Shawnee Mission West High School Alumni
Overland Park, Kansas (KS)
Recent Members
| Adriana Lesemann | 1969 |
| Doug Brahl | 1965 |
| Hardy Hardy Powers | 1974 |
| Jim Walsh | 1966 |
| Lisa Boyd | 1999 |
| Mark Binns | 1969 |
| Patrick Ronan | 1977 |
| Terry Swender | 1969 |
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 Shawnee Mission West High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Vikings lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.
Honored Military Alumni
Carly Wilson
Class of 2001
Navy, 2 Years
United States Naval Officer with the Nurse Corps
Class of 2001
Navy, 2 Years
United States Naval Officer with the Nurse Corps
Collin Turner
Class of 2003
Navy, 5 Years
Served as a Mass Communications Specialist, and now still currently serves as a Navy recruiter in Overland Park, KS.
Class of 2003
Navy, 5 Years
Served as a Mass Communications Specialist, and now still currently serves as a Navy recruiter in Overland Park, KS.
Dave White
Class of 1968
Army, 20+ Years
Army & Army Reserve - 1972-1999; Retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Class of 1968
Army, 20+ Years
Army & Army Reserve - 1972-1999; Retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Douglas Rowland
Class of 1970
Army Reserves, 20+ Years
1970-1978 - US Navy - Electricians Mate Nuclear Power program
1992 - Present - US Army Reserves - Unit Supply for 12 years with 308th PSYOP Unit - Currently - Army Reserves Career Counselor 9th BN ARCD
Class of 1970
Army Reserves, 20+ Years
1970-1978 - US Navy - Electricians Mate Nuclear Power program
1992 - Present - US Army Reserves - Unit Supply for 12 years with 308th PSYOP Unit - Currently - Army Reserves Career Counselor 9th BN ARCD
jeff mason
Class of 1972
Army, 3 Years
Dropped out in 1970 to join up as a Paratrooper
Class of 1972
Army, 3 Years
Dropped out in 1970 to join up as a Paratrooper
Jeremy Adkins
Class of 2006
Army, 2 Years
Combat Medic with the 2nd Battalion 22nd Infantry - 10th Mountain Division.
Class of 2006
Army, 2 Years
Combat Medic with the 2nd Battalion 22nd Infantry - 10th Mountain Division.
Jim Rackleff
Class of 1964
Army, 3 Years
Vietnam 173rd Airborne Brigade
An Khe, Phu Thai
Bronze Star
Army Commendation w/ V
Class of 1964
Army, 3 Years
Vietnam 173rd Airborne Brigade
An Khe, Phu Thai
Bronze Star
Army Commendation w/ V
John Bratton
Class of 1966
Army, 20+ Years
Served 30 years all around the world. Retired in 2001 as Colonel. Was in Infanty and had Ranger / Airborne duties (yea 2-75 Rangers !!). Presently, working again for Department of Defense with US Pacific Command (Senior Defense Analyst) in Honolulu. Lots of good times and friends -- in all services.
Class of 1966
Army, 20+ Years
Served 30 years all around the world. Retired in 2001 as Colonel. Was in Infanty and had Ranger / Airborne duties (yea 2-75 Rangers !!). Presently, working again for Department of Defense with US Pacific Command (Senior Defense Analyst) in Honolulu. Lots of good times and friends -- in all services.
John R (Rod) Smith
Class of 1973
Army, 3 Years
June 1973- Nov 1975 2/30th FA Vicenza, Italy
Nov 1975- JUne 1976 E 708th Maint BN Baumholder, Germany
Class of 1973
Army, 3 Years
June 1973- Nov 1975 2/30th FA Vicenza, Italy
Nov 1975- JUne 1976 E 708th Maint BN Baumholder, Germany
John S. Fleming
Class of 1964
Army, 2 Years
Vietnam vet Personnel specialist. Sgt E5
Class of 1964
Army, 2 Years
Vietnam vet Personnel specialist. Sgt E5
Kenneth Sherfey
Class of 1963
Army, 23 Years
Lieutenant Colonel, Army Aviation Branch
Class of 1963
Army, 23 Years
Lieutenant Colonel, Army Aviation Branch
l/cpl guy melton(ret)
Class of 1967
Marine Corps, 1 Years
Vietnam,1971-0311/8651
wounded in action
Class of 1967
Marine Corps, 1 Years
Vietnam,1971-0311/8651
wounded in action
Mark Rugenstein
Class of 1965
Navy, 20+ Years
Served as advisor for Vietnamese Navy spy set up, ship engineer, merchant marine, squadron engineer and moved around for over 25 years on ships and shore, spent most of my career in Asia and west coast.
Class of 1965
Navy, 20+ Years
Served as advisor for Vietnamese Navy spy set up, ship engineer, merchant marine, squadron engineer and moved around for over 25 years on ships and shore, spent most of my career in Asia and west coast.
