LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, known more commonly to his friends as Mr. Charles Ralston is one of Vinh "Goose" Tran's dearest and closest college buddies.  But eons before Kappa Sigma, their friendship actually goes all the way back to fighter pilot school, when the two boys attended the Top Gun Academy at NAS Miramar.  Near the end of their program, Maverick, er "Charles" found himself chasing Jester who was attempting to gain a missile lock on the target.  Charles' F-14 flies through the jet wash of Iceman's aircraft and suffers a flameout of both engines, entering a flat spin from which he could not recover, and forcing Goose, er "Vinh" to eject directly into the jettisoned aircraft canopy, breaking his neck and dying instantly.  Later that day, Vinh recovers from death, and together with the rest of the Kappa Sigs, they sing their anthem "You've lost that lovin' feelin'" (which sadly the DJ will not have found even one copy of to play at the reception when the wedding rolls around -- "Sorry, Greg!")  But back to Charles' and Vinh's story: In the years after fighter pilot school, the two matriculated to USC, dutifully indulged in Trojan football with the rest of their rat pack, played innumerable amounts of Beirut (that's a sophisticated drinking game for those of you not in the know), graduated and even found time to have a ton of awesome steak dinners at a ton of awesome steak houses along the way.  Most importantly, Charles (as with the rest of the gentlemen of their savvy crew) served as a conduit through which Charisse and Vinh met.  There is nothing that Vinh wouldn't do for this dear friend of his.  Maverick and Goose are like peas and carrots, indeed.



Not to be snuffed out of the billionaire baron's club, Charles, too is a wealthy business baron, who, as you might imagine, spends his time jet-setting about the country and the world.  And, if he didn't already have a billion and one things on his plate, he is also, like our dear groom, is a double Trojan. Charles is currently in Marshall's MBA program.  When he's not fighter piloting, or jet setting, he plays golf, or is rescuing some damsel in distress.  True story.  Vinh and Charisse are honored beyond words to have Charles be a part of their bridal party!