diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/annotator/AnnotatorInputTableCodec.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/annotator/AnnotatorInputTableCodec.java
index 3b9cb25ee..a50679052 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/annotator/AnnotatorInputTableCodec.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/annotator/AnnotatorInputTableCodec.java
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ public class AnnotatorInputTableCodec implements FeatureCodec<AnnotatorInputTabl
         return AnnotatorInputTableFeature.class;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public <HeaderType> HeaderType getHeader(Class<HeaderType> clazz) throws ClassCastException {
+        return null;  // TODO: do we want the header to be a concrete type?
+    }
+
 
     /**
      * Parses the line into an AnnotatorInputTableFeature object.
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/sampileup/SAMPileupCodec.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/sampileup/SAMPileupCodec.java
index 5efc5e632..f239f9dcc 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/sampileup/SAMPileupCodec.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/sampileup/SAMPileupCodec.java
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ public class SAMPileupCodec implements FeatureCodec<SAMPileupFeature> {
         return SAMPileupFeature.class;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public <HeaderType> HeaderType getHeader(Class<HeaderType> clazz) throws ClassCastException {
+        return null;  // we don't have a header
+    }
+
     public SAMPileupFeature decode(String line) {
 //       0          1             2         3                  4         5            6         7
 //*     chrX     466           T         Y                170      170       88      32 ... (piles of read bases  and quals follow)
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/samread/SAMReadCodec.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/samread/SAMReadCodec.java
index 7542dd86c..893f8a85e 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/samread/SAMReadCodec.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/samread/SAMReadCodec.java
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ public class SAMReadCodec implements FeatureCodec<SAMReadFeature> {
         return SAMReadFeature.class;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public <HeaderType> HeaderType getHeader(Class<HeaderType> clazz) throws ClassCastException {
+        return null;  // we haven't stored the header
+    }
+
     /**
      * Decode a single line in a SAM text file.
      * @param line line to decode.
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/vcf4/VCF4Codec.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/vcf4/VCF4Codec.java
index 49b07f21b..5267fb074 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/vcf4/VCF4Codec.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/features/vcf4/VCF4Codec.java
@@ -280,4 +280,9 @@ public class VCF4Codec implements FeatureCodec {
     public Class getFeatureType() {
         return VariantContext.class;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public Object getHeader(Class clazz) throws ClassCastException {
+        return null;  // TODO: fix this Aaron
+    }
 }
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/tracks/RMDTrack.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/tracks/RMDTrack.java
index fb54417d2..c4c59933f 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/tracks/RMDTrack.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/tracks/RMDTrack.java
@@ -84,18 +84,6 @@ public abstract class RMDTrack {
      */
     public abstract CloseableIterator<GATKFeature> getIterator();
 
-    /**
-     * helper function for determining if we are the same track based on name and codec type
-     *
-     * @param name the name to match
-     * @param type the type to match
-     *
-     * @return true on a match, false if the name or type is different
-     */
-    public boolean matchesNameAndType(String name, Type type) {
-        return (name.equals(this.name) && (type.getClass().isAssignableFrom(this.type.getClass())));
-    }
-
     /**
      * helper function for determining if we are the same track based on name and record type
      *
@@ -121,4 +109,15 @@ public abstract class RMDTrack {
     public SAMSequenceDictionary getSequenceDictionary() {
         return null;  // default, others can override this
     }
+
+    /**
+     * ask for the header, supplying the expected type.  Overridden in track types
+     * @param clazz the class of the expected type
+     * @param <HeaderType> the expected type
+     * @return a object of type HeaderType
+     * @throws ClassCastException if the class provided doesn't match our header type
+     */
+    public <HeaderType> HeaderType getHeader(Class<HeaderType> clazz) throws ClassCastException {
+        return null;
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/tracks/TribbleTrack.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/tracks/TribbleTrack.java
index ccdcf10f7..18472eca6 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/tracks/TribbleTrack.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/tracks/TribbleTrack.java
@@ -130,4 +130,15 @@ public class TribbleTrack extends RMDTrack implements QueryableTrack {
     public SAMSequenceDictionary getSequenceDictionary() {
         return dictionary;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * ask for the header, supplying the expected type.  Overridden in track types
+     * @param clazz the class of the expected type
+     * @param <HeaderType> the expected type
+     * @return a object of type HeaderType
+     * @throws ClassCastException if the class provided doesn't match our header type
+     */
+    public <HeaderType> HeaderType getHeader(Class<HeaderType> clazz) throws ClassCastException {
+        return (HeaderType) (reader).getHeader(clazz);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/variantrecalibration/VariantRecalibrator.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/variantrecalibration/VariantRecalibrator.java
index 59cbe1349..ac50c458f 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/variantrecalibration/VariantRecalibrator.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/variantrecalibration/VariantRecalibrator.java
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ public class VariantRecalibrator extends RodWalker<ExpandingArrayList<VariantDat
     @Argument(fullName="quality_step", shortName="qStep", doc="Resolution in QUAL units for optimization and tranche calculations", required=false)
     private double QUAL_STEP = 0.1;
 
