West Point Grad News

Two Grads Part of NASA's Next Generation of Space Explorers

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:39:00 GMT

After an extensive year-and-a-half search, NASA has a new group of potential astronauts who will help the agency push the boundaries of exploration and travel to new destinations in the solar system, including an asteroid and Mars.

Eight candidates (including two West Point graduates) have been selected to be NASA's newest astronaut trainees, hoping to be among those who are the first to launch from U.S. soil on commercial American spacecraft since the retirement of the space shuttle.

The 2013 astronaut candidate class comes from the second largest number of applications NASA has received -- more than 6,000. Half of the selectees are women, making this the highest percentage of female astronaut candidates ever selected for a class. The group will receive a wide array of technical training at space centers and remote locations around the globe to prepare for missions to low-Earth orbit, an asteroid and Mars.

"These new space explorers asked to join NASA because they know we're doing big, bold things here -- developing missions to go farther into space than ever before," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. "They're excited about the science we're doing on the International Space Station and our plan to launch from U.S. soil to there on spacecraft built by American companies. And they're ready to help lead the first human mission to an asteroid and then on to Mars."

The two astronaut candidates from the Long Gray Line are:

Anne C. McClain '02, Major, U.S. Army, lists her hometown as Spokane, Washington. She is a graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point, University of Bath, and University of Bristol. McClain is an OH-58 helicopter pilot, and a recent graduate of U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. McClain has also been assistant coach for USA Rugby’s Women’s All Star Team.

Andrew R. Morgan '98, M.D., Major, US Army, considers New Castle, Pennsylvania, home. Morgan is a graduate of The United States Military Academy at West Point, and earned an M.D. from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He has experience as an emergency physician and flight surgeon for the Army special operations community, and is currently completing a sports medicine fellowship.

West Point Tradition Spans Generations for Crawford Family

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:10:00 GMT

Somewhere in the Crawford household, two picture frames tell a story of like father, like son.

In one frame, the elder Bill as a cadet at West Point (Class of 1980); in the other, dated about three decades later, his son Barret, a cadet at the Academy himself (Class of 2015).

“It makes a father very proud to see two things -– one to see your son going down your path, and two to know that that path ends up in service to the country,” Bill said.

For as long as the younger Crawford can remember, the Army has been a recurring theme in his relationship with his father, whether it be the mantra, “Go Army, Beat Navy,” the West Point events he attended as a child, or the trip he took to Fort Rucker when he was 10 where he got to fly a Black Hawk simulator. When it came time to choose a direction in life, Barret discovered the path had already been forged for him by his father.

Vietnam War Veterans Pass Stories on to Next Generation of Veterans

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:39:00 GMT

For the 20-year-old gunner of a UH-C1 “Firebird” gunship helicopter, the September 1969 day that came to be known as Black Monday began with a routine mission to bring infantry into a waiting landing zone.

As the infantry approached the landing zone, the jungle erupted in gunfire from North Vietnamese forces in concrete bunkers -– they’d known the Americans were coming. Helicopters on every side burst into flames; some careened to the ground. On the ground there was chaos as the infantry was overrun.

The gunships, loaded with fuel and weaponry, flew into the fray. They weren’t meant to land. The gunner’s pilot landed anyway.

American soldiers immediately ran for the chopper, some loading it with wounded, others gunned down before they reached it. The gunner knew the craft couldn’t take off with the load, believed no one on board would survive the battle, but still took them on.

The pilot tried to take off but could only bounce. He yelled for the gunner to throw off the rocket pods. After jumping out to do so, the gunner sat on the very edge of the floor, his feet hanging out the side, as the pilot tried again.

The North Vietnamese closed in; the pilot still couldn’t get high enough to clear the jungle. He tipped the blades forward and headed toward the trees. The prop chopped the forest apart like a gigantic weed-whacker.

The helicopter made it back to safety, unloaded, and refueled. The gunner and his crew flew back to battle.

