The results are in! This year's Princeton Review ranked the USMA Library as the #1 Best College Library: https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings?rankings=best-college-library

The Library serves the West Point curriculum by partnering with faculty and staff across campus to equip cadets with the skills and resources necessary to conduct serious and meaningful research and to become life-long learners.

As a part of USMA's Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) program, CDT Ryan Rocca and CDT Jackson Szczerbik attended the 2019 Deterrence Symposium at USSTRATCOM. Facilitated by the House of PANE's CPT Robert Gilbreath, these cadets had the amazing opportunity to witness senior military leaders, academics, and policy makers discuss critical issues at the strategic level.

For the first time the Army & Air Force Exchange Service has interns from USMA. Cadets Thomas "TJ" Bordeaux and Christian Falk are spending three weeks at the Exchange's Dallas headquarters broadening their knowledge of cybersecurity completing their completing Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD).

"Having TJ and Christian here with us this summer is truly special—they are exceptional Cadets," said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull '73. "It is truly a privilege to partner with West Point for the first time on this program to help the Nation's future military leaders broaden their knowledge in their field of study and remind them the Exchange is there for them throughout their military career."

Bordeaux and Falk are already learning more about the Exchange and its mission of serving those who serve.

"When we get to our first unit and are commanding Soldiers, we can help them understand what the Exchange is there for—how it'll be there when they deploy, how it supports after-school programs and school lunches overseas," Bordeaux said. "It's a lot more than a retail outlet." Falk agreed. "Not everyone understands their benefits," Falk said. "The Exchange does a lot to help us."

Standout firstie Zac McGraw, who was recently named the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for the third consecutive season, received College Soccer News All-America Second Team honors.

McGraw, who was also named to the Mac Hermann Trophy watch list earlier this month, has been one of the top defenders in the Patriot League during his time at Army. In his cow campaign, he captained a Black Knights' defense that shutout back-to-back opponents in the league tournament, marking the first time in program history an Army squad had accomplished that feat. His defensive efforts against top-seeded Loyola in the semifinal round helped the cadets advance to the championship match for the first time since 1996.

The Torrance, Calif., native and the Black Knights will lace up for their season opener on August 31 when they take on service academy rival No. 19 Air Force at 7 p.m. at Malek Stadium at Clinton Field.

SOSH recently hosted 120 Junior Cadets and Cadre from Bergen County, NJ. These high-school aged members of the Youth Police Academy enjoyed a day-long experience at West Point which gave them a sense of the physical, military, and academic challenges encountered by West Point Cadets.

The U.S. Military Academy Department of History supported the United States Corps of Cadets (USCC) Staff Ride to Gettysburg. Vignettes from the battle help cadets reflect on their upcoming leadership roles during the academic year.

March Back is a special day on the USMA calendar. Not only does it mark the end of summer training and the beginning of Reorganization Week, but it is one of few occasions during the year when the Long Gray Line becomes visibly manifest.

More than 250 Old Grads, representing 46 classes and spanning 62 years (from 1958 through 2019), joined 1,187 new cadets from the Class of 2023 for the final two-mile leg of March Back from the ski slope to the Superintendent’s house. As they moved down Washington Road—platoons of cadets in combat uniforms followed by a large contingent of grads in khaki shorts, black polos, and ballcaps adorned with the USMA crest—it was easy to appreciate the symbolic metaphor that defines all who have endured the trials and celebrated the joys West Point has to offer. “It was the Long Gray Line,” Lieutenant General Darryl Williams ’83, the 60th Superintendent of West Point, told grads at a luncheon following the March Back. “And all of us are linked to it.” Full story.

Congratulations to the 11 members of USMA Class of 2019 who received their diplomas and became second lieutenants during a graduation and commissioning ceremony Friday August 9 at Jefferson Library here at West Point.

The Army West Point Football Team begin the final week of preseason camp on yesterday with a spirited practice at West Point.

The Black Knights were in shells on Monday and did a lot of head-to-head battles between the top offensive and defensive units.

Army was back out on the field on today and will have its final intersquad scrimmage of camp on Saturday at Michie Stadium.

The Black Knights open the season on August 30 against Rice for a 6 p.m. kickoff on CBS Sports Network. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at goarmywestpoint.com/tickets.

The Vegas Golden Knights announced that the organization will host the Fortress Invitational, a collegiate hockey tournament, at T-Mobile Arena January 3-4. The four-team tournament will feature the following schools: Army West Point, Cornell University, Ohio State University and Providence College. Television coverage will be announced at a later date.

"We are very excited to host the Fortress Invitational at T-Mobile Arena," Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz said. "The Fortress Invitational provides our fans an opportunity to see some of the best college hockey players in the country with the unique in-game experience they are accustomed to seeing at VGK home games. We look forward to this tournament becoming a college hockey tradition in Las Vegas for years to come."

Puck drop for the first game of the tournament is slated for Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, with the Army Black Knights facing the Providence Friars at 5 p.m. PT, followed by the Cornell Big Red squaring off against the Ohio State Buckeyes at 8:30 p.m. The Vegas Golden Knights will host the reigning Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues to highlight a tripleheader of hockey on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, starting at 1 p.m. Saturday's college games (Championship & Consolation) will begin at 5:30 p.m. Read more.

Cadets from the “Shakespeare and Power” Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD) experienced an immersive study of both early modern theatre as well as the notions of power within Shakespearian text and time. Cadets viewed five Shakespeare plays in London’s GlobeTheater as well as at the Royal Shakespeare theater in Stratford-upon-Avon, studying how the notions of power that Shakespeare explore within his plays aren’t something relegated to the past but are happening now.

This week, 8 SOSH faculty teams ran the South Dock to Redoubt #4 race route. It is 2.75 miles from the river to the highest point at USMA. Redoubt #4 is a Revolutionary War fortification that overlooks the central campus and the Plain. It was mentioned and described by Benedict Arnold in his treasonous documents given to the British. The redoubt is now a well-maintained overlook and an uphill running challenge!

