By Erika Norton, WPAOG Senior Multimedia Journalist

On June 29, the 50-Year Affiliate Class of 1980 returned to West Point to welcome the incoming Class of 2030 and their families for R-Day. From the early morning arrivals at Eisenhower Hall to the Oath Ceremony on the Plain, the “Pride and Excellence” Class of ’80 offered heartfelt support to the newest members of the Long Gray Line.

Over 30 graduates of the Class of 1980 shared smiles and handshakes with cadet candidates throughout the day, as well as water, tissues, and encouragement with parents for emotional 60-second goodbyes.

Among those volunteers was one graduate whose connection to R-Day spans generations. The Class of 1980 was the first West Point graduating class to include women. For Marene Allison, a member of this historic class, returning to R-Day 50 years later alongside her classmates was a full-circle moment. Having also watched her son begin his own West Point journey with the Class of 2007, she has now experienced R-Day from both sides of the tradition. 

“To really bring the class in well, we see right away the anxiety of the parents and some of the cadets and new cadets,” Allison said, “and being able to say ‘you got it!’ is really, really important.”

Since its inception in 1999, the WPAOG 50-Year Affiliation Program has continued to strengthen the bond between West Point graduates and cadets, bridging generations through mentorship and shared purpose. Beginning on R-Day, the entering cadet class is paired with an alumni class that is fifty years its senior. Over the next four years, the graduates will accompany their affiliated cadets at significant Academy events, such as Ring Weekend, and Branch Night. 

Those shared milestones are just one example of the program’s lasting impact. The 50-Year Affiliation Program has grown into an indispensable tradition, with cadets continuing to “grip hands” with the graduates who preceded them by half a century, helping to enrich their cadet experience while strengthening the Long Gray Line. 

“We didn’t have this kind of program when we came in,” said COL (R) Frank Miller ’80. “This is phenomenal. The linkage back to the Long Gray Line and the connections between the classes—it’s a way to continue giving back.”