More than 40 years later, the gunner, Gene “Wally” Waldrip, told this story sitting on the deck of a lake home near Pomme de Terre Lake. He and nine other Vietnam War veterans gathered there this past weekend for the biennial reunion of the “Boys of the Summer of ’69,” as they call themselves, boating around the lake, relaxing, and sharing their stories with a pair of next-generation veterans.

“We are our own best therapists,” said Randy Thomas of Springfield, the reunion’s host this year. “Just sitting and talking with one another, releasing. It takes a combat veteran to understand a combat veteran.”

Joining the Boys were Thomas’ son, Aaron, and Aaron’s West Point roommate, Brook Hilton. Both are veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and say that although location, culture, objectives, and time separate the conflicts, some things, like the bond between soldiers who fight together, never seem to change.

“Listing to these guys, it sounds exactly like what we talk about,” Hilton said. “It’s all very similar.”

Maine State Bar Association Names Weston '95 New Executive Director

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:24:00 GMT

The Board of Governors of the Maine State Bar Association (MSBA) is pleased to announce that Angela P. Weston '95 has been named Executive Director.

Weston, who has served as Deputy Executive Director of the Association since 2004, replaces Julie A. Deacon, who is retiring after 15 years as Executive Director. Weston will officially take over as Executive Director on July 6.

MSBA President-Elect Diane Dusini, who chaired the Executive Search Committee, said, “After a nationwide search, the search committee felt very strongly that Angela’s professional skills, and her knowledge of the organization and Maine’s legal community made her the best candidate for the job.”

Before joining the MSBA, Weston was Special Assistant to the Chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Prior to that she served as a Military Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army.

Weston holds an M.B.A. and is a graduate of the United States Military Academy. She is the daughter of Willard (“Skip”) and Cheryl Pease, of Spruce Head. Skip is a Class of 1970 graduate of the United States Military Academy.

Benning to Welcome Huerter '90 as Garrison Commander

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:08:00 GMT

Col. Michail S. Huerter '90 will assume command of U.S. Army Garrison Fort Benning from Col. Jeffrey Fletcher during a change of command ceremony on June 14.

Huerter, a native of Topeka, Kan., is also a graduate of the United States Army War College, where he earned a master’s degree in Strategic Studies in 2012.

An Infantry officer, his military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advance Courses, Airborne School, Ranger School, and the Command and General Staff College.

He is a veteran of seven combat tours, six in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

His most recent assignment was as the Director of Operations for the NATO Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan.

Read more

Truscott '69 Tells the Story of a Reluctant Prince

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:50:00 GMT

By Lucian Truscott '69, printed in the New York Times

I was in New York recently, helping my 18-year-old daughter, Lilly, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, paint her new apartment. To pass the time I was telling her stories about my student days in New York, when I was a cadet at West Point and often visited the city on leave. She had just traveled up to West Point to attend the Yearling prom with a cadet from back home in Tennessee. With that in mind I asked her if she wanted to hear a romantic story about a night when I was a Yearling and went on a date to a prom. She did.

The year was 1967, and I was in town to interview Cardinal Spellman for the cadet magazine, The Pointer, along with two other cadets, one the photographer and the other an ad salesman. After we finished we headed downtown to check into a shared room at the Statler Hilton, near Penn Station. All three of us had been wearing our heavy woolen dress gray uniforms since reveille and we were eager to get into some civilian clothes and make our hopeful presence known at the nascent singles bar scene on First Avenue. I was last in the shower and still in the bathroom when, unbeknown to me, there was a knock on the door and one of the guys answered to find three young women in long formal gowns and elaborate hair-dos standing there with tears running down their cheeks.

"Can we come in?" one of them asked.

Finish the story about a time when Truscott was a dashing young man in uniform with a heart full of romance, "when for a night I was there to rescue a princess in distress and in the best sense of the word, I was a prince."