Firsties Zac McGraw and Keenan O'Shea of the Army West Point men's soccer team highlighted the Patriot League preseason accolades on Thursday morning.

McGraw, who is a two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, received preseason defensive player of the year praise for the third consecutive season. This news comes after the Torrance, Calif., native was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watchlist a week ago. Meanwhile, O'Shea picked up preseason honors for the second straight year.

In addition to the individual accolades, the Black Knights were chosen to finish fourth in the preseason poll with 108 points, which is the team's highest selection since being picked to place second back in 2014. The reigning regular season champs, Loyola, earned the first spot in the poll with 156 points and a league-best 12 first-place votes. The three-time defending league champions, Colgate, were chosen second with 147 points and eight first-place votes, while Lehigh (128) rounded out the top three.

Preseason voting was compiled by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, who were not permitted to vote for their own players. Read more.

Army West Point Director of Athletics Mike Buddie has announced the hiring of Brandt Nigro as the new head coach for the men's and women's swimming programs.

Nigro comes to West Point after a two-year stint at NC State as an assistant coach for the swimming and diving teams. His primary responsibilities included working with the sprint freestyle and stroke events, and he also assisted in recruiting.

He helped the Wolfpack men continue their dominance in the ACC with their fifth-straight league title in 2019 and the women completed an NC State sweep on the year with their own ACC title. The men finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in 2018 and 2019 and the women took seventh in 2019 and 18th in 2018 with Nigro on staff. While at NC State, Nigro saw 117 All-American performances, 37 individual ACC honors, 37 school records, and 164 NC State all-time top-10 performances. In 2019, he mentored the women sprinters to an ACC title, conference record, and All-America performance in the 200 freestyle relay. The year before, the men's 800 and 400 freestyle relays set NCAA, US Open and American records. With the success over the last couple of years, he was a member of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 ACC Men's Coaching Staff of the Year. In addition, he has guided athletes to elite international-level competitions, including, World Championships and the Olympics.

"We are thrilled to have Brandt taking over our swimming programs," Buddie said. "Everyone we spoke to about Brandt had great things to say about his work ethic, character and that he is a rising star in the sport. I am looking forward to following our cadet-athletes' success under his leadership."

Prior to his two years in Raleigh, Nigro had three successful seasons as an assistant coach at Marshall and UMBC. Read more.

For two weeks it was pedal to the metal. Given a problem on day one, 35 cadets divided into seven teams were given 10 days to network with industry experts, fully define the problem they'd been assigned and develop a viable solution.

The course, called Hacking for Defense, was taught at the U.S. Military Academy for the first time. Hacking for Defense is a graduate-level course currently taught at 22 universities throughout the country. During the course, students learn problem-solving skills while working to find solutions to Department of Defense problems.

The West Point course includes seven teams, each including four West Point cadets and one ROTC cadet. The goal was to build teams with cadets from various academic fields and leverage their differing backgrounds to solve real-world problems.

"It is really focused on, how do I get young men and women who are our future experts in business and technology and other places and engineering, and leverage them to work on problem sets for the Army?" Colonel Todd Woodruff, an instructor in the Behavioral Sciences and Leadership department which sponsors the course, said. "How do I get these problems in front of universities so they can leverage some of their talent and treasure on behalf of the nation?" Read more.

Photo: Cadet Jay Yang '20 speaks with an expert on the phone while taking notes during the Hacking for Defense course

Goalkeeper Sydney Cassalia of the Army West Point Women's Soccer Team was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team announced by the league on Tuesday. Also released was the Patriot League Preseason Poll which Army was slated fifth.

Cassalia returns to the Black Knights' squad after being named to the All-Region First Team and All-Patriot League Second Team last season.

"We are very proud of Sydney," said head coach Adrian Blewitt. "She represents our program at the highest level in everything she does and it is an accurate representation that she made the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. We look forward to Sydney and her teammates having a great season."

Cassalia improved upon her impressive rookie campaign by playing all 1,772 minutes of Army's 18 games in 2018, earning nine shutouts. The Omaha, Neb., native boasted a 0.66 goals-against average after allowing just 13 goals, while her 100 saves contributed to an 0.885 save percentage. Additionally, she dished out two assists on the year, becoming the first goalkeeper in program history to record a point. Sydney's first helper came in the season opener at Wagner before a booming punt led to the opening goal in the Star Game at Navy on Oct. 12. Read more.

The Army West Point Golf Team was recognized for its work in the classroom after receiving an NCAA Public Recognition Award on August 1.

The award is bestowed on teams with an NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate in the top 10 percent of all teams in their respective sports based on the APR data released in May 2019.

"We've got an exceptional group of young men and leaders on our team," head coach Chad Bagley said. "They work hard in the classroom and on the golf course in a demanding environment; and I'm happy for them that their efforts are being recognized."

The men's tennis team is one of three squads to receive this recognition for the 2018-19 year. Army's men's tennis and hockey teams were also recognized. The list of all teams receiving the honor may be found on NCAA.org.

The Army West Point Men's Tennis Team was a recipient of the NCAA Public Recognition Award on August 1.

The award is bestowed on teams with an NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate in the top 10 percent of all teams in their respective sports based on the APR data released in May 2019.

"We would like to thank the NCAA for recognizing us and also congratulate all the other teams that have also received this award," said Associate Head Coach Randy Rowley. "Each day we have the honor to go above and beyond in the classroom, as well as the court, as we work towards being an Army officer."

The men's tennis team is one of three squads to receive this recognition for the 2018-19 year. Army's golf and hockey teams were also recognized. The list of all teams receiving the honor may be found on NCAA.org.

The Army West Point Football Team was greeted with sunny skies and hot temperatures yesterday afternoon at Howze and Goldstein Fields as the Black Knights continued fall camp.

Monday was the end of a run of five-straight days of practice and the first with full pads. It was also the first time that all classes, plebe to firsties, were all on the field at the same time.

