COMARA Newsletter - November 2008

Dues, Dues, Dues

If you haven't paid dues for 2008 yet, why not send a $20 check for 2008 and 2009? Checks are payable to "Comara," put "Dues" on the memo line, and send to COMARA, PO Box 34594, Bethesda, MD 20827

Dues have been $10 a year for several years now. If you haven't paid dues in some time, your $20 check will help support the organization through December 2009. The Board is very frugal with the dues that are received. Tom Kirkendall (and Dick Arndt) keep detailed records. Our largest expense is USPS mailings to members without email addresses. Other expenses include the web hosting company for the COMARA.org web site and postage. Social functions are self-supporting, but if attendance does not meet the expectations, the treasury covers any remaining balance. We maintain a "modest" balance reserved for initial legal advice should action to protect future benefits become necessary. The Directors receive no compensation.

Events

National Philharmonic Orchestra Concert at Strathmore Feb. 28, 2009

COMARA will once again host a National Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Strathmore in its 2008-09 season and have the use of the wonderful VIP Lounge just off the concert hall. Our concert this coming season will be on Saturday, February 28, 2009, and will feature the Rodrigo "Concierto de Aranjuez," a very melodic piece for guitar and orchestra. (Jack Hannon guarantees that you will love it!) Also on the program is the short Prokofiev Symphony No. 1, the "Classical Symphony," and Ravel's Mother Goose Suite. The financial arrangements have changed, because another group defaulted and left Strathmore with a whole passel of empty seats at a sold-out concert. This year premier tickets will cost $39.20 each. This still represents a 20% discount off the regular ticket prices, and is a considerable bargain for a top-level symphony concert in the D.C. area at a very attractive venue. Contact Jack Hannon with any questions: 703-505-3385 (C). Do note that members of the INTELSAT Retiree Assn. have been invited to join us; you may know many of them, respected colleagues of a former time. Please reserve early and relieve our President's angst over reserving 40 orchestra seats at the concert. To lock in the favorable $39.20 rate per orchestra seat, send your check payable to "COMARA" to

COMARA
PO Box 34594
Bethesda, MD 20827

prior to Jan 15. 2009. The cost is $42.50 from Jan 16-31, 2009. Sorry, no seats will be available thereafter because Strathmore needs to know our requirements early and not leave prime seats vacant at concert time.

Jeff Binckes Solo Piano Concert Monday, Dec. 1

Over the years many of you have enjoyed hearing Jeff Binckes, a true COMSAT community "virtuoso," in concert recitals, often on a Steinway grand piano. Jeff has been working hard on this avocation since his retirement. We are excited to announce his upcoming lecture and recital: "My Favorite Works of Chopin," including a selection of Chopin Preludes, Etudes, Valses, etc. and a brief commentary about Chopin's life and the impact of his shorter compositions on pianism, to occur Monday, December 1st, at the Jewish Community Center in Rockville (Kreeger Auditorium).

The Jewish Community Center is located at the intersection of Montrose Road and Executive Blvd, about 1-2 blocks west of Rockville Pike. (Montrose becomes Randolph Road on the East side of Rockville Pike). The Kreeger features a very fine, recently rebuilt Steinway Concert Grand , and the hall acoustics, lighting and sound system are excellent, everything having been rebuilt a couple of years ago. Allow time for parking because, although the lot is large, there are many activities at the center and parking tends to be sparse during the middle of the day.

While this is a pre-paid subscription event, Jeff was told that any and all "guests of the artist" are quite welcome to attend with no charge. The doors of Kreeger Auditorium will be open at 1:30 pm., and the program will start at 1:40 pm. It concludes at about 2:30 pm. Jeff concludes his note by saying "It would be great to see a couple of friendly faces from COMSAT in the audience."

Jeff Binckes

First Wednesday in December at Roy's Restaurant in Gaithersburg

Well folks, it's about that time of the year again. I'm talking about the annual 1st Wednesday in December COMSAT "old-timers" get-together at Roy's Place (2 E. Diamond Ave) in Gaithersburg, MD (6:30ish)[301-948-5548]. It is a completely unofficial and informal event. The attendance last year was down due to bad weather, but those who could get there enjoyed reminiscing and seeing old friends. This event started with members and spouses of the Microwave Lab at COMSAT Labs but has expanded to include all of Comsat. An RSVP is not necessary, but it would be nice to get some type of head count. Please let Ron Johnson know you are coming. Send email to ronaldj (at erols.com) or call -- Ron Johnson -- (W 240-215-1200 x4445)

See the Roy's Place menu at www.roysplacerestaurant.com/menu.html. The web site includes history, humor and directions.

