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About Illinois Valley news. (Cave City, Oregon) 1937-current | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2006)
Page 11 Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, March 15, 2006 Despite being retired from U.S. Air Force, ‘The Colonel’ and ‘The Chief’ continue flying high at IVHS & Evergreen school Former servicemen headed successful Jr. ROTC program at Illinois Valley High School By OLIVIA TAYLOR-YOUNG IVN Correspondent They were known as The Colonel and The Chief when they ran the U.S. Air Force Junior ROTC Pro- gram at Illinois Valley High School. Now, even though the program ended because of budgetary restraints three years ago, Alan Crews and Ed Faircloth are still serving educational needs in Illinois Valley and are still warmly referred to by those titles by many here. The respect inherent with these titles is richly deserved and well earned. Faircloth enlisted in the Air Force right after high school. His family lacked the money to send him to col- lege, and the only employ- ment choice offered in his hometown of Texas City, Texas was to become a pipe fitter. So the military seemed the best option. He spent the next 30 years in the service, including a tour in Vietnam. Mainly, however, Faircloth was stationed at War II -- Crews decided to investigate the military through ROTC when he was in college. He graduated with a degree in political science and as a commissioned offi- cer; however, he still did not think of the military as a long-term career. It was only after a few more years, which included a tour in Korea and seven months in Vietnam, that he decided to make a career of the service and stay in for at least 20 years. Crews notes that he was not sent to Vietnam until the war there was winding down, and smiles as he says he has the distinction of hav- ing been one of 35 service- men on the last plane out when the U.S. forces were withdrawn in March 1973. “The Colonel” met his wife, Claudia, when they were in college. From a military family -- her dad was stationed in Nebraska at the time --she was well pre- pared for the Air Force life. They have been married for 39 years and have two sons, two daughters and two grandchildren. he retired from the Air Force in 1994, Faircloth heard about the Junior ROTC programs in the na- tion’s high schools and de- cided that was something that interested him greatly. He wanted to teach ROTC at a high school somewhere on the East Coast because his family ties are in New Jersey. Nevertheless, when the opportunity to interview for IVHS came about, he had to take that interview since refusing any opportunity could get you bumped from consideration. The Faircloths came to Cave Junction for the inter- view; were very impressed with the people and beauty of Southern Oregon; and then returned to the East Coast. In fact, they were driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike headed to other interviews when the job offer for IVHS actually came through. So they came to Cave Junction and have lived here ever since. When Crews first re- tired from the Air Force, he was not sure what career path he was going to follow ED FAIRCLOTH McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey for 28 out of those 30 years, where he rose to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, an E-9 rating and the highest rank possible for an enlisted man. Faircloth held many positions at McGuire, in- cluding senior enlisted ad- viser for the wing, and working directly for the wing commander for enlisted men. “Chief” also met and married his wife, Barbara, a New Jersey native, while he was stationed at McGuire. They will celebrate their 38th anniversary this year and have two sons and a 3- year-old grandson, Tyler. For the Faircloth family, New Jersey was and still is “home.” They return at least twice a year to visit their children and grandson, as well as Barbara Faircloth’s mother. Lt. Col. Alan Crews had an entirely different Air Force experience. In his 26 years of active duty, he had 14 different assignments. The longest duty he and his family had in one place was the eight years he was sta- tioned in Anchorage, Alaska. Crews grew up in Okla- homa. However, instead of becoming a U of Ok Sooner, he chose to go to U of Ne- braska and become a Corn- husker. Although there was no military background in his family -- his dad held a vital position which kept him out of the service during World Even though the Crews family moved around a great deal, they felt they were privileged to have so many wonderful experi- ences. “Every place you lived,” notes Crews, “you took away the best you could learn from it.” Some of his favorite stations were