The Black Knights will have an off day on Tuesday before heading back out on the field on Wednesday. The team is going to be holding the first scrimmage of fall camp on Saturday at Howze and Goldstein Fields.

The 2019-20 hockey season is right around the corner for the Black Knights. The Army West Point Ticket Office has announced that season and group tickets are now on sale.

Season tickets for rinkside seats can be purchased for $344, chair back seats for $215 and bleacher seats for $134 for the year. Faculty and staff can purchase chair back seats for $149. Group tickets are also on sale now and range from $10-$19 for select games.

Mini-plan ticket packages will be offered beginning Aug. 20 and single-game tickets will go on sale Sept. 17.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting goarmywestpoint.com/Tickets, in person at the Army West Point Ticket Office at Gate 3 of Michie Stadium, or by calling 1-877-TIX-ARMY.

Army's 2019-20 schedule will feature 16 home games, including a weekend series against service academy rival Air Force at Tate Rink on Jan. 10-11.

The Army West Point Hockey Team was a recipient of the NCAA Public Recognition Award on Thursday.

The award is bestowed on teams with an NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports based on the APR data released in May 2019.

"This is great recognition by the NCAA for our Program," said head coach Brian Riley. "I'm extremely proud of our players for their effort both on the ice and in the classroom."

The hockey team is one of three squads to receive this recognition for the 2018-19 year. Army's golf and men's tennis teams were also recognized. The list of all teams receiving the honor may be found on NCAA.org.

The Black Knights begin their 2019-20 season at home on Oct. 6 when they host Union at 4:05 p.m.

Firstie defender Zac McGraw of the Army West Point Men's Soccer Team was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List for the second consecutive season on Thursday afternoon.

The MAC Hermann Trophy, presented by World Wide Technology, is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. This year's winners will be announced in early January at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.

As a three-time All-Patriot League First Team performer and two-time All-Atlantic Region First Team selection, McGraw was a defensive stalwart for the Black Knights in his third year and aided the team in its run in the Patriot League Tournament. His efforts on the defensive end helped the Cadets post back-to-back shutouts in the tournament for the first time in program history. The Torrance, California native played a major role in Army's 1-0 victory in Baltimore over No. 23 Loyola in the semifinals, which put the cadets into the championship match for the first time since 1996.

McGraw joins fellow Patriot League standouts, Brian Saramago and Barry Sharifi of Loyola on the exclusive list that is comprised of 36 of the top male soccer players in Division I. Read more.

College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) announced its 2019 preseason watch list for the CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy and Kelvin Hopkins Jr. is among the nation's top players.

Thirty-four players earned spots on the list, including 2018 CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy winner Tua Tagovailoa.

This is the Charlotte, N.C., native's fourth preseason honor as he was also added to the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award and Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award watch lists.

Under center last year, Hopkins Jr. became the first player in Academy history to throw and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. He also registered five rushing touchdowns in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl to tie the Army single-game record. The Charlotte, N.C., native closed out his first year as the primary play caller with 17 rushing touchdowns, which tied Carlton Jones '06 and Trent Steelman '13 for a single-season program record.

The 2019 CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy is a 22-inch K-9 optic crystal tower with eight-inch crystal football on top. All FBS players are eligible for the award. The award winner will be announced January 15, 2020. Read more.

New cadets with USMA Class of 2023 learned mountaineering skills from 10th Mountain Division Soldiers as part of their Cadet Basic Training at Camp Buckner.

West Point cadets in the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering took part in an Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD) course on geology. The AIAD is a three-week course taught in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, with approximately 114 hours of instruction including 74 hours of field trips and labs. The remaining time is classroom instruction. The first week was first week at USMA, followed by travel to Colorado to the U.S. Air Force Academy. The emphasis is on learning to identify minerals and rocks then applying this knowledge to analyze and understand significant geologic processes.

The Walter Camp Football Foundation announced that senior quarterback Kelvin Hopkins Jr. was named one of forty "players to watch" for its 2019 Player of the Year award, the nation's fourth-oldest individual college football accolade. This is the Charlotte, N.C., native's third preseason honor as he was also tabbed to the Maxwell Award and Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award watch lists. Under center last year, Hopkins Jr. became the first player in Academy history to throw and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season.

He also registered five rushing touchdowns in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl to tie the Army single-game record. The Charlotte, N.C., native closed out his first year as the primary play caller with 17 rushing touchdowns, which tied Carlton Jones '06 and Trent Steelman '13 for a single-season program record. Ten players on the 2019 watch list, including the 2018 Player of the Year Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) have previously earned Walter Camp All-America honors. Tagovailoa was a First Team All-American last season along with his teammate, wide receiver Jordy Jeudy, and Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor.

There are 30 offensive players (16 quarterbacks, seven running backs and seven receivers/tight ends) on the preseason watch list along with 10 from the defensive side of the ball. In all, 35 schools and 11 conferences (including independents) are represented on the list with Alabama having four players on the list. Defending national champion Clemson has two players on the watch list, along with Oregon. Read more.

The Army West Point Football Team begins its fall camp Thursday with the first of 14 practices scheduled as head coach Jeff Monken begins his sixth year at the helm. Tickets are still available for all home games at Michie Stadium. The Black Knights start their home season by hosting Rice under the lights on Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. Army then welcomes Morgan State (September 21) and Tulane (October 5) in back-to-back contests before welcoming San Jose State on Oct. 26. The Cadets will then close out their home schedule with Massachusetts (November 9) and VMI (November 16) in consecutive weekends. Army fans interested in purchasing tickets can do so by calling 1-877-TIX-ARMY or online by clicking here.