Van Sickle '38 Returns 75 Years After Graduation

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:48:00 GMT

There are not many members of the West Point Class of 1938 left, but retired Maj. Gen. Neil Van Sickle of Kalispell, Montana, was proud to represent his class at the recent cadet graduation at the U.S. Military Academy in New York.

"Every year at graduation time there are anniversaries of various classes," Van Sickle said. "Usually there are five classes that come in. I, being the only surviving, mobile member of the class of 1938, represented my class. And being the oldest graduate present, I was privileged to take part in a number of ceremonies."

For Van Sickle, 97, the mid-May trip back to his alma mater was not the first time he has represented the oldest class.

Five years ago, Van Sickle took part in his 70th class reunion and had the distinction of being the oldest graduate in attendance.

"It's always a thrill to go back to West Point," he said. "You can always relive the best moments of your cadet chapter. One of the most interesting aspects of my visit to West Point as a representative of the Class of 1938 is that as I thought of all my classmates, I realized that many of them far exceeded, as cadets or officers, anything that I may have done. This task of representing the class was an exercise in humility."

Simon '97 Publishes Trail Guide of Southern West Virginia

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:29:00 GMT

R. Bryan Simon's new book on the trails of southern West Virginia focuses on the area in and around the New River Gorge, West Virginia, and the Boy Scouts of America Bechtel Summit Reserve, the new home for the Boy Scout Jamboree. The 352-page, full-color guide provides all the details needed for trail users in the area to enjoy the wonderful natural beauty and cultural history of the region.

Simon, a West Point Class of 1997 graduate and former infantry officer, left the military in 2003 due to an injury and now writes for various publications about climbing, climbing medicine, and other outdoor adventure topics. He is also a partner in the firm, Vertical Medicine Resources, which specializes in medical support and training of guiding services, expeditions, non-profits, and individuals seeking adventure in high-altitude and other vertical terrain across the globe.

Palmer '56 Inducted Into Fort Leavenworth Hall of Fame

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:44:00 GMT

Fort Leavenworth has inducted Lt. Gen. Dave Palmer '56 into its Hall of Fame. Lt. Gen. David G. Perkins '80, Commanding General Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, officiated the ceremony.

In 1963 and 1964, Palmer was aide to the Commander of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, covering the transition between Generals Paul D. Harkins '29 and William Westmorland '36. After completing Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Palmer completed a masters degree at Duke University then served as an assistant professor at West Point. There he published a history of West Point, The River and the Rock. Promoted to lieutenant colonel, he commanded 2nd Battalion, 33rd Armored Regiment in Germany then served as staff advisor to the Vietnamese National Military Academy. Palmer graduated from the War College in 1973 and published, "The Way of the Fox," a study of strategy in the American Revolution. He commanded the 1st Brigade, 2nd Armored Division and served as Corps G-3 at Fort Hood. In 1978 he published "The Summons of the Trumpet," his acclaimed study of the Vietnam War. In 1983 he became Deputy Commandant of CGSC where he championed small group instruction, helped re-implement the historical staff ride methodology, and led the college through re-accreditation. Palmer commanded the 1st Armored Division and finally served as the 53rd Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, where he focused on developing leaders of character and fitness. After retirement he took his expertise in education and leadership to Walden University where he helped focus the school on mid-career adults through pioneering work in distance education. He continued his own scholarship, publishing several more works on American Military History and established himself as an expert on the importance of character in leadership.

Grad March Back 2013

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:57:00 GMT

West Point Grad March Back is Hosted by the Directorate of Academy Advancement (DAA), USMA Staff

The scheduled dates are 11 - 12 August 2013. Grad March Back is open ONLY to West Point Graduates!

Sign up https://www.westpointaog.org/GMBNotification and we will send you an email when registration opens for the 2013 Grad March Back. You must be logged in.

For more details please view the DAA Website here.