Pictures from the 2008 Social Held at That's Amore

The 2008 COMARA Social was held September 28 at That's Amore in Rockville (Shady Grove Road). We had a good turnout, and the Redskins won while we were having a good time. A short business was included. Tom Kirkendall, Denis Curtin, and Bob Kinzie were introduced as the newest elected Directors. Jack Hannon continues as President, Irv Dostis continues as Vice-President, and Tom Kirkendall continues as Treasurer for the 2008-2009 term. The excellent food and a very comfortable room helped make this a memorable event.

Paul Schrantz provided copies of pictures he took at the Social. A link to these pictures has been added to the comara.org home page. Thanks to Paul for providing pictures once again.

Permanent Hall of Fame for Satellite Communications

On November 13, 2008 Ed Horowitz, former President of SES Americom, Robert Bell, Exec. Director of SSPI, and Joe Pelton meet with the officers of the NY Hall of Science to discuss collaboration on the Permanent Satellite Hall of Fame. A further meeting with the US Space and Rocket Center is currently being scheduled for December if possible.

If you think you could help us in our approach to the satellite industry or museums and universities we would very much like to hear from you.

Please call Joe Pelton 703 536-6985 or contact jpelton@gwu.edu or any other member of the committee. Many thanks.

Benefits

Retiree Medical Benefits for 2009

The good news, of course, is that Lockheed Martin is again offering a wide range of medical plans, including prescription drug coverage, to their retirees, even as some companies are beginning to drop this coverage altogether. They are also offering the same dental plan.

Just prior to the first election deadline, with further inputs from both Lockheed Martin and Aetna, for which we are grateful, we provided some comparison between the old reliable "Medicare Plus Catastrophic Plan 076," in which many of us are enrolled, with the newly-proposed "Medicare Direct Access Plan 850." We will not repeat this now since you will find it all on the COMARA website and besides the "first" election deadline has passed. However, a Lockheed Martin HR official has indicated that "there is a final enrollment period that will reopen on November 18 and run through December 5 where elections or changes can be made for 2009."

If you elect the new 850 plan, we would be interested to hear about your experience with the plan in 2009. So stay in touch.

Jack Hannon

In The News

Rob Briskman Awarded the 2008 IEEE AESS Pioneer Award

Sirius XM Radio announced on Aug. 21, 2008, that Technical Executive Rob Briskman, the firm's co-founder, has been chosen as the 2008 recipient of the IEEE AESS Pioneer Award. The award ceremony was held in Bologna, Italy in late August during the Advanced Satellite Mobile Systems Conference (ASMS 2008).

The Pioneer Award has been given annually since 1949 to an individual or team for contributions significant to introducing electronic or aerospace systems that are of interest to society and that are still in existence today. Rob, known to many of you, was honored for the development of commercial communications and broadcast satellites over the past 40 years. Sincerest congratulations, Rob!

MARISAT F-2 Removed From Service After 32 Years!!!

Satellite News Daily said it well:

With a FCC Filing on October 21st by INTELSAT North America LLC, the long life of the MARISAT F-2 satellite is coming to an end. The filing requests a start date of October 29th, continuing for 30 days, to de-orbit the MARISAT-2 satellite from its orbital slot at 33.9°W. with TT&C (telemetry, tracking and control) to be performed. This satellite, which was launched in October of 1976, has performed superbly for 32 years, but recently, the deterioration of the telecommand link caused concerns for INTELSAT. The MARISAT F-2 will now be de-orbited to a perigee 200 km higher than synchronous altitude, based on the Company's propellant accounting and the satellite's recent performance during other maneuvers.

MARISAT F-2 offered global maritime communications when launched in October of 1976 and was the second member of a 3-satellite system, all launched that year. The satellites were manufactured by Hughes Aircraft Company and became the first global maritime system. Their initial geosynchronous orbits were at 15°W, 176°E, and 72.5°E. All were launched aboard a Delta-2914 from Cape Canaveral by NASA under contract with COMSAT General. The satellite provided the commercial shipping industry with 24-hour high-quality communication channels, improving ship-to-shore control, which previously had sometimes lapsed for as much as 48 hours. An outstanding performance.

The editors send sincerest congratulations to Denis Boiter, Sr. Program Manager at INTELSAT General, who nursed the satellite along during its last years. Denis, well done "in the finest tradition!" Denis said in an Oct. 30 e-mail,"I need to thank all the Ancient Mariners for keeping me employed this long. Your names and personal notations are still spread throughout the documentation that I've been using."