Information about tickets for the eighth installment of the Army-Navy Cup at Talen Energy Stadium on Octtober 11 is now available after the Philadelphia Union released presale ticket details. Presale discounted tickets are available for purchase here by using the promo code AN19. Regular price for prime reserved tickets are $25, while general admission tickets are $15. Discounts will be available for groups of 10 or more. All tickets will go on sale to the public Aug. 1 and can be purchased here. Philadelphia Union and Talen Energy Stadium proudly partner with Leidos, a global leader in products and services, designed to make the world safer, healthier and more efficient through information, technology, engineering and science, who are continuing their commitment for the third straight year, to host Army-Navy Cup VIII.

"We maintain a strong commitment to our armed forces, and we're proud to support an event that showcases our future military leaders who will help shape tomorrow's world," said Gerry Fasano, Leidos Defense Group President. "Last year, nearly 1,000 Leidos employees attended in support of this growing event and we expect our employees to again be well represented in the stands of Talen Energy Stadium in October. Our sponsorship of the Army-Navy Cup is just one way for us to say 'thank you' to our military members for their dedication and sacrifice." Army-Navy Cup is the top attended collegiate soccer match east of the Mississippi and building to become No. 1 overall. To date, there have been nearly over 10,000 fans in attendance at Talen Energy Stadium for each of the service-academy rivalry matchups. Read more.

Mechanical and Engineering Cadets Brian Probert and Jace Estenson are working this Summer at the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) in San Antonio, TX. There, they have had the opportunity to work with SWRI engineers on engines purpose-built for cutting-edge research.

The Summer Enrichment Program continues to enhance the summer experiences of cadets in the Washington, D.C. area. The program brings together Department of Social Sciences and Combating Terrorism Center cadets who are completing an Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) in the D.C. area for academic and professional development events. MAJ Mike Harrison, former SOSH instructor and White House Fellow in the Office of Vice President, met with cadets in the Vice President’s Ceremonial Office and then lead a tour of the White House grounds. Discussions focused on the intersection of politics and policy within the Executive Branch, importance of civ-mil relations and a military subordinate to civilian leadership, and the unique opportunities the Army will provide for cadets upon graduation.

The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl released today the preseason watch list for the 2019 Dodd Trophy and Army West Point head football coach Jeff Monken was among the candidates. This year's list includes 23 of the nation's top college football coaches representing all Power Five conferences, as well as the AAC, Mountain West and two independents. Monken is entering his sixth season at the helm of the Black Knights and is coming off back-to-back double-digit winning seasons.

He has led Army back into the top 25 after an 11-2 record and a Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl victory just a season ago. Under Monken's watch, Army has won nine consecutive games, which is the second-longest streak in the nation, and 29 games in the last three seasons. He has taken the Black Knights to three-straight bowl games and retained the Commander in Chief's Trophy for the first time in program history. The Dodd Trophy, college football's most coveted national coaching award, celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd's coaching philosophy. Read more.

LTC Jason Barnhill of the U.S. Military Academy’s Department of Chemistry and Life Sciences is leading experiments in a forward-deployed military environment using an adapted bioprinter ("austere bioprinter"). The ultimate goal of the bioprinting project is to develop technology for creating wound-healing biologics, bandages, stents and bandage/biosensors for soldiers on-site or near the point-of-care. Read more.

The Army West Point ticket office has announced that single-game tickets for the upcoming 2019 football season are now on sale. Get tickets.

Army West Point Director of Athletics Mike Buddie announced the hiring of Kristine Fowler as a Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator.

"We are thrilled to welcome Kristine, Joseph, Kennedy and Jefferson Fowler to the West Point family," said Buddie. "Kristine's intellect, integrity and experiences at numerous Power Five schools makes her the perfect addition to our team. We look forward to her leadership of several key units at the Academy and can't wait to begin the new academic year."

Fowler will assume her new role at Army where she will be a member of the Executive Staff, oversee and manage the Human Resource Office, serve on several Patriot League Governance Committees and direct the Cadet-Athlete Welfare Program, while developing and executing the Leadership Development Programming for the department.

Fowler arrives on the banks of the Hudson after spending seven years at Indiana University. Most recently, she served as a Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sport Administration at Indiana for the past two years.

"I am elated to be joining the Army West Point Family," said Fowler. "I am thankful to Athletic Director Mike Buddie for the opportunity to work alongside him in leading this department and our 1100 cadet-athletes to unprecedented success." Read more.

In the year it celebrates its 20th anniversary, the Rimington Trophy Committee announced its watch list of FBS Division I centers entering the fall season and Peyton Reeder was among the candidates.

The list includes 80 centers from around the nation. To build this list, the committee accepted nominations from all eligible programs across the country for consideration. This preseason and for the second year, centers were nominated from every conference.

Reeder is entering his cow season with the Black Knights and is moving over to the center position from right guard after the graduation of Bryce Holland. Reeder has played in 23 career games, including all 13 a season ago in Army's 11-2 year. He was a key part of the offensive line in 2018, which guided the rushing attack to 312 yards per game on the ground.

While more than a dozen All-America teams are selected annually, the Rimington Trophy committee uses these three prestigious teams to determine a winner:

• Walter Camp Foundation (WCF)
• Sporting News (SN)
• Football Writers Association of America (FWAA)

Because the selectors of these three All-America teams can place centers in a "mix" of offensive linemen that includes guards and tackles, their 11-man first teams can often have two centers. The Rimington Trophy committee's policy is to count all players that play primarily the center position for their respective teams as centers, even though they may be listed as guards or tackles on the All- America teams. Read more.

Chemistry major CDT Jared Hudspeth '21 and LTC Carl Lundell are working at Temple University creating numerous metal reagents to bring back to West Point for future scientific research. Using air-sensitive techniques, CDT Hudspeth successfully synthesized numerous metal bis(trimethylsilyl)amides to include bismuth, copper, tin, titanium and boron. The reagents will be used back at West Point and added to propellant stabilizer in hopes of developing a novel burn rate additive that will meet Army and DoD requirements. Some preliminary efforts are underway to grow novel crystals using the above described reagents, but even after asking for divine intervention, no such products have yet been observed.

