Past Events by Armida Waterbury, Events Chair

November SocialPlease join your HTRA friends at the Pima Air & Space Museum on Thursday, November 13, 2014, to honor our Veterans. Ticket cost of $29.50 (member) and $34.50 (non-member) includes admission to the Museum, dinner, and access to all the exhibits in the Flight Central Hanger. Our guest speaker will be a Retired Marine Corps Three-Star General, Barry Knutson. He has flown many of the aircraft on display. The social starts at 5:30 p.m. (after the Museum has closed) and lasts until 8:30 p.m. The address is 6000 E. Valencia Road, Tucson, AZ 85756. Go to www.HughesTRA.com and click on the events page to buy tickets.

Member Appreciation Dinner – April 3As the sky glowed orange from yet another beautiful Tucson sunset, the private brick patio at the downtown Stillwell House was full of the sounds of planning and reminiscing as scores of members and guests enjoyed a Membership Appreciation Dinner. The beautiful Tucson spring weather allowed the lovely change from our usual indoor dining! The meal was delicious with complimentary beer and wine and was accompanied by soothing background music. This event did not have a guest speaker, thus allowing the evening for attendees to optimize socializing. If you want more of these events, let your Events Chair know how much you enjoyed this evening.

Photo Gallery: April 2014 Social

Rob Van Sice greeting guests at the Stillwell House.

To view more photos from the April 2014 Social, go to www.HughesTRA.com and click the photo tab.Photos by Roy Chamberlin

Having a good time at the registration table.


Lieutenant General Bruce KnutsonMarine Aviator to Speak at HTA Event by Marty Lenzini

What’s next for the US Military? Bruce Knutson, a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General, will answer that question as our guest speaker November 13th at the HTRA social at the Pima Air and Space Museum. He will also take questions from the audience. Bruce is a veteran pilot who flew combat missions in the F-4 Phantom aircraft in Vietnam. He was selected as one of the first instructors in Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1) and received the Cunningham Award as Marine Aviator of the year in 1982. Another one of his firsts was becoming the commanding officer of the Marine Corps Adversary Squadron flying the Israeli KFIR aircraft in 1986. In 1992, Lieutenant Colonel Knutson returned and took command of MAWTS-1 in Yuma. Major General Knutson commanded the First Marine Aircraft Wing in Okinawa, Japan for two years and as a three star general was Commanding General of a Marine Expeditionary Force and the Marine Corps Combat Development Command. He retired from the Marines in 2001. Today he serves as a Senior Mentor to the Marine Corps consulting with various Marine organizations. His talk is sure to be engaging for our HTRA audience.

Dr. Jennie CamposInternational Expert and Humanitarian by Crystal Barker

Dr. Jennie Campos, is the daughter of a highly decorated World War II and Korean War Veteran. She came to work for Raytheon Missile Systems in 2005. Prior to that, she was an international expert working for humanitarian causes across the globe. I met her at a Starbucks to interview her for HTRA about her extraordinary career. I recognized her, and thought I knew her. But before we go on, we need to talk about her father.

A Dad and a VeteranIn this month of honoring our veterans, let us pause to remember S/Sgt. Joe Campos and so many others who gave their lives for freedom here and in other countries. Jose Catano Campos, Joe, to family and friends, served as a World War II gunner on a B-25D in the European Theater. Joe was awarded the European-African ME Theater Ribbon with five Bronze Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, a unit citation, and the Air Medal with three Oak Clusters. While most men who served in WW II were content to resume a civilian life, S/Sgt Campos re-enlisted in the Air Corps (the precursor to the U.S. Air Force). In Japan, he found himself again a gunner, this time on a B-26. He took increasingly dangerous missions into Korea. On one of these missions, a violent thunderstorm threw all but one crew member into the Yellow Sea. Initially listed as Missing in Action (MIA), he was later declared dead and became one of the 1st six Americans who perished in the Korean War. Official recognition for him and other Korean Veterans was to come, albeit many years later.

Lt. Gen Knutson, US Marine Corps, 2000.

Dr. Jennie Campos, 2014.

S/Sgt. Jose Campos, 1947.


“Two countries stand grateful for Dad’s service. He contributed to the formation of a democratic South Korea,” Jennie says proudly. “It’s hard to express how I feel,” she adds. And so, back to Jennie’s humanitarian efforts, some on the behalf of democracy.

