Brandon Valley High School Alumni
Brandon, South Dakota (SD)
Recent Members
| Amariah Hehe | 1969 |
| Jim Ellis | 1977 |
| Julian Batylin Julian Batylin | 2024 |
| Kristin Haro | 1994 |
| Lance Dawson Holmquist Holmquist | 2019 |
| Michael Schempp | 1981 |
| Sarah Sickler | 2000 |
| Todd Torberson | 1976 |
Military Alumni
Honoring Our Heroes
This area is dedicated to our alumni that have served or are serving in our armed forces!
Lost Class Rings
Have you lost your Brandon Valley High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Lynx lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.
Honored Military Alumni
Bill Bruining
Class of 1988
Army, 11 Years
White House Communications Agency - Washington, DC and White House Communications Agency - Camp David, MD.
Class of 1988
Army, 11 Years
White House Communications Agency - Washington, DC and White House Communications Agency - Camp David, MD.
Brian Staeffler
Class of 1994
National Guard, 14 Years
South Dakota Air National Guard - Logistics Readiness Squadron - Supply Procedures and Analysis,
Class of 1994
National Guard, 14 Years
South Dakota Air National Guard - Logistics Readiness Squadron - Supply Procedures and Analysis,
Brooks Jacobsen
Class of 2000
Army, 7 Years
Section Chief for Det. 3 665th Maint. Co. in the South Dakota Army National Guard.
Class of 2000
Army, 7 Years
Section Chief for Det. 3 665th Maint. Co. in the South Dakota Army National Guard.
Cathy S. (Stoltenberg) Clayton
Class of 1987
Air Force, 19 Years
Captain Cathy S. (Stoltenberg) Clayton is the executive officer for the 114 Maintenance Group. She has been in the South Dakota Air National Guard since 1987.
Class of 1987
Air Force, 19 Years
Captain Cathy S. (Stoltenberg) Clayton is the executive officer for the 114 Maintenance Group. She has been in the South Dakota Air National Guard since 1987.
Charlotte (Welsch) Browning
Class of 1993
Navy, 13 Years
Served on the USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) as a Surface Warfare Officer stationed in Sasebo Japan; then completed Naval Postgraduate school in Monterey, CA; Served as the OIC of the environmental detachment in Deigo Garcia (Indian Ocean); Operations Officer in Whidbey Island, WA; Executive Officer in Current Operations at CENTCOM in Tampa, FL; Weather Officer for SOCOM in Tampa, FL; and finally working in the Joint Operations Center for AFRICOM in Stuttgart, Germany with deployments throughout these locations.
Class of 1993
Navy, 13 Years
Served on the USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) as a Surface Warfare Officer stationed in Sasebo Japan; then completed Naval Postgraduate school in Monterey, CA; Served as the OIC of the environmental detachment in Deigo Garcia (Indian Ocean); Operations Officer in Whidbey Island, WA; Executive Officer in Current Operations at CENTCOM in Tampa, FL; Weather Officer for SOCOM in Tampa, FL; and finally working in the Joint Operations Center for AFRICOM in Stuttgart, Germany with deployments throughout these locations.
Craig Crissman
Class of 1978
Air Force, 7 Years
Served as a 91B medic in the Army reserve and a Personal technician in the Air Force for 4 years
Class of 1978
Air Force, 7 Years
Served as a 91B medic in the Army reserve and a Personal technician in the Air Force for 4 years
Daniel Coughlin
Class of 2001
Air Force, 3 Years
USAF Instructor Pilot - UH-1H Huey Helicopter
Class of 2001
Air Force, 3 Years
USAF Instructor Pilot - UH-1H Huey Helicopter
Daniel Pike
Class of 2005
Navy, 2 Years
I am an Aviation Electronic Technitian. I have yet to serve another two years. I will be headed to Iraq in June of 2008.
Class of 2005
Navy, 2 Years
I am an Aviation Electronic Technitian. I have yet to serve another two years. I will be headed to Iraq in June of 2008.
Francis Persing
Class of 1991
Army, 17 Years
currently francis rank is first sergeant in the army but his last tour was Drill Sergeant after his tour in Iraqi.
Class of 1991
Army, 17 Years
currently francis rank is first sergeant in the army but his last tour was Drill Sergeant after his tour in Iraqi.
James A. Garry
Class of 1979
Air Force, 6 Years
Law Enforcement, Military Working Dog Handler.
Fairchild AFB, Spokane WA
Incirlick Turkey
Minot ND
South Dakota ANG
Class of 1979
Air Force, 6 Years
Law Enforcement, Military Working Dog Handler.
Fairchild AFB, Spokane WA
Incirlick Turkey
Minot ND
South Dakota ANG
Jason Brech
Class of 1993
Navy, 5 Years
Served on USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) in San Diego as an Operations Specialist.
Class of 1993
Navy, 5 Years
Served on USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) in San Diego as an Operations Specialist.
Jay L. Hanisch
Class of 1981
National Guard, 20+ Years
South Dakota Air National Guard
Clinic Training Manager
Class of 1981
National Guard, 20+ Years
South Dakota Air National Guard
Clinic Training Manager
Jeanne Gacke
Class of 1983
Air Force, 17 Years
Currently serving as fulltime member of the SD Air National Guard, Security Forces
Class of 1983
Air Force, 17 Years
Currently serving as fulltime member of the SD Air National Guard, Security Forces
Jerry Kerkhove
Class of 1965
Army, 2 Years
Commanding Officer of a basic training company at Ft Ord, CA. Steve Owens, 1969 Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma Univ, was one of my basic trainees.
I was on General Staff of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam.