News From Colleagues - Keeping In Touch
Two Who Settled Aboard: Howard Briley and Dick Smith

Howard Briley, World Systems (France) --

"After leaving COMSAT, I became a full-time retiree spending my time between USA and France. My wife, at the time of my retirement, had serious medical problems so we decided it would be in our interests to move from McLean to the retirement community-Air Force Village at San Antonio, Texas. After several stays at the nearby Air Force hospital, her condition continued to deteriorate and she passed away in June 1990. Some time later, I traveled to France to again meet one of our friends, which ended in my marrying another French lady in October 1991."

We maintained our residency in Air Force Village while beginning a program of six months in San Antonio (October to March) and six months in France(April to September) where we settled in Divonne-les-Bains, a short distance from Geneva, Switzerland. Why Divonne?!!! I knew the area very well after the time -12 1/2 years. I was with ITT Worldcom in Geneva. In addition, my wife, Michelle, knew the area from her childhood and had family in the vicinity.

This schedule of six months in San Antonio/six months in Divonne became more difficult as we added years so, in 2002, we gave up residency at Air Force Village and moved full-time to Divonne-a lovely area with Lake Geneva just 10 minutes away, the Alps opposite our apartment, and Mont Blanc-the highest, snow-capped Alps mountain-in full view.

Since settling here in 1991, we have spent each June on vacation in Normandy where we have had the pleasure every year of showing visitors (mostly American) the June 1944 invasion beaches, the related museums, the American Cemetery, the city of Cherbourg and a lot of Normandy. The question now becomes, with added years, how long can we continue with Normandy in June or must we accept full-time retirement in Divonne? Time will tell!!!!"       Howard

Dick Smith, Labs (Scotland)

As regards Scotland, it's a long story. Briefly, I met my wife at a dance at the Manakee Unitarian church-hall in Rockville. As it turned out she was born in Scotland, and her family emigrated to the US in 1948 when she was 8 years old. My grandparents, coincidentally, were born in Aberdeen, Scotland. My grandfather was a loom "tenter", and my grandmother was a weaver; both worked in the woolen mills in Dundee, Scotland. In the early 1900s, they emigrated to the USA to work in the woolen mills in Lawrence Mass.

When I left COMSAT in 1983, I went to work for the Mitre Corp. in McLean and worked as a Mitre contractor for the "Agency" in McLean and later for the sister "Agency" at Fort Meade. In 1992, Mitre sent me to Augsburg, Germany, to work as a contractor on classified computer networking projects for the US Army (Defense Intelligence Agency). While working in Augsburg from 1992 thru 1995, my wife and I traveled every weekend (work schedule permitting) and on holiday, to nearby countries in western Europe, including Scotland and the rest of the UK.

On one of our trips, we went to St Andrews (home of golf), and on to Crail, one of the pretty fishing villages on the east coast. "Google it," and have a look!
[Or try this: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/crail/crail/index.html.]

In 1994 while still in Germany contemplating retirement, we decided to buy a "holiday" home in Crail, and to keep our "wee" house in Sharpsburg, Md. ("Antietam" to Civil War aficionados). We planned to retire to both locations, and travel as much as heath and income would permit! Thus far, we've been very fortunate on both counts.

We spend 9 months in Crail, and 3 months in Sharpsburg. We live a very simple life; my wife is a watercolorist and does pen and ink landscapes. While she's busy painting and exhibiting in Crail and St Andrews, I putter around in our back garden. Our children (with grandchildren in tow) visit us from time to time (at least every few years when the British Open is scheduled for St Andrews, Carnnoustie, or Turnberry).

I have very fond memories of my 20 years working with friends and colleagues at COMSAT: in 1964. I was first interviewed and subsequently hired by Jim Rinehart at the Tregaron estate in upper northwest D.C., and I spent later years at 2100 L Street, N.W where the Early Bird Satellite was tracked by Hughes and COMSAT engineers after having been launched at Cape Canaveral, and the rest at COMSAT Laboratories in Clarksburg. They were great years with fantastic accomplishments by all the COMSAT employees.

Best Regards, Dick

Greetings From Pier Bargellini

Pier, now well above 90 years of age (93?), wrote us a paper letter on Sept. 17, surely demonstrating that the aging process can be handily overcome by a "right attitude" about life and the passage of time:

Dear Friends:

Everything is ok with me, Anna my wife, and our three "children" and five grandchildren. Life is quiet in Seattle. I'm reading technical and other literature, photographing, and I am still active on ham radio and flying with somebody who has an active license, having returned my own license to the FAA. last year.