International WorkAfter graduating from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a doctorate in international education, Jennie started a series of international assignments. By the time she came to Raytheon, she had served in 36 countries. Just a few of her assignments and the work she did follow. Note the broad spectrum of work and the many countries.■ Trained national staffs including ethnic Muslim minority groups in post-war settings to

work effectively across cultural boundaries. Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America

■ Designed leadership workshops for over 100 Eastern European nationals identified as future government leaders. Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bulgaria

■ Aligned development plans with field realities regarding implementation for multi- and bi-lateral development agencies. United Nations, US Agency for International Development, Catholic Relief Services, CARE, and Save the Children

■ Prepared and trained team members to work effectively in culturally sensitive & complex country settings. Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank and Asian Development Bank funded projects

■ Conducted interviews and assessments in small rural townships to ensure that client/beneficiary voices are heard at government levels. Cambodia, Ghana, Tajikistan, Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Solomon Islands, Sudan, Tanzania, Swaziland

■ Led needs assessment teams commissioned by the Bush administration to establish Centers for Teaching Excellence throughout the Caribbean and the Latin America region Developed concept paper later used as blueprint for action

■ Co-authored a training handbook for worldwide circulation in the United Nations system, Who Are the Question-Makers? A Training Handbook for Participatory Evaluation, UN Development Programme

■ Pioneered the concept of participatory evaluation for the United Nations Development Fund for Women/UNIFEM in Latin America and Southeast Asia. The practice of participatory evaluation is now standard practice within the United States Agency for International Development/USAID

For Jennie’s very interesting and heartfelt own words about some of her assignments, see page 7 at the end of this article.

At Raytheon’s Innovation CenterJennie’s first assignment at Raytheon was in the iFUZION Innovation Center. She brought her unique international, educational, and anthropological experiences to the group. She came from a background which often depended on dealing with the ambiguous, and here she was with scientists and engineers who grappled with all sorts of challenges, often in prescribed ways. She came at the time when companies like Raytheon were looking at creative processes to find solutions to increasingly complex problems. For Raytheon this meant advancing its already world-renowned technical pre-eminence to affect positive world change. Jennie’s background in interviewing people of different cultures and conducting sessions on challenging, even confusing problems came into play. Her response to the inevitable doubt expressed by Raytheon professionals, already good at doing what they were doing, was to give careful attention to evidence; show her natural enthusiasm to impart knowledge; and make sure any process she imparted had meaning to all.

“ I think God made me to be fearless…no matter where I travel to work. Most of my international development work has been in what are referred to as “ fragile states” where there is some type of political unrest. ”

“ One learns to make use of whatever is available − the ground, rocks, twigs for making a point to a group of rural villagers in some remote African

outpost. So the “depression mentality” experience during my childhood has served me well... as a humanitarian worker. ”


As a Raytheon Six Sigma ExpertJennie’s next experience at RMS was as a Six Sigma expert. This position, drawing on her strong competencies as an educator, enabled her to work closely with Raytheon employees to sharpen their skills in gathering quantitative information. In addition, she taught methods that verified data and its use, identified and described both potential and existing company-wide problems, and made sure that any process employed was, in fact, appropriate before it became just more of the same ineffective process.

Influences in a Mining TownJennie’s circumstances of her birth and childhood in the small, copper mining town of Miami, Arizona, point to factors which held sway over her choices. As she says, “Miami was my first context, which often has a greater influence than later environments.” She went on to explain over coffee, “It was not the experience of being from a town with scarce resources that fueled my desire to make a difference in the lives of less fortunate people. In fact, when a visitor commented on what he saw as poverty, I thought to myself, “I did not know we were poor. I was deprived of nothing, having had enough to eat, good shelter, having enjoyed the undeniable benefit of two loving and caring parents, and having received a good solid early education (including attendance in schools on foreign soil).” She continued that the combined facts that she is Hispanic, like most residents of Miami, is a woman, lost a parent at the age of five, and was raised in a one-parent household are what influenced her. She decided early on to educate herself so she could bring her knowledge and talent to bear on the issues of poverty; to empower the disenfranchised, the disappointed, and the hurt; to help those marginalized by issues of gender, ethnicity, religious practice, or disability; to help children in war-torn areas and to provide education to children in need. Jennie is quick to point to her parents as, not just early, but enduring influences. Jennie will tell you that she feels only love, admiration, and respect for her mother. Her mother, Jovita Campos, attended nursing school after Joe’s death and supported her growing child as an R.N. Jovita—hard-working, honest, loving, and the first to support Jennie—attended Jennie’s Six Sigma ceremony at Raytheon headquarters and was singled-out for an introduction by Bill Swanson, Raytheon, CEO. She was the hit of the party. In 2002, Joe’s wife, Jovita, and their daughter, Jennie, attended the 52nd Korean War Commemoration held at the National Cemetery in Seoul, South Korea. In a moving ceremony, Joe’s sacrifice, along with those of others who had perished in the cause of freeing South Korea, was finally formally recognized. Her father was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, Aerial Gunner’s Badge, and the Purple Heart posthumously. They are now installed at the Bullion Plaza and Cultural Center near Miami, Arizona so that all can be inspired by his dedication to country and the ideal that all peoples, no matter what their circumstances, should enjoy freedom.