Class of 1965
Army, 2 Years
Commanding Officer of a basic training company at Ft Ord, CA. Steve Owens, 1969 Heisman Trophy winner from Oklahoma Univ, was one of my basic trainees.
I was on General Staff of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam.
Mary J. Rysavy
Class of 1985
National Guard, 20+ Years
I am currently a Military Equal Opportunity Officer with the South Dakota Air National Guard. I have been a member of the Air National Guard for 22 years serving in both West Virginia and South Dakota.
Class of 1985
National Guard, 20+ Years
I am currently a Military Equal Opportunity Officer with the South Dakota Air National Guard. I have been a member of the Air National Guard for 22 years serving in both West Virginia and South Dakota.
MSgt Jason Lynch
Class of 1989
Air Force, 20+ Years
I joined the Air Force in 1989 two months out of high school. I've been stationed at six different duty locations and deployed to ten different war zones. I came in as a Crew Chief on F-4's then I went to the U-2 Spy plane and for the last ten years I've been on the A-10. I was selected to be the Superintendent on the A-10 East Demonstration Team where we perform at 35 air shows a year for over 3 million people a year.
Class of 1989
Air Force, 20+ Years
I joined the Air Force in 1989 two months out of high school. I've been stationed at six different duty locations and deployed to ten different war zones. I came in as a Crew Chief on F-4's then I went to the U-2 Spy plane and for the last ten years I've been on the A-10. I was selected to be the Superintendent on the A-10 East Demonstration Team where we perform at 35 air shows a year for over 3 million people a year.
Nathan J. Abraham
Class of 1999
Army, 3 Years
U.S. Army Combat Veteran served in Afghanistan 9 months
Class of 1999
Army, 3 Years
U.S. Army Combat Veteran served in Afghanistan 9 months
Nicholas Qualantone
Class of 1978
Army, 20+ Years
UH-1, OH-58, UH-60 Helicopter Instructor Pilot for 10 years. U-21, C-12, UC-35 Fixed-wing Instructor Pilot for 10 years. Combat Veteran of Iraq, Somolia. Flew fixed-wing Special Operations in Colombia in support of Operation "Centre Spike", which took down the Pablo Escobar drug cartel.
Class of 1978
Army, 20+ Years
UH-1, OH-58, UH-60 Helicopter Instructor Pilot for 10 years. U-21, C-12, UC-35 Fixed-wing Instructor Pilot for 10 years. Combat Veteran of Iraq, Somolia. Flew fixed-wing Special Operations in Colombia in support of Operation "Centre Spike", which took down the Pablo Escobar drug cartel.
Rick Williamson
Class of 1981
National Guard, 20+ Years
Retired Operation NCO E-7 IOF Veteran
Class of 1981
National Guard, 20+ Years
Retired Operation NCO E-7 IOF Veteran
Rob Pederson
Class of 1981
National Guard, 20+ Years
South Dakota Air National Guard
RETIRED
Class of 1981
National Guard, 20+ Years
South Dakota Air National Guard
RETIRED
Samuel Gaston
Class of 2006
Navy, 1 Years
Currently going to school in Charleston SC at Navy Nuclear Power Training Command.
Class of 2006
Navy, 1 Years
Currently going to school in Charleston SC at Navy Nuclear Power Training Command.
Scott Bullis
Class of 1987
Air Force, 16 Years
Current Assignment: Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA
Past Assignments:
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, OK
Ellsworth AFB -- Rapid City, SD
Osan AFB -- Osan, South Korea
Randolph AFB -- San Antonio, TX
The Pentagon -- Executive Officer to the Vice Chief of the Air Force, Washington DC
Central Command, Quatar, and Baghdad
Class of 1987
Air Force, 16 Years
Current Assignment: Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA
Past Assignments:
Tinker AFB, Oklahoma City, OK
Ellsworth AFB -- Rapid City, SD
Osan AFB -- Osan, South Korea
Randolph AFB -- San Antonio, TX
The Pentagon -- Executive Officer to the Vice Chief of the Air Force, Washington DC
Central Command, Quatar, and Baghdad
Shane Metcalf
Class of 1983
Air Force, 20+ Years
Pilot for 11 years - OV-10, F-15E, F-16
9 years - US Air Force Academy Admissions Liaison Officer
Class of 1983
Air Force, 20+ Years
Pilot for 11 years - OV-10, F-15E, F-16
9 years - US Air Force Academy Admissions Liaison Officer
Spencer Risty
Class of 1993
Navy, 6 Years
Nuclear Engineer - NTP Prototype, Charleston, SC
USS John C Stennis CVN-74, San Diego, CA
Class of 1993
Navy, 6 Years
Nuclear Engineer - NTP Prototype, Charleston, SC
USS John C Stennis CVN-74, San Diego, CA
Tim Smith
Class of 1988
National Guard, 8 Years
communications--31Kilo-wire dog---hoo-rah
Class of 1988
National Guard, 8 Years
communications--31Kilo-wire dog---hoo-rah
Travis Stauffacher
Class of 1991
Army, 5 Years
United States Army: Light Infantry Units
Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Fort Riley, Kansas
1 Year in Iraq, Camp Taji / Baghdad
Class of 1991
Army, 5 Years
United States Army: Light Infantry Units
Fort Wainwright, Alaska
Fort Riley, Kansas
1 Year in Iraq, Camp Taji / Baghdad
Alumni Stories
Read and submit stories about our classmates from Brandon Valley High School, post achievements and news about our alumni, and post photos of our fellow Lynx.
Our Brandon Valley High School military alumni are some of the most outstanding people we know and this page recognizes them and everything they have done! Not everyone gets to come home for the holidays and we want our Brandon Valley High School Military to know that they are loved and appreciated. All of us in Brandon are proud of our military alumni and want to thank them for risking their lives to protect our country!