This is a departure from our normal format of questions and answers, but all referees in the United States need to know of and mourn the loss of our colleague, Charles W. Fleischer II, Major USMC, Ret., who lost his final battle with cancer on 25 April 2009. Chuck was a valued friend, close associate, and a true believer in The Beautiful Game. He was also an heroic helicopter pilot (callsign Chatterbox 16) in Vietnam, where he completed many missions under heavy enemy fire.
Chuck may not have pleased all his audiences, but he believed in telling the truth, telling it straight, and taking no prisoners in his battle to raise the level of skill and professionalism in refereeing. He remained a steadfast warrior in this fight to the very end.
I, for one, will miss him greatly.
Jim Allen