Travel of a Different SortJennie’s Bucket List, as you might expect, encompasses those activities which improve her ability to serve others. Learning remains a lifelong goal. Like most people, she includes travel on such a list, but she sees travel as a way to reach a population she would educate. As part of a strategy to educate policy makers, Jennie knows she needs to spend more time in a given country than an assignment may allow, so she stays. She sees experiencing the people, their geography, and immersing herself in the practice of their culture, as serving the dual purpose of enhancing the instructional approach she employs while ensuring that her formal

Jovita, Jennie, Joe Campos, 1950.

Jennie Campos with Korean War Veterans, 1984.

Jeannie Campos hosted by Korean War Veterans, Outdoor War Museum, Seoul, Korea, 1986


reports to policy makers worldwide contain information that extends beyond the mere quantitative analysis of literacy or the path back from war to those that form the lifelong desire to learn. So where did Jennie go right after retiring? To Kabul, Afghanistan on an assignment to help women. She also consulted for Creative Associates International in DC.

Starbucks TruthAt Starbucks. I asked Jennie for her resume. It wasn’t enough. Jennie’s resume reflects a life’s work that rightly commands respect, but it is unable to render her authenticity, generosity of spirit, and warmth. How lucky I was to talk with her! As it turned out, I participated as Jennie conducted a problem solving meeting years ago. I offer that the Jennie who effectively inserts herself whether in the service of marginalized others to make equality a reality, or in leading a client through a learning activity, she is best experienced in person. Thus the addendum—Jennie in Her Own Words, which follows immediately. As Jennie walked toward me at our meeting at Starbucks, I was struck with the thought of how seldom life affords us the opportunity to meet people a second time in order to tell them how much their work was appreciated. Such was my case with Jennie as I got to know her to write her inspiring story. I am grateful again.

Addendum: Jennie in Her Own WordsFrom answers to Interview QuestionsOf course, my professional life has been all about traveling to unfamiliar places. Flying into a country like Sudan, Tajikistan or Bolivia has never, ever been a fearful event for me. Instead, I think God made me to be fearless so that I would feel at home and unafraid no matter where I travel to work. Most of my international development work has been in what are referred to as “fragile states” where there is some type of political unrest. I actually find navigating unfamiliar terrain as a welcome challenge and a wonderful learning opportunity. I love being on the move. Being raised without a father, the main wage-earner in those days, did come with some economic limitations. We were not extravagant in our purchases, yet, I had all that I needed. Yet, I think I absorbed a type of “depression mentality” from my mother because (we share a home today) I am a very careful shopper and very aware of not causing waste. I can be somewhat of a minimalist and that’s a good thing when one works in poor, developing countries. One learns to make use of whatever is available - the ground, rocks, twigs for making a point to a group of rural villagers in some remote African outpost. So the “depression mentality” experience during my childhood has served me well in my work as a humanitarian worker. I’ve had overseas assignments that were from 2 weeks to 4 months. Some of my favorite countries are those in which I had the most difficult challenges facing me. For instance, working in The Balkans after the war in Kosovo provided me with some of the greatest learning experiences and some of the most heart-warming human encounters. In Kosovo, I worked with 20 young employees of Catholic Relief Services who represented all of the Balkan countries. The bombed-out hotel we stayed in lost power and water the first day. Despite the rawness of this situation, this was a time when I felt that our greatest resources was ourselves. In such a situation it is easy to touch the soul of another human being and base work on what is essential and what truly matters. In Sudan, the southern part, I traveled with a Ministry of Education officer in the midst of an insurgency. The town where CARE (the NGO I worked for) had its small office and my walled-in living quarters was surrounded by insurgent campsites. I was there to visit dilapidated schools and conduct a needs assessment. It was shocking to encounter schools in this outpost that had been burned down; school furniture

Jennie Campos with Afghan women, 2013.

Four-year-old Jennie Campos with her father, Atami Hotel, Japan, 1950.