Firstie cornerback Elijah Riley was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List on Tuesday. The award is given annually to the top defensive player of the year in college football. The Football Writers Association of America selected 92 defensive standouts from 65 schools in all 10 Division I FBS conferences plus independents on a roster that includes four returning players from last season's FWAA All-America team.

Riley is one of 28 defensive backs on the list and is the lone representative on the watch list from the service academies. Riley became a key leader in Army's secondary a year ago. He finished third on the team with 55 tackles to go along with 39 solo grabs. The Port Jefferson, N.Y., native chipped in 7.5 tackles for a loss of 27 yards and 10 pass breakups. He was named to the 2018 All-Independent First Team and was chosen as a team captain by his teammates following spring practice. Riley has accumulated 122 total tackles, including 87 unassisted ones.

Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. As in previous years, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2019 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 20.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from those five finalists. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. Read more.

CDT Hannah Potter (ME, '20) is currently on Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) at the Redstone Test Center (RTC) in Huntsville, AL. The RTC tests new and innovative technologies on Army aircraft. CDT Potter has had the opportunity to fly and conduct tests in a UH-72 Lakota helicopter and a C-12 airplane using information she learned here at West Point.

On the “From Graves to Hennessey: Literary War Remembrance” Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) Cadets James Perilloux, Lillian Brown, Stephanie Dolehide, and Michael Kaffka experienced an immersive study of how junior military officers in the United States and the United Kingdom have written about their training and combat experiences since WW1. After reading Robert Graves’ WW1 memoir Goodbye to All That and Patrick Hennessey’s 2009 memoir about his experience at Sandhurst and in Iraq and Afghanistan The Junior Officers’ Reading Club, the cadets traveled to the UK where they explored a number of British War memorials and museums and met with several British military officers, including Patrick Hennessey, to learn how storytelling impacts the way society and individuals remember war.

Army West Point wrestling head coach Kevin Ward announced current assistant Ned Shuck will be elevated to associate head coach entering the 2019-20 season.

"The title change for coach Shuck is a reflection of the impact he has had on our program at every level, and an indication of the impact he will continue to have," said Ward. "He is an incredibly hard worker and our program is fortunate to benefit from his leadership. His passion for helping our cadet-athletes achieve greatness in all areas of their lives, and his drive to see our program rise to new heights are evident in all he does."

Shuck enters his second season with the Black Knights in 2019, and has played an integral role in the continued rise of the Army wrestling program on the national scene. Army finished the 2018-19 season with a 8-3 overall team record -- 7-1 in EIWA matches. The Black Knights entered the NWCA Division I Coaches Poll for the first time since 2005 and also won their third straight Star Meet against service-academy rival Navy.

Corey Shie and Rocco Caywood earned at-large bids to the NCAA Championships, joining Lucas Weiland, Cael McCormick, Ben Harvey, Noah Stewart, and Trey Chalifoux to give Army seven NCAA qualifiers last season, marking just the third time in program history there was at least seven Black Knights to qualify, and first since 1987. "I look forward to continuing to work alongside the best staff in the country as we continue to build one of the nation's premier wrestling programs," added Ward. Story.

In another view of hands-on AIADs (Academic Individual Advanced Development) this Summer, here is CDT Eston Smith (ME, '20) machining a part during his internship with Aero Pacific. Aero Pacific manufactures components for Boeing, Space-X, and Lockheed. Eston gained valuable experience on different manufacturing processes as well as the business side of engineering.

Cadets in NYC this summer for our AIAD programs had a chance to attend a New York Yankees game, including meeting with the players. Pictured are some SOSH cadets speaking with Aaron Judge.

The Davey O'Brien Foundation has revealed the 2019 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List today and senior Kelvin Hopkins Jr. is among the top quarterbacks in the nation. The group includes 30 of the nation's top returning college quarterbacks. The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. Appearing on the watch list is not a requirement for a player to win the award. Quarterbacks from all NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools are eligible.

"For Kelvin to be selected as one of the top 30 quarterbacks in the nation is a testament to his ability along with his determination to be the best he can be," head coach Jeff Monken said. "He has worked extremely hard and deserves to be mentioned among the top quarterbacks in the country. All last season, Kelvin displayed his ability to lead our team to victory through his performances on the ground and through the air and we're anxious to see him lead our team again this year as one of our team captains."

Under center last year, Hopkins Jr. became the first player in Academy history to throw and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. He also registered five rushing touchdowns in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl to tie the Army single-game record. The Charlotte, N.C., native closed out his first year as the primary play caller with 17 rushing touchdowns, which tied Carlton Jones '06 and Trent Steelman '13 for a single-season program record. Read more.

Cadets in the Winant Scholars Program Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) traveled to Munich and Berchtesgaden, Germany; London; and Normandy and Paris, France. Throughout the trip, the cadets read scholarly works, led discussions, and visited sites relevant to the timeline of World War II, grand strategy, and the development of the US/UK special relationship. Such sites included the Königsplatz, Dachau Concentration Camp, Hitler’s Berghof home, the UK Parliament, the Imperial War Museum in London, the White Cliffs of Dover, the D-Day beaches of Normandy, the Normandy American Cemetery, and Luxembourg Palace. The program is named for John Gilbert Winant, US Ambassador to the UK during WWII, and it focuses on his contributions to the special relationship.

Cadet Writing Fellows Ryan Johnson, Sam Redman, Sebastian Houng, and Justin Sells traveled to Washington, DC as part of the “Writing Today” Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD), where they met with professional writers in various governmental fields to discuss effective communication strategies. They met with, among others, professionals at the CIA, the Pentagon, the National Security Council, the Department of Justice, the Naval Academy, and NPR, as well as with speechwriters and Congressional liaisons to the military.

Four cadets and one officer traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam, for a three-week cultural immersion Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) via the volunteer organization, Projects Abroad. The group spent all three weeks in and around Hanoi. During this time the cadets completed three volunteer projects. First, they spent several days with students at the Hanoi College of Technology and Trading, where they provided the Vietnamese students with classes on both English and self-defense.