+    // TODO: RYAN - remove me, even though this switch is apparently super awesome
+    private final static boolean AARONS_SUPER_AWESOME_SWITCH = true;
+
     /////////////////////////////
     // Private Member Variables
     /////////////////////////////
@@ -131,21 +134,30 @@ public class VariantRecalibrator extends RodWalker<ExpandingArrayList<VariantDat
 
         // setup the header fields
         final Set<VCFHeaderLine> hInfo = new HashSet<VCFHeaderLine>();
-        hInfo.addAll(VCFUtils.getHeaderFields(getToolkit()));
-        hInfo.add(new VCFInfoHeaderLine("OQ", 1, VCFInfoHeaderLine.INFO_TYPE.Float, "The original variant quality score"));
-        hInfo.add(new VCFHeaderLine("source", "VariantOptimizer"));
-        vcfWriter = new VCFWriter( new File(OUTPUT_PREFIX + ".vcf") );
         final TreeSet<String> samples = new TreeSet<String>();
         final List<ReferenceOrderedDataSource> dataSources = this.getToolkit().getRodDataSources();
-        for( final ReferenceOrderedDataSource source : dataSources ) {
-            final RMDTrack rod = source.getReferenceOrderedData();
-            if( rod.getRecordType().equals(VCFRecord.class) ) {
-                final VCFReader reader = new VCFReader(rod.getFile());
-                final Set<String> vcfSamples = reader.getHeader().getGenotypeSamples();
-                samples.addAll(vcfSamples);
-                reader.close();
+
+        if (AARONS_SUPER_AWESOME_SWITCH) {
+            hInfo.addAll(VCFUtils.getHeaderFields(getToolkit()));
+            hInfo.add(new VCFInfoHeaderLine("OQ", 1, VCFInfoHeaderLine.INFO_TYPE.Float, "The original variant quality score"));
+            hInfo.add(new VCFHeaderLine("source", "VariantOptimizer"));
+            samples.addAll(SampleUtils.getUniqueSamplesFromRods(getToolkit()));
+
+        } else {
+            hInfo.addAll(VCFUtils.getHeaderFields(getToolkit()));
+            hInfo.add(new VCFInfoHeaderLine("OQ", 1, VCFInfoHeaderLine.INFO_TYPE.Float, "The original variant quality score"));
+            hInfo.add(new VCFHeaderLine("source", "VariantOptimizer"));
+            for( final ReferenceOrderedDataSource source : dataSources ) {
+                final RMDTrack rod = source.getReferenceOrderedData();
+                if( rod.getRecordType().equals(VCFRecord.class) ) {
+                    final VCFReader reader = new VCFReader(rod.getFile());
+                    final Set<String> vcfSamples = reader.getHeader().getGenotypeSamples();
+                    samples.addAll(vcfSamples);
+                    reader.close();
+                }
             }
         }
+        vcfWriter = new VCFWriter( new File(OUTPUT_PREFIX + ".vcf") );
         final VCFHeader vcfHeader = new VCFHeader(hInfo, samples);
         vcfWriter.writeHeader(vcfHeader);
 