“ On occasion, a hobo…would knock on our back door asking for food…my grandmother would, without fail, always make a huge bologna sandwich for [him] and serve it on a nice plate…”


destroyed; and Sudanese men leading their camels to watering holes along with their AK-47s. All of this to improve girls education. You are asking about the genesis of my interest in developing countries and my interest in aiding the downtrodden. I don’t know what the genesis of my sentiments or interests are…sometimes I think it was a gift, a blessing to have been born with a sense of justice – part of my DNA. I do remember one seminal moment, however. In the town where I lived there were railroads crisscrossing the town – the trains that transported copper ore in and out of the mines. Our home was across the street from the railroad tracks. On occasion, a hobo (for lack of another descriptive word) would knock on our back door asking for food. I have a very, very vivid image that my grandmother would, without fail, always make a huge bologna sandwich for the person and serve it on a nice plate with a large glass of milk. That image of the generosity of my grandmother and her readiness to help these strangers has been seared into my mind’s eye. I think that was extremely influential because I learned that giving is something that is done easily and something my grandmother did, hence, I should do that too. To this day, I find myself flipping U-turns on Tucson city streets to hop into a Burger King, order a large combo meal to take to a homeless person I’ve seen sitting on the pavement in the hot sun. It is second nature to me. My only regret about all of the traveling I’ve done for development work is that rarely, if ever, gave myself a day or two to be a tourist in any of the countries. So, I missed a lot but then I wasn’t traveling to these countries as a tourist. From a report on volunteer work with children in Tirana, AlbaniaToday is only the second time I will have been around Romani people. They will be children so I’ve little to worry about or be nervous about. My Albanian guide who works for Save the Children/Italy met me at the Save the Children gate and quickly cautioned me that the children will size me up quickly and will decide if they can trust me and if they want to spend time with me. I’ve come here to teach them about using chalk pastels and to spend time doing art work with them.I walked into the activity room where the children were watching cartoons on a small TV screen and immediately all eyes were on me. They were expecting me. What would be my first move? I decided to look straight at them, smile right into their eyes, and give them a quick wave…“Hi,” I said. Then, I sat down at a table in their makeshift kitchen. In short order, the most energetic of the children bounded over to the small kitchen table and put his arm on my shoulder. What courage; what confidence that kid had. What do I do? Move his arm away? No. I pat his hand with my hand and smile at him. He asked me in Romani if I wanted a cappuccino. “This small kid can make cappuccino?” I wondered. Yup, one cappuccino coming right up! I sipped appreciatively. The ice was broken. Later, into our pastel exploration, when I thought everything was going so well and the children were so involved discovering the wonders of playing with chalk pastel, the only young girl in the group started making unfriendly gestures my way and talking under her breath to the other children. They all giggled. Then she shot me her most expressive look of dislike, threw the chalk down on the table and shoved the paper out of her way. She was angry and angry at ME. But why? I sauntered her way and asked in English, a language she did not understand, to tell me about her beautiful picture. I gently gathered the chalk she had so angrily shoved out of her way and started to add some color to her piece of artwork that she clearly wanted nothing to do with. Then my most basic human inclination was to embrace this child so I stood behind her and whispering in her ear told her that I wanted to help her with her beautiful picture. All of this she did not understand,

“ …the only young girl in the group started making unfriendly gestures my way and talking under her breath to the other children. They all giggled. Then she shot me her most expressive look of dislike, threw the chalk down on the table…She was… angry at ME. But why? ”

“ In Sudan…was surrounded by insurgent campsites…schools in this outpost…burned down; school furniture destroyed; and Sudanese men leading their camels to watering holes along with their

AK-47s. All of this to improve girls’ education. ”


but I hoped she would feel and understand the universal sentiment expressed in an embrace and know that I liked her despite the fact that she was angry with me. It didn’t matter why. So there we were…two strangers…one foreign adult woman and one young, Romani girl standing close together when the adult woman embraces the child’s arms and hands to guide them to work with the chalk pastel slowly and freely. I talked to her in a soothing tone, laughed a bit as our hands together created a lovely, simple landscape of desert cactus. So, what was that all about? Was it a transnational misunderstanding instigated by an uneducated, young, Romani girl who was able to challenge the patience and logic of an educated, older, foreign woman? To this day, I don’t know exactly what it was. I only know that on that day; at that moment I only had the touch of hands to trust…and I know that once I embraced this young girl-child and transmitted the feeling of love and acceptance, she did she relax into my space.

How the Hughes Aircraft Retirees Association (HARA) was Formed by Chuck Clark, HARA Board Secretary and Newsletter Editor

Our BeginningsHARA formed in Hughes days. Now twenty-eight years later we are still active in California with 750 employees. Like your Tucson organizations, the group began with a few people. It started the day Dick Remy mailed out a notice about forming a retirement organization. Well, the response was overwhelming. We first met on July 17, 1986 at the Hughes Recreation Room on Imperial Boulevard in El Segundo. We distributed questionnaires which generated many suggestions for activities. With the untiring help of Mary Ann McClelland, then Corporate Manager of Retiree Relations, we were well on our way as an organization. On September 18, 1986 we held our first formal Board meeting at the Corporate Offices, and it became obvious that we needed a leader. That didn’t take much time at all. With a unanimous voice we chose Dick Remy as our president. Using pleasant persuasion we selected Mike Welds as our Vice President and Alice McRoberts, a reluctant volunteer, as our Secretary. Other members filled in the committee voids making a complete board. The Board wrote the HARA Bylaws and in no time we were ready and raring to go. So 1986 was