Second, the cadets worked in the small rural village of Mai Chau, 160 km from Hanoi, where they harvested rice and assisted a local factory staffed solely by physically-disabled women of several ethnic minorities. They ultimately spent several days at the Vinh Ngoc kindergarten. In addition to these volunteer projects, the cadets had the opportunity to visit a variety of important cultural and historical sites around Hanoi; they particularly studied and reflected upon the ways that the Vietnamese remember and memorialize the Vietnam War.

Finally, the group had the opportunity to spend an evening with COL(R) Jean Andre Sauvageot, a retired Army officer who served in Vietnam almost continuously from 1964-1973, who discussed his experiences through the course of the entire war—an incredibly memorable evening, to say the least.

Firstie quarterback Kelvin Hopkins Jr. was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, which is awarded to the College Football Player of the Year.

Under center last year, Hopkins Jr. became the first player in Academy history to throw and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. He also registered five rushing touchdowns in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl to tie the Army single-game record.

"Kelvin stepped up last season and led our team to a historic year in what was really his first season as a starter," head coach Jeff Monken said. "His dual-threat ability has allowed us to open the playbook with success. I'm proud of the strides he's made under center over his time here at the Academy and I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can do for our program during his senior season."

The Charlotte, N.C., native closed out his first year as the primary play caller with 17 rushing touchdowns, which tied Carlton Jones '06 and Trent Steelman '13 for a single-season program record.

The Black Knights kick off their season Aug. 30 when they host Rice at Michie Stadium at 6 p.m. Army will be looking to start the season off right with its 14th straight home victory. Read more.

LTC Cutright took cadets on a trip to explore artificial intelligence, here is what he had to say: “I’m taking six cadets on a trip to explore the capabilities of artificial intelligence in terms of ethical decision-making. The focus will not be on human agents and how they best employ technology, but on the technology itself as the agent. Fostering autonomy in robots seems to require rule-based ethical frameworks expressed as programmable code. Yet, how algorithmic is morality? Cadets will engage with academic, professional, and governmental experts in London and Oxford on questions of robot ethics and the use of autonomous systems in current and future wars. We kicked things off here at West Point with an expert local to the Hudson Valley area, Mr. Jeffrey Ricker of Ricker Lyman Robotic. He engaged the cadets in a great conversation about what is possible (and what isn’t) with artificial intelligence.”

Firstie defensive back Elijah Riley was selected to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, which is presented annually to the best defensive player in college football.

Riley became a key leader in Army's secondary a year ago. He finished third on the team with 55 tackles to go along with 39 solo grabs. The Port Jefferson, N.Y., native chipped in 7.5 tackles for a loss of 27 yards and 10 pass breakups.

"Elijah has been a key player for us since day one," head coach Jeff Monken said. "He consistently shuts down his side of the field when he battles against our opponent's top talent. He has also helped our secondary rank 21st and 14th in the nation against the pass over the last two years. I'm excited to see him lead our defense in his final season."

He was named to the 2018 All-Independent First Team and was chosen as a team captain by his teammates following spring practice. Riley has accumulated 122 total tackles, including 87 unassisted ones.

The Black Knights kick off their season Aug. 30 when they host Rice at Michie Stadium at 6 p.m. Army will be looking to start the season off right with its 14th straight home victory. Read more.

In another example of the many opportunities C&ME cadets have over the Summer, CDT James Bieler (ME,' 22) is working at Picatinny arsenal on a field expedient plasma cutter. A plasma cutter can cut metal quickly and precisely. Soldiers could use this capability to make parts in the field. CDT Bieler cut some samples using computer-generated images to test the machine.

Cadets Michael Kleine and Hunter Knibbe taking a tour of the White House while in DC this summer for their internships at the Department of Labor - Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS).

The Thornwillow Press Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) was a twelve-day fellowship that took place at the Press in Newburgh, with time spent at USMA and the Mohawk Paper Mills in Cohoes, NY. Cadets first met with COL Harper to take part in a crash course on the “History of the Book,” beginning with the development of script through the production of paper, to the Gutenberg Press, to modern printing practices.

The intent was to separate consideration of the physical object from its abstract content, preparing cadets to appreciate the choices required to produce a fine text. At the Press, the Cadets assisted in the final steps in the production and marketing of an anthology of First World War poetry, Beauty is the Beginning of Terror, begun in coordination with COL Harper’s class and continued by West Point’s Thornwillow Fellows last year. Cadets also worked on design elements for the press’ forthcoming The Great Gatsby, creating designs in Adobe Photoshop that will be turned into engraved plates for the finished text.

Cadets Thomas Brown, Dorian Bailey, Kaitlyn Schwarting, and Dean Kleinfelder, on an Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) to U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (CCDC-CBC) had the opportunity to tour CBC facilities and to visit the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Command's Nuclear Disablement Team (NDT) for an orientation on their mission and equipment, to include gaining firsthand experience donning a TyChem Suit, learning about radiation detectors, and applying the lessons to a practical exercise.

Cadets have the opportunity to learn more about and practice engineering during Summer AIAD opportunities (Academic Individual Advanced Development or 'internships'). Pictured, CDT Matt Arnold (ME, '20) is machining a part that will be used in wind tunnel testing at NASA AMES to help reduce drag on Army aircraft. CDT Arnold is using skills he learned in ME403, Machine Component Design.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association announced this week that Dr. Jonathan M. Oliver has been selected as the NSCA's Terry J. Housh Outstanding Young Investigator Award winner for 2019. Dr. Oliver became the 31st recipient of the award, which has been handed out since 1998. Award winners are selected by a volunteer committee, the Research Committee, and past winners.

Jonathan M. Oliver, PhD, CSCS,*D, currently serves as the Senior Associate Athletic Director of High-Performance at Army West Point where he oversees Army's athletic training and strength and conditioning departments as well as the nutrition and analytics program for its over 1,000 cadet-athletes across 28 sports.