Dahl '82 Receives Defense Superior Service Medal

Wed, 29 May 2013 19:15:00 GMT

Major General Kenneth R. Dahl '82 (right), Deputy Commanding General for Support, US Forces Afghanistan, has received a certificate for receiving the Defense Superior Service Medal (DSSM) from Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., Commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) at the New Kabul Compound, Afghanistan. Dahl received the award for his service and leadership following his second tour in Afghanistan. Dahl is a native of Cortland Manor, New York, and a 1982 graduate of the United States Military Academy where he was captain of the lacrosse team. He will serve as the Deputy Commanding General, I Corps at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

Svoboda '74 Named Educator of the Year

Tue, 28 May 2013 13:05:00 GMT

For the 2012-13 school year, Martin Svoboda '74 has been awarded Rogers Educator of the Year for the high school level. Svoboda teaches mathematics in the Extended Day Program, an alternative school in Rogers, Arkansas. Svoboda is known for having both high expectations for the students he teaches who are often struggling learners but also creating a very welcoming and respectful classroom environment. He also works to individualize instruction and to make his lessons relate to real-world situations.

Svoboda realizes the need to teach students how to use mathematics in their everyday life. He started a Stock Market Game with his Extended Day students this year to help show this to his students. Svoboda said, "I try to teach the students the basics of budgeting, and the importance of saving. Then using material from Economics Arkansas I try to teach the value of investing in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds." Not only does Svoboda realize the importance of relating math to the student's life, but he recognizes the need to involve parents in their child's education. "Svoboda partners with the student's family and makes them a viable member of the team. It may seem obvious, but for many of our alternative education students, both the student and the family have given up on education. His efforts are very effective in changing the negative image the student and families hold for schools," the program's principal, Cindy Ford, said.

Svoboda graduated from West Point in 1974 and has continued his education in the past eight years by earning his master's degree in education leadership, and an additional 12 hours of graduate level mathematics courses. He has also mentored others seeking to become teachers through the non-traditional licensure process.

Why Veterans Make Great Entrepreneurs

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:27:00 GMT

By Bill Murphy Jr.

I first met Joseph Kopser '93 six years ago in Mosul, Iraq. He he was an Army major serving in a cavalry squadron at the time, and I was a reporter for The Washington Post.

Kopser, 42, who retired from the military last week, is now the CEO and co-founder of an Austin, Tex. start-up called RideScout -- a smartphone application that aggregates all of a user's potential ground transportation options in real time, everything from buses and Zipcar to rideshare options with friends or strangers.

On Memorial Day, we remember members of our military who made the ultimate sacrifice. I've interviewed thousands of soldiers over the years. One thing they've told me repeatedly is that the best way to honor that sacrifice is to remember those who gave their lives -- and to live lives worthy of them. Today, I'd like to start telling you about some veterans who do just that. These are men and women who become entrepreneurs, trying to change the world for the better.

Veterans bring amazing advantages to the entrepreneurial game -- things like discipline, perspective, leadership ability, and the learned skill of seeing problems as opportunities -- to say nothing of having accomplished ambitious goals with the weight of a gigantic bureaucracy on their backs.

'81 Grads Change Command at Fort Bliss

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:56:00 GMT

Fort Bliss and El Paso said goodbye to its native commander and hello to a new leader with proven combat chops on Thursday.

Maj. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard '81, an El Paso native, relinquished command of Fort Bliss and the 1st Armored Division to Maj. Gen. Sean B. MacFarland '81 during a ceremony attended by more than 1,000 soldiers, family members, and El Paso civic leaders.

"It's been an absolute pleasure to command the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss," Pittard said during the ceremony. "To command a division in my hometown has been an incredible experience.

"I'm blessed to be able to turn over command to an old friend and West Point classmate," Pittard continued. "I've known Gen. MacFarland since we were teenagers" at the U.S. Military Academy.

MacFarland, a native of upstate New York, most recently served in a dual role as deputy chief of staff for operations for the International Security Assistance Force in Afghan istan and as deputy commanding general for operations for U.S. forces there.

MacFarland is a "combat seasoned leader," Gen. Daniel B. Allyn '81, commander of Forces Command, said after the ceremony.