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/SampleUtils.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/SampleUtils.java
index 87a5b19b5..0247e827b 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/SampleUtils.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/SampleUtils.java
@@ -27,13 +27,12 @@ package org.broadinstitute.sting.utils;
 
 import net.sf.samtools.SAMFileHeader;
 import net.sf.samtools.SAMReadGroupRecord;
-import org.broad.tribble.vcf.VCFCodec;
+import org.broad.tribble.vcf.VCFHeader;
 import org.broad.tribble.vcf.VCFRecord;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.GenomeAnalysisEngine;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.datasources.simpleDataSources.ReferenceOrderedDataSource;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.gatk.refdata.tracks.RMDTrack;
 import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.collections.Pair;
-import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.genotype.vcf.VCFReader;
 
 import java.util.*;
 
@@ -80,11 +79,8 @@ public class SampleUtils {
         List<ReferenceOrderedDataSource> dataSources = toolkit.getRodDataSources();
         for ( ReferenceOrderedDataSource source : dataSources ) {
             RMDTrack rod = source.getReferenceOrderedData();
-            if ( rod.getRecordType().equals(VCFRecord.class) ) {
-                VCFReader reader = new VCFReader(rod.getFile());
-                samples.addAll(reader.getHeader().getGenotypeSamples());
-                reader.close();
-            }
+            if ( rod.getRecordType().equals(VCFRecord.class) )
+                samples.addAll(rod.getHeader(VCFHeader.class).getGenotypeSamples());
         }
 
         return samples;
@@ -110,11 +106,9 @@ public class SampleUtils {
         for ( ReferenceOrderedDataSource source : dataSources ) {
             RMDTrack rod = source.getReferenceOrderedData();
             if ( rod.getRecordType().equals(VCFRecord.class) ) {
-                VCFReader reader = new VCFReader(rod.getFile());
-                Set<String> vcfSamples = reader.getHeader().getGenotypeSamples();
+                Set<String> vcfSamples = rod.getHeader(VCFHeader.class).getGenotypeSamples();
                 for ( String sample : vcfSamples )
                     addUniqueSample(samples, sampleOverlapMap, rodNamesToSampleNames, sample, rod.getName());
-                reader.close();
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFReader.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFReader.java
index 34180f66b..6dfd757cc 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFReader.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFReader.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public class VCFReader implements Iterator<VCFRecord>, Iterable<VCFRecord> {
         } catch (IOException e) {
             throw new StingException("Unable to read VCF File from " + vcfFile, e);
         }
-        mHeader = codec.getHeader();
+        mHeader = codec.getHeader(VCFHeader.class);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFUtils.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFUtils.java
index 4f7ff2951..9064de4e5 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFUtils.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/genotype/vcf/VCFUtils.java
@@ -74,9 +74,7 @@ public class VCFUtils {
         for ( ReferenceOrderedDataSource source : dataSources ) {
             RMDTrack rod = source.getReferenceOrderedData();
             if ( rod.getRecordType().equals(VCFRecord.class) ) {
-                VCFReader reader = new VCFReader(rod.getFile());
-                fields.addAll(reader.getHeader().getMetaData());
-                reader.close();
+                fields.addAll(rod.getHeader(VCFHeader.class).getMetaData());                
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-99.jar b/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-100.jar
similarity index 89%
rename from settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-99.jar
rename to settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-100.jar
index 47066f7e1..bd8864848 100644
Binary files a/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-99.jar and b/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-100.jar differ
diff --git a/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-100.xml b/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-100.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eaf39336a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-100.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<ivy-module version="1.0">
+    <info organisation="org.broad" module="tribble" revision="100" status="integration" publication="201006091154200" />
+</ivy-module>
diff --git a/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-99.xml b/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-99.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index 1f3e1b70c..000000000
--- a/settings/repository/org.broad/tribble-99.xml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-<ivy-module version="1.0">
-    <info organisation="org.broad" module="tribble" revision="99" status="integration" publication="201006081154200" />
-</ivy-module>