In addition, Oliver holds a Research Associate appointment within the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) at Auckland University of Technology. Prior to joining Army, Oliver was faculty in the Kinesiology Department of Texas Christian University and Director of the Sport Science Center. Oliver is well-published in the fields of strength and conditioning and sports medicine with several invited presentations nationally and internationally. He remains an active member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

"Congratulations to Dr. Oliver for this well-deserved award," said Michael Massik, NSCA Executive Director. "His contributions towards furthering research for athletes has enriched many lives and exemplifies what it is to be an NSCA professional. We are proud to have him as a member." Read more.

Cadet Alex Albright's time at the U.S. Military Academy didn't start the way he expected.

Originally recruited to play on the baseball team, he was cut only a month into his first year at the academy following a coaching change. He then faced a decision, transfer to somewhere he could play baseball or stay at West Point and find a way to define himself as something other than an athlete.

"I started learning the power of being with a group and I started defining myself by the success of others," Albright said of why he decided to stay. "I grew so fond of that, that I could come in and make a difference for others and make sure they have everything they need to succeed. I thought West Point was 100 percent the best place to do it."

This summer, Albright will have his biggest chance yet to impact his fellow cadets as the commander of Cadet Basic Training I. Starting with Reception Day, Albright and his staff will lead training for the first three weeks of CBT.

Including his staff and the more than 1,200 new cadets, Albright will be in charge of about 1,500 people. Read more.

On their final day in Vietnam, the Vietnamese Normalization Staff Ride visited Intel Corporation’s manufacturing facility in Ho Chi Minh City to learn about the relationship between the business and the government. Cadets learned about Intel’s commitment to help improve Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City as they toured the factory. While most of the team was at Intel, two of the Cadets returned to the Old Compass Cafe to interview Dang Thuy Duong about her father's service in the North Vietnamese Air Force, growing up in post-war Vietnam, and the importance of Vietnamese culture and cuisine. In the afternoon, the group traveled to the War Remnants Museum to look at the Vietnamese memory of the American War. Cadets gained new perspectives on the legacy of the Vietnam War before concluding their Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD).

Cadet In Charge for the Cold War Staff Ride, Cadet Collin Keogh; "We began the day with a visit to the Warsaw Uprising Museum. There we discussed how the historical memory of that event evolved under Soviet occupation and how the memory has changed since Poland regained its independence. We furthered that conversation with a trip to the Old Town. There we visited the Little Insurgent memorial which is dedicated to the children that participated in the uprising. Then we took a visit to the Uprising Memorial. We put these monuments in a historical context and compared them to memorials we visited of rebellions in Budapest and Prague. This helped us better understand how Poland has remembered the Warsaw Uprising and developed its national identity."

Cadets on the Vietnamese Normalization Staff Ride met with several West Point Alumni from Point Avenue, a business that provides English language college preparatory education and leadership skills for future Vietnamese leaders, to learn about small businesses operating in the Vietnamese economy and the challenges they face and the successes they achieve. The group offered unique perspectives on the lives of American citizens living in Vietnam, as well as sharing some of their military experiences with the cadets. In the afternoon, the group visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum. There, cadets learned more about the French occupation of Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh’s efforts to achieve an independent and communist Vietnam.

Cadets on the Operation Market-Garden Staff Ride traveled by train to Amsterdam to visit the Dutch Resistance Museum. Through this visit, cadets gained a greater understanding of the impact of World War II on the Dutch population, the various ways that the Dutch resisted German occupation, and some of the moral/ethical choices that this resistance involved. At the same time, cadets were exposed to the dilemmas that people were confronted with during occupation and the ugly reality that some members of the Dutch population actively collaborated with the German occupiers due to several motivations. The day ended with the group enjoying a rijstafel, which is a traditional Dutch-Indonesian dinner eaten family-style.

Army West Point Cadets Lynne Mooradian and Ben Petrella were among the 30 student athletes named to the 2019 Google Cloud Academic All-America Division I Cross Country/Track & Field First Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The honor marks the second consecutive selection for Mooradian, who headlined the awards with the highest individual honor in 2018. The Hanover, Pa., native claimed Patriot League Scholar Athlete of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons in 2019. The cow carries a 4.21 GPA and majors in mechanical engineering. Read more.

Cadets in Hanoi on the Vietnam Normalization Staff Ride studied the evolution of the Vietnamese-American relationship since 1973 visiting the Hoa Lo Prison (commonly known as the Hanoi Hilton), Detachment 2 of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency playing a friendly game with the Vietnam Basketball Association's Hanoi Buffaloes. The events of the day highlighted a strengthening cooperation between the two nations over the past 45 years as the United States strives to account for missing personnel from the Vietnam War and as Vietnam continues to grow its economy and its cultural links with the US.

The cadets noted the contrast between the Hoa Lo Prison, where American POWs were held in captivity from 1964 to 1973, and the warm welcome they received by the people of Hanoi just a few blocks away in the Buffaloes' arena. Arriving to play a friendly game with the Buffaloes, they were surprised to find enthusiastic fans, and were impressed by the lengths taken by the league and the team to welcome the cadets. Crucial to normalizing relations has been the ongoing mission to account for those missing from the Vietnam War. The commander of Detachment 2, LTC Adam Points, shared DPAA's mission to achieve "fullest possible accountability" of 1,246 service members who are still unaccounted for in Vietnam. LTC Points and his team explained their mission, operations, and how the Vietnamese government supports them in their efforts.

Army West Point Athletics is celebrating its highest finish in the Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup standings following a great 2018-19 season for the Black Knights. The Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup final standings were release on Friday, June 28. Stanford secured its 25th overall Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup back on June 12 and finished 2018-19 with 1567.75 total points after the College World Series.