"He knows Fort Bliss from multiple tours here," Allyn said. "He knows how to lead. That's what he'll bring to the team. It's going to be exceptional."

Ten Selected to Army Sports Hall of Fame

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:42:00 GMT

Five All-Americans, the first American to walk in space, a Heisman Trophy runner-up, an Army Athletic Association Award winner, two legendary coaches and an administrator who also contributed as a multi-sport athlete, are among the candidates selected into the Army Sports Hall of Fame. Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Boo Corriganannounced the Class of 2013 today.

The 10th induction class into the Army Sports Hall of Fame includes women's basketball standout Julie DelGiorno '86, two-time football All-American selections Paul Bunker (Class of 1903) and Richard "Dick" Nowak '64, lacrosse coach Jack Emmer, cross country and track and field mentor Carleton Crowell, three-time soccer All-American Jose Gonzalez '65, football, baseball player, and administrator Al Vanderbush '61, football, men's basketball, and lacrosse star Charles "Monk" Meyer '37, tight end Gary Steele '70, and Ed White '52, the space walker who first starred in track and field and soccer at the Academy.

The Class of 2013 brings the total of Army Sports Hall of Fame inductees to 99 and encompasses nine sports.

"Once again, the Hall of Fame committee has done a tremendous job," said Corrigan. "This worthy class of leaders on the field and off the field ranges from 1903 to 2005 and includes 10 individuals who have selflessly served their country. We are excited to showcase these leaders of character in September and honor their hard work, dedication and excellence."

Odin Stays Away: WPAOG Celebrates DGA

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:03:00 GMT

Order Photos Like This

For the first time in four years, the weather cooperated and the Corps of Cadets, dressed in their full-dress gray uniforms, marched in the Alumni Review parade honoring those classes that have returned to West Point during Graduation Week. This year, the Classes of ’38, ’43JAN, ’43JUN, ’48, ’58, and ’63 came home to their alma mater. As part of the ceremony, the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) recognized six individuals with the Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA): Robert G. Yerks '51, John W. Foss '56, Lee R. Anderson '61, Theodore G. Stroup Jr. '62, Joseph E. DeFrancisco '65, and Boonsrang Niumpradit '71. With this group of recipients, the number of Distinguished Graduates crossed the 100 threshold. Edward C. Meyer '51, former Chairman of WPAOG, devised the Award in the early-1990s to recognize those graduates whose character, service, and stature draws wholesome comparisons to the qualities for which West Point strives—Duty, Honor, Country. "West Point’s motto works for any country in the world and is a requirement for all citizens of a democracy," said Boonsrang, who finished his military career in 2008 as the 26^th Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (equivalent to the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff). While their credentials reminds one of the oft-heard West Point phase, "Much of the history we teach was made by those we taught," all the recipients were humbled to be recognized as a Distinguished Graduate. "I went through the sally port on R-Day with a toothbrush in a brown paper bag," said Anderson, "and I had no idea how four years at West Point would change my life." For those whose lives are about to change on Saturday with the words, "Class Dismissed!" Foss offered these words: "Graduates of the Class of 2013 will have great careers as long as they understand their leadership responsibilities." When asked what he meant by this, he said that 58 years after Graduation he often thinks of his time as a cadet at the Academy, but more than that he thinks of his soldiers.

See DGA photos. See Alumni Review photos.

Melki '04 Embarks on New Career in City Government Helping Fellow Veterans

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:12:00 GMT

It was finals week at NYU and Lindsey Melki '04 was racing from grueling exam to exam in courses like foundations of finance and corporate finance, grinding toward dual master’s degrees in business administration and public administration.

But this was easy duty.

Especially for a lady with a bachelor's degree from West Point and more than seven years in the military behind her, including 500 combat hours in Black Hawk helicopters over Baghdad in the 4th Battalion of the 3rd Aviation Regiment of the U.S. Army.