Dick Remy, Bob Parke, Lou Kurkjian, HTRA Social, January 17, 2014

“ To this day, I don’t know exactly what it was. I only know that on that day; at that moment I only had the touch of hands to trust…and I know that once I embraced this young girl-child and transmitted the feeling of love and acceptance, she did relax into my space.”


a memorable year with getting our Board oriented and flowing smoothly. The Board meets monthly at Kinecta Credit Union (formerly Hughes Aircraft Credit Union). For our twenty-eight years the Credit Union has provided the Board with a meeting room. It also sponsors our website.

ActivitiesIn 1987 we had our first golf tournament which was held at Harbor Park and it was enjoyed by many duffers. We hold quarterly general meetings at restaurants in the West Los Angeles area with interesting speakers or other entertainment followed by a nice luncheon and a 50/50 raffle. We offer foreign travel events such as cruises as well as short overnight bus trips.At first the Hughes Retiree News was published by Corporate. Later we decided to have our own HARA Newsletter entitled The Flyer, focused on the business of HARA. Our first editor was Joe Cryden followed by Marley White. Chuck Clark is our current editor. Our president, Fran Dailey, and our Board extend an invitation to come visit us, if you are in town when we are having a general meeting or join us on one of our travel events. Find us on the web at http://www.hugheshara.com

The Raytheon Family GroupBy Donna Rettig, RFG President

The Raytheon Family Group (RFG) was formed twenty years ago as a social function to assist Raytheon’s employee families who transferred to Tucson from Canoga Park, Texas, and Massachusetts. The group continues to adapt and now supports new transfers from anywhere In the Raytheon world, the members still actively working, and others who have transitioned to retirement. The countless friendships, some that began many years ago and some more recent, have also been valuable during many of life’s changes. There is a bond between the families that is unmatched in other groups. Popular events hosted by RFG include monthly coffees, craft groups, the book club, dining out, interesting explorations, social games, and annual parties. Charity work is also an important commitment as we give back to the community.

Bob Parke, Fran Dailey, Ted Westerman, HTRA Social, January 17, 2014

RFG Bowlers, May 2014.

RFG volunteers, Ronald McDonald House 2012.


Originally Human Resources assisted RFG in networking, supplied resources, and supported the newsletters. As support changed, we switched to electronic newsletters that are now e-mailed. The RFG Board is made up of volunteers that are elected yearly. Ideas for new groups and activities are always welcome. In the works is also a Facebook page, so that members can share news and gather spontaneously. We hope that all who are looking for more to do and to become more involved will come our way. Please visit our webpage at www.raytheonfamilygroup.org.

New Program in Tucson Provides Affordable Personal Transportation for Seniors and Visually Impaired

Tucson has joined 25 cities across the nation to provide dependable, safe, affordable, convenient, friendly transportation for seniors 60+ and adults

of any age with limited vision, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. ITNGreaterTucson is a new local nonprofit organization, an affiliate of the national Independent Transportation Network, ITNAmerica, and began providing rides in September, 2013. Volunteers and paid drivers have already driven more than 2,000 miles, providing more than 350 rides to doctor’s appointments, and local businesses, including grocery stores, hair salons, pharmacies, restaurants, recreation centers and other destinations that keep people connected to the things that they need to and love to do in our community. “With so many older adults living longer and aging-in-place, having viable transportation options paves the way for people to stay in their current homes and communities and continue to do the things they love,” said Kathy Wilson, Executive Director of ITNGreaterTucson. “Without such options, people often become isolated, giving up treasured friends or activities or making bad decisions about continuing to drive when it is no longer safe to do so.” Examples of the needs in Tucson already being addressed include seniors such as Mary, who plays bridge with her friends three times a week, and Joanne who just adopted a cat that needs veterinary care. Ken is a non-driver who saw his sister, living five miles from him, for the first time in two years. Alice loves to swim and is now able to get to the pool, to exercise and lift her spirits. John makes weekly shopping trips to restock his house and to socialize with some of his friends. “Trips like these have become much easier since ITNGreaterTucson came to town,” said Wilson. Family members appreciate that their loved ones can get to places safely without always having to rearrange their own work or other schedules to make that happen. As one member stated: “I don’t have to bother my daughter AND I don’t have to stress about whether or not I’ll get to my doctor’s appointment. I know I can rely on ITN to be there on time with a friendly driver to help me get there and to bring me home.” “Volunteer drivers are key to our success,” added Wilson. “We are looking for volunteer drivers who can make a difference by giving one afternoon a week, or a few hours a month. They will receive training, and ITNGreaterTucson will arrange driving assignments and routes to fit their schedules. For instance, a driver can pick up a rider on their way to work and do a good deed before the day’s begun!” ITNGreaterTucson provides dependable arm-through-arm, door-through-door

Drivers provide arm-through-arm service, making safety a priority.