Army finished in 75th place in the standings that feature 295 NCAA Division I schools that qualify for the cup. The Black Knights ended up with 395.5 total points. Army's previous record was 80th place in 2004-05. The Black Knights jumped up from 106th in 207-18. The Black Knights claimed seven conference titles overall with six coming in the Patriot League. Men's cross country, men's indoor track and field, men's golf, women's tennis, men's lacrosse and baseball all claim Patriot League titles, while men's rugby earned the Rugby East title in the fall of 2018. The Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships. Read more.

The Operation Market-Garden Staff Ride traveled to the Nijmegen area to examine the actions of the 82nd Airborne Division from September 20-26, 1944. Through standing on the terrain and personal vignettes, cadets experienced firsthand the challenges that the 82nd faced when fighting in and around the city of Nijmegen. Through various briefs concerning the fighting for the two bridges in Nijmegen and the Waal Crossing by the 504th PIR, cadets examined the role of terrain, multinational coordination, combined arms, and the presence of senior leaders such as BG James Gavin in these actions. The day ended at the crossroads highlighted in the Band of Brothers episode “Crossroads,” where cadets received a brief on the actions of the 101st Airborne Division after Operation Market-Garden and were able to retrace the attack of CPT Richard Winters and 1st Platoon, E Company against a company of Germans that had infiltrated across the Rhine on October 5, 1944.

After a stellar spring rugby 7s season, rising senior Sam Sullivan has been awarded the inaugural Prusmack Award by the United States Rugby Foundation as the top female collegiate 7s player in the country. "She just works her tail off and flat out outworks people," said women's rugby head coach Bill LeClerc. "When she got here [to USMA], she had never played rugby before and she has just grown exponentially and look what she's done with it. All we've done as coaches is pointed her in the right direction and she took off."

Sullivan continued to shine for the Black Knights on the pitch, completing a phenomenal 2018-19 campaign by helping lead Army to the finals of the Collegiate Rugby Championships in June, while garnering Tournament MVP honors. The Fayetteville, N.C., native led the Black Knights in tries (33) and total points (167) during the 7s season.

She had seven hat-tricks on the year, including a three score effort against rival Navy in the quarterfinals of the CRC's. Sullivan followed that up with another three try effort in the semifinals against Penn State -- a 24-12 win to send the Cadets to the finals. In her three 7s seasons with Army West Point rugby, Sullivan has scored 88 career tries and tallied 444 total points. In addition to her on-the-field accomplishments, Sullivan is a member of the new Hawk Eye ID Program at the USMA. She is also the first ever USMA Brigade Trust Captain, heading up a committee of cadets to highlight sexual assault and sexual harassment, while creating a culture in which every cadet is empowered to protect their teammates. Read more.

Army West Point football head coach Jeff Monken has announced a recruiting class of 76 athletes participating in Reception Day at West Point. The Class of 2023 marks Monken's fifth full recruiting class and includes players from 25 states. West Point officially welcomed its newest plebe class on Monday for the start of Cadet Basic Training. Monken was proud of his staff for the hard work they put in to get the Class of 2023 to West Point. The State of Texas has the most incoming members of the Class of 2023 with 12 joining the brotherhood.

Army welcomed 11 players from Georgia and six from California. five recruits are from Florida and North Carolina, while four each are from Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. There are three rookies hailing from Illinois, with two coming from Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee. The Black Knights also welcomed players from Missouri, Indiana, South Carolina, Louisiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Alabama, Wisconsin, New Jersey and Oklahoma. The Black Knights open the 2019 slate on Aug. 30 against Rice at Michie Stadium at 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. Army is scheduled for six home games this year, all on CBS Sports Network. The Army-Navy Game, presented by USAA is set for Dec. 14 on CBS with a 3 p.m. start in Philadelphia. Read more.

Cadets on the Operation Market-Garden Staff Ride visited the British Airborne Museum located at the site of the British Airborne Headquarters during the operation and received a guided walking tour of the Oosterbeek perimeter. Through this guided tour and peer briefs, cadets gained a much greater appreciation for the challenges of multinational operations, the heroism of the Allied soldiers and Dutch civilians involved in the fighting, and how the terrain in the area shaped both the defense of the perimeter by the British and Polish airborne forces from September 21-25 and the eventual evacuation of what remained of the British 1st Airborne Division after 9 days of savage fighting. Of the 11,920 soldiers of the 1st Airborne Division and Polish Brigade committed to the operation at Arnhem, 1,485 (12.5%) were killed, 6,525 were captured (54.7%), and 3,910 (32.8%) were safely evacuated or withdrawn from the area. The British 1st Airborne Division effectively ceased to exist, with less than 2,000 of its 9,000 soldiers evacuated at the end of the operation.

The Class of 2023 has arrived. More than 1,200 cadet candidates reported to the United States Military Academy on R-Day and began their transition from civilians to members of the Corps of Cadets, the Profession of Arms, and the Long Gray Line. View Photos on Flickr.

The day began at Eisenhower Hall, where groups of cadet candidates and their family members entered the auditorium for the welcome brief and the famous "60-second goodbye." After a perfectly timed minute, parents were "invited" to follow the green arrows up the aisles to an information center or to the WPAOG reception breakfast, hosted by the Class of 1973, the 50-Year Affiliation Class for the Class of 2023. Cadet candidates, however, were "instructed" to follow the pink arrows to the wall of the auditorium, lining up at the base of the stage and taking all commands from the cadet cadre guides. Cadet candidates then boarded buses to begin in-processing at Thayer Hall. Full story.

Cadets on the Operation Market-Garden Staff Ride examined the actions of the 101st Airborne Division at Best and along Hell’s Highway. From an in-depth analysis of H Co., 3rd BN, 502nd PIR’s attempt to seize the Best bridge to discussions about the fierce fighting at Veghel, Eerde, and Koevering as the Germans sought to cut the main Allied supply route north, cadets gained an appreciation for the distance that the 101st Airborne was forced to cover in an attempt to prevent German interdiction of Hell’s Highway. Through this study, they also gained an understanding of the significant impact that the cutting of the highway by German forces on multiple occasions between September 19 - 26 had on the overall operation.