"This fall, I will start NYU's Wagner School of Government working on a master's in government administration," she says. "I'd like to work in city government, in veterans affairs, helping my fellow veterans. I was lucky to be chosen for a David Bohnett Fellowship that is paying for my tuition."

No, lucky us.

We could use more women with real-life experience in city government.

"Into Harm's Way," Documentary on Class of '67, to Air on PBS

Fri, 17 May 2013 20:13:00 GMT

The West Point Class of 1967 arrived at the United States Military Academy during the heady days of the early 1960s when it appeared that America was destined for a century of unrivaled success. Four years later, when the members of that class were graduated and commissioned as officers in the United States Army, the country was embroiled in a strange and unpopular war in Southeast Asia. The Class of 1967 paid a high price in that war, yet most stayed strong, bonding as brothers and as soldiers in a way that has endured through to the present.

Into Harm's Way, a feature documentary produced by the West Point Center for Oral History, is an honest look at the shadow war casts long after the guns have fallen silent, and at how the Vietnam War in particular continues to occupy an unsettled place in the American psyche.

PBS will be airing the documentary for the first time this month. Check your local listings!

Scheduled Airings Through June 15, 2013

Grads' Horse Headed for Belmont Stakes

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:52:00 GMT

Freedom Child has enjoyed an eventful career for a sophomore runner who only had one win, but everything finally went right for the Malibu Moon ridgling May 11 at rain-whipped Belmont Park.

Romping in the slop by 13 1/4 lengths to take the $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes, the chestnut runner punched his ticket to the June 8 Belmont Stakes.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds (no affiliation to the Military Academy), St. Elias Stable (owned by Vinnie Viola '77), and his breeder, Spendthrift Farm, Freedom Child rebounded off a 10th-place finish in the April 6 Wood Memorial Stakes, in which he ran for purse money only after being held in the gate by an assistant starter and getting away poorly.

Three starts prior to the Wood, Freedom Child tangled with eventual Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands winner Orb, but was passed by that one after setting the pace. He would finish second by two lengths in the one-mile maiden special weight Nov. 24 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Freedom Child eventually went on to break his maiden in his fourth start by 5 1/4 lengths going 1 1/8 miles wire-to-wire at Gulfstream Park March 10.

"We thought we were set to run well in the Wood; we just had a little bit of bad luck," said Terry Finley '86, president of West Point Thoroughbreds. "The next day we put a circle around the Peter Pan. I think we're going to the Belmont Stakes in about four weeks [now].

"I hope Orb runs well in the Preakness and the whole world is watching for the Belmont, and I hope we upset the apple cart."

Penn Honors O'Connor '53 With a Posthumous Ph.D.

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:26:00 GMT

By Brian Wright O'Connor

Nearly 50 years after leaving the University of Pennsylvania for Vietnam, Lt. Col. Mortimer Lenane O'Connor '53 will receive a posthumous Ph.D. in a ceremony honoring academic achievement and sacrifice on the field of battle.

My father, who set aside his dissertation to lead soldiers in war, will be included in the Class of 1968, the year he would most likely have completed his doctorate had fate not intervened.

Born in 1930, my dad grew up in the company of soldier-storytellers on Army garrisons from Manila to the Old West, and watched his own father and three uncles set off for war in Europe.

The whiff of cordite and tales of valor turned him into an infantry officer with a taste for ballads and bravado. He walked off demerits at West Point while reciting Rudyard Kipling and told the story of Beowulf around the family campfire as a bare-knuckled brawl between an Airborne Ranger and a Nazi monster.

In 1958, my dad was sent to Penn to study English in preparation for teaching at West Point. In his year at Penn, the young officer set aside the Cold War for Chaucer and refined his taste for poetry and prose.

After that teaching assignment and a year in Korea, my dad returned to Penn - living in Willingboro with Betsy and the six kids, teaching at Temple, and plodding through Ph.D. course work and research.

Dailey '92 Named Vice President at GEI Consultants

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:23:00 GMT

GEI Consultants, Inc., one of the nation's leading geotechnical, environmental, water resources, and ecological science and engineering firms, has elected six individuals as new vice presidents.