ITNGreaterTucson’s volunteer drivers love what they do.


service 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Riders join, pay an annual membership fee of $100 for one person or $150 for a family and establish a Personal Transportation Account from which ride fares are drawn. There is no need to carry cash, since the personal account handles ride transactions and no tipping is permitted. Rides booked by noon the day before the ride cost $1.50 per mile after a $2.50 pick-up fee. An innovative program called Car Trade®helps members to turn their cars into equity to pay for rides. For more information about ITNGreaterTucson’s membership and volunteer opportunities, call Kathy Wilson, Executive Director at 520-209-1645 or email her at [email protected]. Visit www.itngreatertucson.org. for more information.

Ed CobleighFighter Pilot in Vietnam, His Account One project that I have managed to complete after I retired in 2002 was to write a book describing all the fun I had losing the Vietnam War. I flew 375 combat missions as a fighter pilot flying the F-4 Phantom out of Thailand to Laos and North Vietnam as a member of the famed 8th Tac Fighter Wing, the Wolf Pack. In War for the Hell of It I tried to avoid rehashing the history and politics of the war; that has been done better by others. I wanted to relate what it was like to fly, fight, and hopefully live there, and to focus on the sights, sounds, smells, and emotions of the mission. I wanted to give a sense also of living in Thailand. I tried to inject some humor as well; you be the judge of the results. Once the book was finished in 2005, none of it on company time I might add, I took a course at Pima Community College titled How to Get Published. The book business is, I found, very different from military aerospace. In my experience, there are no specs, intellectual property rights are honored without contracts, and you get paid up front before your book hits the market. The book was published by a division of Penguin books and the initial run of 10,000 copies sold well. It is now out of print, but is available from third party sellers on Amazon.com. My dad was in the US Army cavalry and when he passed away, all his stories went with him. At least when my daughters and grandkids ask, “What did you do in the war?” I can refer them to the book.

Editor’s note: War for the Hell of It: A Fighter Pilot’s View of Vietnam can be found on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Ed+Cobleigh. His latest book, The Pilot, a Novel of Fighter Planes and Paris, is in the final editing phase and will be out in 2015.

Kathy Wilson recruits volunteers at the University of Arizona.

Ed Cobleigh, USAF Weapons School, Las Vegas, NV 1972.

Ed Cobleigh, F-4 Phantom II at Ubon Air Base, Thailand, circa 1969.


Grace RaelAt Work Being RetiredGrace Rael came to Hughes Aircraft Company in Tucson in July 1985. During her 27 years with Hughes/Raytheon, she held many positions. She began her career as an administrative assistant in Supply Chain Management, worked at the corporate office in California, and obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees that gave her the opportunity to work in Publications/Graphics as a lead on many proposals. She also supported IPDS, the Project Management Certification and Program Management Education programs, and Program Operations in the EKV CEII Program. She ended her career in support of programs in RMS Quality. She says there are too many fun stories to share but she especially remembers wonderful times with colleagues! “Now,” she says, “I’m enjoying my new life! I have to repeat the same words I’m always hearing − I can’t believe how I balanced work and family life” − LOL! I got sick when I first retired by doing too much, but have recovered and am happy and well! “I’ve been busy with a lot of major house projects, and I’m totally enjoying family and friends. I spend time with my parents who are still in very good health. We travel together a lot visiting my family in New Jersey, Texas and New Mexico − more than when I worked, which is great! As an aunt, I’ve helped my niece and nephew move into their new lives in NYC and California. My sister will be moving here soon, and I’m busy helping her and I just helped her find her new house! “In my spare time, I started my own business with Mary Kay and love to help educate people on skin care, especially in the southwest. Please visit me at my website at www.marykay.com/grael, or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GraceRael . Call me to schedule a free facial pampering session! We also have great skin care products as well as nice colognes for men!”

Last Chances: The Titan Missile Museum Tours with Jerry Knoskiby Bob Dreher

Were you there? If not, you have some more chances. HTRA is sponsoring Titan Missile Museum tours this fall with the added unique opportunity to meet with our own Jerry Knoski to share his experiences as commander of this missile site when it was on active alert. It’s worth every minute to hear what really happened in the silos during the Cold War. This first session with former Titan II Commander Jerry Knoski (September 25, 2014) garnered many appreciative comments from his audience of HTRA members and their guests. Some comments were: excellent, definitely worth the time spent after the regular tour, very informative, much appreciated, and well done. Read on for more specifics.

