GAR GARLAND

Our family lives in Charlotte, NC after moving from California in 2005. I own a commercial window treatment company called The Blindman Commercial. We have affiliate offices in 13 states.

I served in the US Army form late 1966 to 1972. I attended Cambodian language school in Arlington Virginia for 40 weeks and then underwent Special Forces Training at Ft. Benning and Ft. Bragg. I served at the Pentagon and the NSA for 18 months and then was sent on special assignments, temporary duty, with MAC-VSOG CCS over the next two years. I finished my tour of duty in Garmisch, Germany skiing and playing golf.

I graduated from the University of Colorado in 1974.

I played briefly on the PGA Tour and Ski Raced Professionally in the now defunct PSRA until 1980.

I worked numerous jobs and was involved in the start-up of The LoJack Corporation in 1988. We devised a police operated stolen vehicle recovery system. I retired out of LoJack in 2000 and played some golf on the Senior PGA Tour until 2004.

I married Debra in 1995 after meeting her in Hawaii at a golf tournament in 1994.

I currently serve as Chairman Board of Directors for Purple Heart Homes. www.phhusa.org. We feel it is the duty of the citizens to support the veterans from their communities and not necessarily the responsibility of the federal government.

Our mission is to modify the homes of service connected disabled veterans of all wars. A recent project was for a friend, a Viet Nam Vet who served in the 5th Special Forces and Project Delta and lost a leg. He also has Agent Orange issues. We built a new wind on his home. Please visit our website.

We will complete 25 homes for disabled veterans this year alone. We serve veterans of all eras. Service connected disabled veterans who are aging in place and need their homes modified to accommodate mobility issues will have that work done at no cost to the veteran. 1st time owners get a hand up and not a hand out. We modify homes donated by banks or build them and place a 15 year mortgage for 50% of the homes value on the property so the veteran owns it free and clear in 15 years. We will usually furnish the home also. Homes have been completed from Connecticut to Florida.

As of January, 2014 we have completed 65 projects, half of which are for veterans from Vietnam and Korea. We are in the process of forming chapters of PHH around the country. The chapters will focus on rehabbing homes in their area that are owned by veterans who are having mobility issues. Our immediate goal is to complete 500 homes in the next 3 years.

Update 2023: We recently completed our 1000th home project. Expect to complete another 220 this year in 32 states. We have a chapter in Cleveland serving if you want to help out.

Was definitely not among the school elite. Pretty dorky and hung out with the same guys all 4 years. Lived two doors away from Gordy Gray. I read he passed away but no details are given.

I hung out primarily with Chris (Tophie) Campbell, Craig Kirkpatric, and Mark Joseph. Also Craig King, Billy Brown, and Jimmy Heinz (all class of 1965 I believe).

I really wanted to attend the reunion this year but charity functions scheduled for the same time prevented me from attending. I will try my best to be there for #60. My hats off to those who put on the event.