From August 30 to September 6 Anna and I visited Turkey for the third time. In Istanbul we were guests of Dr. Mehmet Celebiler, a graduate student of mine at Penn, and later a colleague at COMSAT Labs. Some of you probably remember him. He worked with George Welti and Dr. Len Golding. After many years of work in Europe with NATO and EUTELSAT, 10 years ago he returned to Turkey and is now President and CEO of his own telecommunications company.

Accompanied by our daughter Clara and her Mexican/American family, we spent one week navigating along the Anatolian coast from Dalaman to Antalya on a two-masted schooner rented with a "time-share" plan. It was really great but tiring because we walked a lot visiting archaeological sites on land.

On November 10 we'll go to Mexico for the winter as usual.

I wish to send to you all greetings, salutations and best wishes in maintaining the memories of COMSAT's glorious past.
Pier

Happy 80th Birthday, Bela Banyasz

Received from daughter Gabriella on Nov. 6:

Wanted to let you know my father Bela Banyasz will celebrate his 80th birthday on November 26th!. Of course he doesn't want a fuss made, but I have heard him say on one or two occasions "this is a big one". I know he values the connection and memories with COMARA. Thank you!

Why not congratulate him yourself? babanyasz@gmail.com or get his address. (Click on "View Members" on the home page after you sign in.)

Hal Gerson, Spacecraft Lab

Hal turned 91 on July 16, 2008, and says he's busy "writing [his] memoirs." His wife, Rose, passed away in August 2006; she would have been 89 this August 26.Hal reminds us that he retired from COMSAT in 1984 at age 66, but was called back to work in 1987 at age 70 and worked another 3 more years at COMSAT, and then another 3 years consulting, finally retiring at age 76.

Jim & Elaine Allison Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Jim & Elaine Allison (Labs) celebrated their 50th Anniversary in September with a family gathering at Rocky Gap Resort in Western MD. They hosted their immediate family of two sisters, Jean Akin (Portland, OR) and Bonnie McComb and her husband Richard (Hedgesville, WV); their three children; Michael Allison and his wife Vi (Cumberland, MD); Jennifer Tibbs and her husband Dale (Frederick, MD); their children, Samantha and Jacob; Jeffrey Allison and his wife Debra Modrice; their four children, David, James, (Czech Republic) Donna, (Oklahoma City, OK) and Gina; and Gina's husband Daniel (Bedford, Texas) and their daughter Lydia. Jennifer put together a video presentation of scenes of the past from birth to the present. The group enjoyed eating, hiking, boating, fishing, and reliving their lives together. Jim & Elaine reside in the Lakelands in Gaithersburg, MD.

Note from Ruth Ann German (Labs)

The website is such an asset and always provides extremely valuable information for retirees. I sincerely appreciate all the hard work that is performed by the dedicated COMSAT retired professionals. They volunteer their time and spend endless hours researching information in order to keep all retirees updated and informed.

I feel so fortunate to have been an employee of COMSAT and to now be a part of the COMARA organization.
Ruth Ann German, Frederick, MD

In Memoriam

Tish Fonda, Public Information, Aug. 15, 2008
Ray Knight, Andover, Sept. 22, 2008
Wanda McKinley, Labs HR, Nov. 5, 2008
Marion Timmons, Legal, Sept. 2, 2008

If we have missed any other Comsat colleagues or spouses that should be added to our list, please let us know. Send any information to members (at comara.org). When we get a notice that a member has died, and there is a surviving spouse, the membership is transferred to the surviving spouse.

From the Medical Department

Flu Shot

Have you had your flu shot for 2008-09? Time's a-wasting! It's free with Medicare!

Shingles Vaccination

Have you followed through on the Shingles vaccination discussed in the August 2008 Newsletter (go to the COMARA website and select "Newsletters"). Jack and Lorraine Hannon checked it out and are now on the list for shots, deferred into December because the vaccine supplier just can't keep up with the demand. If you need it, get on the list, now! You can even get them at the drug dept. of many supermarkets, such as Safeway, or at CVS. Google "shingles"

LM Healthworks

Lockheed Martin has added a new resource to make health information available to retirees and former employees. It is from HealthWorks. The internet address is lm.privatehealthnews.com. There is a link to this site from the COMARA.org home page.

Request for News

Please send us information about what you're doing for a future COMARA Newsletter! Best wishes for a great holiday season and a Happy New Year 2009!

The COMARA Board of Directors