"I am very pleased that our leadership team continues to expand and advance with the promotion of these highly regarded senior professionals," said Ray Hart, president of GEI. "We appreciate their growing leadership contributions and continuing commitment to GEI's success."

One of the six new vice presidents will be Christopher W. Dailey, West Point Class of 1992. As senior environmental and construction services manager, branch manager, and vice president in GEI's Mount Laurel, N.J. office, he is responsible for expanding GEI's market presence and operations in southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Dailey has more than 20 years of experience in construction and environmental consulting, which has included a large number of projects for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He is a proven project manager who provides quality work products and close client coordination for both the public and private sector. Dailey received his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; his Master of Science in civil engineering from the University of Missouri, Rolla; and his MBA from Drexel University, where he has been an adjunct professor for 14 years in the university’s construction management program.

Denn '06 Recognized for Embodying "Duty, Honor, Country"

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - When the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, occurred, many Americans were deeply affected and some were moved to serve their country. Because he grew up in New York state, Capt. William Denn III '06, commander of Alpha Company, 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade, found that the events made him more determined than ever to serve.

Denn, who received his acceptance letter to West Point dated Sept. 11, 2001, said he wasn't initially sure if the Army would be a career for him but after his first couple of years he realized it would be.

"I grew to love the Army, and I realized how much I admired and respected the American soldier," he said. "I love leading soldiers in combat."

The intelligence officer, who once served as an M1A2 Abrams Tank platoon leader during a 15-month tour in Iraq, is a recipient of the General MacArthur Leadership Award. This is given to company-grade officers who demonstrate outstanding leadership characteristics and embody the ideals held up by Gen. Douglas MacArthur: duty, honor, and country. Fewer than 30 officers receive this honor each year.

Photographed: Capt. William Denn III, commander of Alpha Company, 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade, poses with his team during the Bataan Memorial Death March.

Read more about Denn

Denn is in good company. Five of his classmates -- Captain James Perkins, Captain Shane Sullivan, Captain Benjamin Summers, Captain Jasmine Walker, and Captain Andrew Webb -- also received the MacArthur Leadership Award. Captain Michael Kelvington and Captain Widmar Roman, both Class of 2005, are also recipients this year.

Allyn '81 Promoted, Becomes Commanding General of FORSCOM

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:30:00 GMT

Gen. Daniel B. Allyn '81 assumed command of the Army's largest organization -- U.S. Army Forces Command -- during a ceremony last week at Fort Bragg, N.C.

FORSCOM is responsible for 265,000 active-duty Soldiers and 560,000 Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers stationed across the country. These men and women are the strength of the United States and the U.S. Army, Allyn said during his remarks.

"They are why it is such a privilege and joy to serve and lead, and [they] have borne the brunt of the nation's burden since 9/11 with grace, confidence, competence, and quiet professionalism," he said.

"Our mission in Army Forces Command remains vital to our nation's defense," Allyn said. "Forces Command sustains its legacy of excellence because of a solid foundation based on commitment to service and our Army values. On this foundation stand the determined Soldiers and talented civilians of Forces Command who understand the importance of the work the Army is doing at home and around the world."

During the ceremony, Gen. Raymond T. Odierno '76, U.S. Army Chief of Staff, promoted Allyn to the rank of general before passing him the FORSCOM colors in front of an audience of nearly 300, including U.S. Army and local civilian leaders.

Krzyzewski '69 Talks Team-Building with JBLM Troops

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:20:00 GMT

Hundreds of Army officers and senior enlisted soldiers were given a pep talk Thursday from a coaching legend, as Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski '69 paid a visit to Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Known in some circles simply as "Coach K," Krzyzewski coached Lt. Gen. Robert Brown '81, commanding general of I Corps and Lewis-McChord, when Brown played basketball at West Point from 1977-81. The two men have remained close friends.