The special experienceSome took the elevator. Those who could took the steps into and back up from the silo. After the regular tour conducted by a Museum Docent, Jerry spent over an hour

Spotlight stories are collected by Edie Hund. Contact Edie for submissions at www.HughesTRA.com

Grace Rael


filling us in on details from his personal experience and answering questions from HTRA members and their guests. We learned about the readiness responsibilities of the missile crews, the constant watch of every detail on the sites, the crew briefings, their morale and welfare, their medical and psychological monitoring, the experience for their families, some unusual situations, and even their food. Only someone like Jerry could paint this real behind-the-scenes picture for us. This tour was the fourth time I had personally taken a tour of the Titan Missile Museum, but I was eagerly looking forward to spending time in a separate classroom that the Museum made available to our group so we could reap the benefit of Jerry’s first hand experiences as a Titan missile site crew member and Sector Commander. Even though many of us were young adults during the Cold War, his perspectives added an additional depth of understanding of the severity of the situation, the US approach to it, and the dedicated service of those on alert. I had served in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) as a member of a B-52 Squadron that shared the responsibility of keeping B-52 bombers loaded with nuclear bombs in the air. This was part of our nation’s commitment to deter the Soviet Union from launching a nuclear attack on our country. Because of this, I was aware of the deadly serious nature of the Titan missiles’ role as they assumed more of the role from the fleet of B-52s in assuring that no nuclear attack would be launched by a sane leader of another super power. The Titan missiles provided that deterrence role until the Minuteman missiles became operational in 1987. I knew about the type of commitment that the B-52 bomber crews had, but meeting with Jerry was my first opportunity to talk to a person of Jerry’s stature and knowledge of what life was like being part of the Titan missile crews and their role in providing deterrence from a nuclear attack which thankfully never came. The motto of the Titan missiles Peace through Deterrence reflected their role in deterring nuclear attacks on America through Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). I am glad that we now are beginning to gain protection from intercontinental missile attacks through the Missile Defense capability that Raytheon is providing for our nation. To sign up for toursJerry is graciously giving his time to travel to the Titan Missile Museum site on four different dates during September and October to answer questions and share his experiences from his time at this site and the subsequent time he served as Sector Commander with responsibility for three Titan missile silos. If you miss any of these, he has agreed to one more tour. Please see the website for dates and times of all these tours. http://www.hughestra.com/upcoming-events

About Commander Knoski Lt Col Jerry Knoski retired from the Air Force as the Base Commander of Newark AFB in Newark, Ohio, in 1979 following his tour as Sector Commander of the Titan missile silos in Tucson. He was hired by Hughes in 1980 and retired from Raytheon as Senior Manager in charge of the Rapid Prototyping division of iFUZION when it was outsourced to Solid Concepts in December 2005. For more information about Jerry Knoski and the Titan missiles that were active and ringing Tucson from 1963 to 1987, see the two part story about Jerry Knoski published in the HTRA Winter 2014 and Spring 2014 newsletters at http://www.hughestra.com/newsletter

Jerry Knoski talking with HTRA Members, Titan Missile Museum, September 25, 2014. (Photo by Bob Dreher)

Names left to right: Bob Dreher, Rudy Milchak, June Foltz, Ern Pinkie, Mary Gordon, Theresa DiPietro, Jerry Knoski, Marian Richards and Mark Patterson standing in front of the Titan II warhead. September 25, 2014. (Photo by Bob Dreher)

HTRA Group at the end of our session with Jerry Knoski in Titan Museum Classroom, September 25, 2014. (Photo by Bob Dreher)


About Our Board MemberDr. Mary Contini GordonOutgoing Newsletter Editor and Board Memberby Kate Fox