Mark Rugenstein
Class of 1965
Navy, 20+ Years
Navy engineer, many ships, gitmo, Vietnam, south east Asia ...
Class of 1965
Navy, 20+ Years
Navy engineer, many ships, gitmo, Vietnam, south east Asia ...
Michael Paxton
Class of 1976
Navy, 8 Years
Patrol Squadron Nine (VP-9) P-3c aircraft 78-82 NAS Moffat Field CA.deployed to Nas Cubi Point Phillipines,Naf Kadena Okinawa, Naf Misawa Japan, Naf Atsugi Japan,Osan AB Korea, Guam,Hawaii,and Keflavik Iceland, Nas Kingsville Tx A-4J , A-6E aircraft 82-85 got out as a Petty Officer !st class (E-6)Aviation Machinist Mate
Class of 1976
Navy, 8 Years
Patrol Squadron Nine (VP-9) P-3c aircraft 78-82 NAS Moffat Field CA.deployed to Nas Cubi Point Phillipines,Naf Kadena Okinawa, Naf Misawa Japan, Naf Atsugi Japan,Osan AB Korea, Guam,Hawaii,and Keflavik Iceland, Nas Kingsville Tx A-4J , A-6E aircraft 82-85 got out as a Petty Officer !st class (E-6)Aviation Machinist Mate
Natasha Valerio
Class of 2003
Marine Corps, 4 Years
A Military Policeman that has been to IRAQ two times and been stuck in Camp Lejeune, NC for the rest of the time
Class of 2003
Marine Corps, 4 Years
A Military Policeman that has been to IRAQ two times and been stuck in Camp Lejeune, NC for the rest of the time
Richard Hinrichs
Class of 1975
Marine Corps, 1 Years
Received medical discharge in 1975
Class of 1975
Marine Corps, 1 Years
Received medical discharge in 1975
Robert Rackleff
Class of 1963
Marine Corps, 5 Years
OCS - Commisioned 2nd Lt. - FEB-1968
The Basic School FEB - July 1969
Designated Naval Flight Officer and Checked Out in F4-B Phantom Jet March 1970
VMFA-251 MCAS Beaufort SC 1970-1971
VMFA-115 Iwakuni Japan 1971
VMFA-115 Deployed to Danang South Vietnam April 1972 then to Nam Pong Thailand
MWHS-2 SEPT 1972 - April 1973 MCAS Cherry Point NC
Class of 1963
Marine Corps, 5 Years
OCS - Commisioned 2nd Lt. - FEB-1968
The Basic School FEB - July 1969
Designated Naval Flight Officer and Checked Out in F4-B Phantom Jet March 1970
VMFA-251 MCAS Beaufort SC 1970-1971
VMFA-115 Iwakuni Japan 1971
VMFA-115 Deployed to Danang South Vietnam April 1972 then to Nam Pong Thailand
MWHS-2 SEPT 1972 - April 1973 MCAS Cherry Point NC
Scott Schmith
Class of 1980
Army, 9 Years
35M/68Q - Avionics. Five years with 205th Aviation Company (CH-47C/D), Mainz-Finthen, Germany. Next three and a half with A Co. 8/158th Aviation Regiment at Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany. 6.5 months Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm at KFIA and LBC.
Class of 1980
Army, 9 Years
35M/68Q - Avionics. Five years with 205th Aviation Company (CH-47C/D), Mainz-Finthen, Germany. Next three and a half with A Co. 8/158th Aviation Regiment at Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany. 6.5 months Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm at KFIA and LBC.
Terry West
Class of 1965
Navy, 5 Years
station in San Diego for 2 years 2 year in Norfolk
and 6mo in Veitnam
Class of 1965
Navy, 5 Years
station in San Diego for 2 years 2 year in Norfolk
and 6mo in Veitnam
Tom Volkenant
Class of 1974
Coast Guard, 6 Years
US Coast Guard 1974-1979. Radioman - PO1 E6. SAR rescue operations Centers - Honolulu, Hi, San Francisco, CA, Great Lakes-Milwaukee, WI.
Class of 1974
Coast Guard, 6 Years
US Coast Guard 1974-1979. Radioman - PO1 E6. SAR rescue operations Centers - Honolulu, Hi, San Francisco, CA, Great Lakes-Milwaukee, WI.
Alumni Stories
Read and submit stories about our classmates from Shawnee Mission West High School, post achievements and news about our alumni, and post photos of our fellow Vikings.
School News
Rico Palacio Eagle Scout Project
Hello, my name is Rico Palacio. I am in the Boy Scouts of America. I have completed every requirement to become an Eagle...
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Our Shawnee Mission West 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 Shawnee Mission West High School Military to know that they are loved and appreciated. All of us in Overland Park are proud of our military alumni and want to thank them for risking their lives to protect our country!