TAPS: Memorial Article Guidelines
What is a TAPS Memorial Article, and how is it different from an obituary?
Memorial articles date back to 1870 and were written to capture memories, add to the West Point Association of Graduates’ historical records, and educate and inspire the Long Gray Line. They often have anecdotes or reflections of cadet life, quotes from classmates, and statements about West Point’s role and its values in their lives. It differs from an obituary in that it is less focused on basic facts and more a celebration of life, capturing their personality and highlighting their time at West Point, connections with fellow West Pointers, and their military career. The article is published in three formats: in the TAPS magazine (alongside other articles written that year), on parchment paper (included in a special folder as a keepsake), and online at Be Thou at Peace. Family, classmates, and friends can leave testimonials even if no article is published.
Who gets a Memorial Article published? WPAOG publishes memorial articles for U.S. Military Academy (USMA) graduates and former cadets.
What is the deadline for submitting a memorial article to TAPS?
TAPS magazine is published annually, and the deadline for inclusion in each publication is February 28. If you miss the deadline, your submission will be included in the next year’s publication, but it will be published online once the text has been edited and approved.
Who writes Memorial Articles? Memorial Articles are written by classmates, family members, or close friends. We encourage families to collaborate with classmates whenever possible. Some articles are group efforts involving several people who knew the person at different times.
Who approves the article? The author is responsible for obtaining the Next of Kin’s signature. In the online memorial article form, a link is provided to send to the next of kin (NOK) after the form is saved. If no relatives are found after a reasonable, good-faith search, the Class president can sign.
Who qualifies as the Next of Kin (NOK)? NOK is defined as the closest family member and the one who can act on behalf of the family. The surviving spouse is first in precedence. If there is no surviving spouse, then the oldest child. If there were no children, parents, siblings, or the closest relative qualified. An executor of the estate can act as NOK.
May I write a draft Memorial for myself in advance? Yes, we encourage you to do so. Before publication, your Next of Kin will receive a copy for approval.
How can I obtain information on file at WPAOG? WPAOG maintains a file on each graduate, known as the Cullum File. Some graduates have regularly updated their files, while others have not. This material can be requested for the purpose of writing the Memorial Article at memorials@
How long should the article be? Articles are between 650 and 900 words. If a longer, indented poem is included, the maximum is 800. You do not need to include a header with name, date of birth, and date of death, and it does not count against your word count.
How will it be edited? The editors of WPAOG’s Communication and Marketing department reserve the right to edit any article according to space needs, for adherence to WPAOG’s style guide, to follow Standard English grammar, or for any other factors they deem relevant at the time of editing.
Is there a standard format? Memorial Articles must be written in prose form using complete sentences and clear referents (avoid military abbreviations for units, assignments, operations, awards, decorations, and the like). Most articles are chronologically organized (events before West Point, assignments and achievements in the military, marriage and children, retirement or separation from the military, important activities in civilian life, etc.).
Examples:
Parchments: The next of Kin will receive a complimentary copy of the Memorial Article, printed on parchment-like paper, in a document folder as a special remembrance. Additional copies may be ordered: Please send a check with $15.00 per additional. Annotate on the check the number of parchments, the number of TAPS, and the TAPS year. Parchments will be created after the editorial process is completed. TAPS takes longer.
TAPS: You can purchase TAPS for $25 at WPAOG Gift Shop. TAPS is published in August of each year.
Memorial Photo
Most graduates prefer that the Howitzer photo be used on their Memorial Article, and the online template has been formatted proportionally for this. A custom photo may be submitted; however, it will be cropped to this proportion and must meet the following criteria:
Hard copy photo:
- Clear, sharp, well-defined image on quality photo paper
- The image contains the deceased only
- Proportion is 2w x 2.5h
- Black and white image preferred. Color photos are converted to black/white, and large blocks of dark color will be converted to black
- Professional or military dress is preferable
Electronic image (preferred):
- 300 dpi or larger at the actual size
- The image contains deceased only
- JPEG or TIFF file format
- Clear, sharp, well-defined image
- Proportion is 2w x 2.5h
- Black and white image preferred. Color photos are converted to black/white, and large blocks of dark color will be converted to black
- .Professional or military dress is preferable
Unacceptable:
Please note that images submitted that fall into this category will be returned with a request to submit a photo that meets the necessary criteria.
- Group photos
- Photocopies of photos or scans of such images
- Images from previously published magazines, newspapers, or scans of such images
- Inkjet, laser printouts, or scans of such images
Writing a Memorial Article for a loved one or classmate:
Writing your own Memorial Article:
See a list of supplemental information to submit. These items will be added to your Cullum file and help tell a more complete story.
Memorial Article Team
WPAOG’s Memorial Articles team can offer support regarding research and organizing a Memorial Article.
Contact information:
Purchasing TAPS
Articles are published in an annual issue of TAPS and are also available online.
Back Issues:
To order back issues of TAPS visit the WPAOG online Gift Shop or call 1.800.426.4725.
To purchase parchment-papers of individual articles for $15.00 each, please email desrae.
Mail-in orders:
Please indicate the purpose of payment (TAPS, parchment copies, or both and how many copies of each) and send payment to:
West Point Association of Graduates
TAPS subscriptions
698 Mills Road
West Point, NY 10996