in England, Germany, Colo- rado Springs and Washing- ton, D.C. The family also loved Anchorage. In fact, after eight years there, it was the prospect of having to move again that helped prompt Crews’ decision to retire after 26 years. “The Colonel” and “The Chief” actually met at Illinois Valley High School, with Faircloth coming there a year before Crews. When next. He, his wife and youngest son initially settled in Spokane, where one daughter and son-in- law were in college. Crews heard about the Junior ROTC program op- portunities and decided to pursue them as long as he and his family could remain on the West Coast. When they had the chance to inter- view at IVHS, however, they couldn’t find Cave Junction on the first map they looked at. But they eventually found it and their way to the Illinois Valley as well. The rest, as they say, is history. Faircloth had already been at IVHS a year and had organized the ROTC pro- gram when Crews inter- viewed with him. They hit it off, and theirs was a very successful partnership for the next eight years. For the first year, how- ever, Crews moved to Cave Junction while his wife and youngest son stayed in Spo- In fact, many people on the Three Rivers School District Board and in the commu- nity-at-large, who were not necessarily advocates of the program in the beginning, eventually became its sup- Faircloth remained at IVHS as a Special Education assis- tant. Earlier this year, how- ever, the position for school librarian came open and he decided, “What the heck?” ALAN CREWS kane. Not an unusual occur- rence for a military family. By the time the family reunited in Southwestern Oregon, they had also made the decision to buy a house in Grants Pass. The Crews’ youngest son was about to graduate from middle school, and his parents agreed that high school would be a better experience for him without having his dad on the same faculty. So dad became a Hwy. 199 commuter; and the family, after all the years of military moving around, became first-time home owners. The USAF Junior ROTC Program was very successful, according to the two military men who ran it. There is little employment opportunity for youngsters in this valley, says Faircloth. The ROTC program gave youngsters the opportunity to mature and see other op- tions and alternatives. Crews stresses, how- ever, that Junior ROTC comes with no commitment of any kind. It is an educa- tional program molded to fit the high school curriculum, and is not a recruitment tool. The program did not appeal to every student. But it was quite popular, well received, and many students actually thrived and blos- somed in it. Class topics included military history, history of flight, weather, and the exploration of space. Participants, who wore uniforms, also conducted many presentations of the colors and other programs involving close-order drill. Both men agree that the decision to end the program was strictly a budgetary de- cision, not a political one. porters. Both men also agree that it was a sad day for the school, the students and the community when the pro- gram ended. The program’s end also left both them with deci- sions to make about their own futures. Initially, and applied for it. Since this is a job tradi- tionally filled by women, when he was hired to fill this spot, he became a pio- neer as well. While he is new to run- ning the library, Faircloth laughs, it’s like the “blind leading the blind.” (Continued on page 12) Ask the Acupuncturist: How does TCM view eating disorders? The classical texts refer to “irregular diet” or “irregular lifestyle.” Many people skip breakfast, drink coffee, work and eat little or nothing until suppertime. This pattern is technically anorexia. With coffee, the appetite is suppressed. Eating a main meal in the evening overtaxes digestion, weakening the body. If you “forget” or are “too busy” to eat on a regular basis, this is “irregular lifestyle.” This pattern leads to the majority of health problems we see in practice. Chinese medicine can help to promote a regular, healthy lifestyle. This is the key to longevity. Good health is a good investment! Illinois River Acupuncture 592-5041 Mon., Wed., Fri. Jo Anne Stone, M.S., L.Ac. Fine Dining Steaks - Chicken - Fish - Large Hamburgers Restaurant separate from lounge Friday Special - Prime Rib Sunday & Monday - Filet Mignon Bring in this ad for a 10% discount Open 4 to 9 p.m. 7 days 592-2892 or 592-4222 Grants Pass Hearing Aid Center Now has an office in Cave Junction located at 315A Caves Hwy. Illinois Valley Medical Center FREE Hearing Tests FREE Hearing Aid Cleaning FREE Consultation Friday, March 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Phone for an appointment 226-7307