Mary Contini Gordon joined Hughes Aircraft in 1988 as a Safety Training Administrator. During her career other assignments included being an Organization Development Specialist (1990-1993) working on workshops/surveys/improvement efforts in the areas of team development and customer focus. These efforts earned Navy and Air Force commendations. From 1993 to 1998 she was the Executive Director of the Hughes Institute for Professional Development (HIPD) and was responsible for corporate education for all five Hughes companies. In 2002 Raytheon moved her to Tucson. Shortly thereafter, Ray Webb tapped her to become the senior manager for iFUZION Innovation Services developing strategies to spark innovative solutions to customer needs. Mary retired from Raytheon in December 2008. Mary’s HTRA activities include being on the board of directors and newsletter editor. Some of her outside interests includes membership in two Italian speaking groups in town and hiking in places around North America with her adult children and their families. She has volunteered as facilitator for the AZ Technology Council CEO Network, served on church committees, and been a writer for the Tumamoc Hill Walkers website. She interviews fascinating local hikers on some of her daily round trips on Tumamoc Hill. https://sites.google.com/site/tumamocwalkers/the-team Mary and her late husband Bob have always been very proud of their children who, in addition to being successful, are very nice people: Greg is an international pilot who flies for the government; Dan is a PH.D plasma physicist working for the Navy; Sara is a chemical engineer and MBA who travels worldwide doing some work similar to her mom’s for a medical device company; Rebecca is an M.D. navigating the Canadian Health Care System. Mary has ten grandchildren. Other interesting items about Mary include that way back in grade school the nuns told Mary she should be a writer. Many years later she is heeding that advice. When Mary was at HIPD, she encountered Charlie Cooke (Indian/cowboy/truck driver) who, without the official power or financial backing like that of the corporate leaders she worked with daily, was able to galvanize people behind him to create a major impact on the Southern California landscape and to revitalize native heritages. She thought that she would write about him and his leadership skills one day. As soon as Mary retired, she walked into a National Park Service office and told the anthropologist there that she wanted to write the story of Chumash Chief Charlie Cooke. She embarked on that project with NPS collaboration. The book took 4.5 years of research and writing involving recorded interviews of over 75 people (Native Americans, NPS and State Parks officials, city officials, anthropologists, and scientists). Lin Conklin, former Raytheon leader and owner of Amethyst Moon Publishing, released the book entitled TIQ SLO’W: The Making of a Modern Day Chief, in paperback, on Kindle, and iTunes for Apple in September 2013. http://www.ampubbooks.com/books/tiqslow.html Mary has spoken about Charlie Cooke at many Southern California sites, in Phoenix, and here in Tucson over the last year and continues to do so. She was the first non-ranger ever to speak at the evening amphitheater venues in Sequoia. She did this last summer in between camping with six grandchildren. The book has received good reviews in several publications. It is available on Amazon, at the Western National Parks store in Oracle, at the Heard Museum in Phoenix,

Chief Charlie Cooke, TIQ SLO’W, courtesy of Phil Bedel, Sherman Oaks, CA 2002.

Historic Native American territories in Southern California, courtesy of James Mansfield, 2013.

Dr. Mary Contini Gordon


HOW TO REACH USWebsite: www.HughesTRA.comE-mail: [email protected]: HTRA, c/o 3690 N. River Canyon Road, Tucson, AZ 85750

STAFFEditor Assistant Editor Proofreader Newsletter Design Event PhotographerMary Contini Gordon Kate Fox Kathy Dixon Crystal Akazawa Roy Chamberlin Kate Fox

Columnists Distribution Crystal Barker Kate Fox Armida WaterburyEdie Hund Armida Waterbury

This newsletter is a publication of the Hughes Tucson Retirees Association (HTRA), which includes former and current employees and families of the Hughes legacy companies (CSC, General Dynamics, Hughes, HFCU, TI) and Raytheon. Membership $20 per year. Published quarterly. Articles must be submitted six weeks before the next scheduled newsletter is published.

© 2014 HTRA. All rights reserved.

HTRA #4

#1a. Original 2-colors Blue PMS 282CGold PMS 132C w/50% screen

#1c. Original 1-color Black with 50% screen to printon black and white laser printer

and at various Barnes and Noble and NPS locations in Southern California. Mary has started on a new book about the Chiriaco Travel stop on I-10 where General Patton established his desert headquarters for training troops to fight in a similar environment in Africa. Patton’s encounters with the headstrong Joe Chiriaco are part of the story. Mary feels she can leave our newsletter because it will be in the good hands of Judy Cameron and Anne Fry. In sum she loved her career at Hughes/Raytheon and now enjoys her new work writing about little known people who have accomplished much without the fanfare awarded others. She is creating that fanfare. Stay tuned.

by Marty Lenzini, HTRA Treasurer

HTRA financial position remains strong through 2014. This year your association has given donations to seven local charities, selected by our membership, totaling $1,995 and sponsored a membership appreciation event at the Stillwell House underwriting the cost of food and providing free drinks. The 2015 membership fee remains unchanged from this year and is $20 per person. The HTRA membership for 2014 is about 200 members. Your 2015 HTRA proposed budget is shown below.

Election Mailing $ 125.00Insurance 300.00Corporation Filling Fee 10.00Community Charity 2,000.00Web Expense 0.00PayPal fees 177.00Publish and Mail Directory 500.00Membership Cards & Mailing 150.00Postage 30.00Miscellaneous 150.00Total $ 3,442.00Income from 2015 Membership Drive $4,000.00Reserve Cash (plus any carry over $ 558.00from the 2014 budget)

Treasurer’s Report

Recreated Chumash Village, Nicolas Beach, Malibu.

from the president, rob van sice · rob van sice greeting guests at the stillwell house. to view...

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