Krzyzewski, who has won more games than any other men’s Division I college basketball coach, discussed his experience guiding the U.S. men’s basketball team to gold during last year’s London Olympics. He said it offers lessons about team-building that apply as much to the battlefield as the hardwood.

“There’s nothing more important that we do than build a team,” Brown told the audience in introducing his mentor.

Zais '69 Receives Honorary Degree From The Citadel

Tue, 07 May 2013 17:52:00 GMT

South Carolina's State Superintendent of Education Mitchell M. "Mick" Zais, West Point Class of 1969, was presented with an honorary Doctor of Public Education from The Citadel Board of Visitors on Saturday. His citation reads as follows:

Mitchell M. "Mick" Zais, Ph.D. is passionate about education. As South Carolina's State Superintendent of Education, he believes that every student should attend an excellent school and be taught by outstanding teachers. In pursuit of this ideal, Dr. Zais has dedicated his career to excellence in education.

Zais graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and holds master's and Ph.D. degrees in organizational behavior and social psychology from the University of Washington. He also holds a master's degree from the School for Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and was a research fellow at the National Defense University.

After graduation from West Point, Zais served in the Army for 31 years, retiring as a brigadier general. He was assigned to infantry units in Vietnam, the United States, and Korea and served as commanding general of U.S. and Allied forces in Kuwait and of Operation Provide Refuge. In that role, he led the task force that cared for 4,000 Kosovo refugees in the United States. He also taught leadership, organizational behavior, and management consulting on the faculty at West Point. His career culminated as the chief of staff of the U.S. Army Reserve Command.

His numerous military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star. After military service, Zais became president of Newberry College, a private, liberal arts institution that saw its enrollment and endowment nearly double under his leadership. During his tenure, Newberry was named one of America's best colleges by U.S. News & World Report.

In 2011, Zais became South Carolina's 17th State Superintendent of Education. In recognition of his military service to our country and his leadership in education in South Carolina, The Citadel Board of Visitors is proud to present Dr. Mitchell M. "Mick" Zais with the honorary degree of Doctor of Public Education.

Rylander '11 Remembered Through Brother's Music

Thu, 02 May 2013 19:14:00 GMT

Inspiration is the good that comes from tragic loss.

That's the view of aspiring recording artist Daniel Rylander as he and his family mark the one-year anniversary of his brother’s death in Afghanistan.

Army 2nd Lt. David Rylander '11 died a year ago today of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated under his vehicle in Logar province. He was 23.

The loss prompted Daniel Rylander to follow his heart and compile a CD in his brother's memory.

"I felt very passionate and very strong that I had to do something," Daniel said in a recent interview. "When life blows up in your face, now is the time."

Daniel, 20, said his brother's death inspired him to jump into his passion, music, in a big way. David also was very interested in music and sang in the choir at West Point and played bells at the U.S. Military Academy.

After David was killed, Daniel decided not to go back to school but rather sought to record a CD when not working at Becker's Bake Shop in Cleveland.

He has been recording Strawberry Skyline for several months with the assistance of Wes McCraw at McCraw's Creekside Audio studio in Norton and hopes to complete it in a few months.

(Photographed, left to right, Sarah Rylander, Stephen Rylander, Daniel Rylander, and parents John and Jackie Rylander taken at the Boy Scout Camporee held in 2nd Lt. David Rylander's memory at West Point, NY.)

Caldwell '76 Shares Experiences With Hargrave Cadets

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:26:00 GMT

Hargrave Military Academy hosted Lieutenant General William Caldwell '76 for their Distinguished Speaker Series Tuesday.

Caldwell, a Hargrave graduate who went on to the United States Military Academy at West Point, visited campus to share his military experiences with the cadets.

He shared lessons he's learned over his military career, which spans almost 40 years. Caldwell also offered advice to cadets considering a future in the military, telling them that college should be a top priority even if you choose to serve.

Caldwell also stressed the importance of humility, which he said has kept him grounded as he rose through the ranks to become a three star general.

Watch newscast