The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1956 | 1959 | 1961 | 1962 | 1974 | 1991 | 1996 | 2017 | 2020 | 2021. Class Notes

Episode 9 of the On Point podcast is live! On Point is an interview-based podcast is hosted by Eddie Kang, Founder of the Old Grad Club. On this podcast, Eddie talks to veteran business leaders who are captains of industry and pioneers in their field. They are entrepreneurs, executives, financiers, social innovators, and others who made a name for themselves in the military and then took the private sector by storm. In each episode, they share the leadership strategies that got them where they are today, what they are working on now, and where they think the future is headed. Our goal is to bring you actionable insights that you can bring to your own career to improve your performance and increase your impact.

New episodes are released every Wednesday. Episode 9 is with Herman Bulls, International Director and Vice Chairman of JLL, a company he’s been a part of for a successful 32 years. Herman also serves on several high impact public, private, and not-for-profit boards including USAA, The American Red Cross, The Military Bowl, Comfort Systems USA, American Campus Communities, and the WP Association of Graduates. He is the President and CEO of Bulls Advisory Group, a real estate and management advisory firm he founded 20 years ago 

Herman completed 12 years of active duty service with the United States Army. He retired as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves in 2008. He is part of the West Point graduating class of 1978 and received an MBA from Harvard Business School.

On this episode, Herman dives into the important differences between networking and connecting, how he draws upon his military experience in the private sector, and the 6 critical skills that he believes leads to success.

Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts: Apple | Spotify | Google | Our Website.

With NHL training camps opening up this week, three Army West Point hockey alumni received invites to compete for a spot on an NHL roster. Trevin Kozlowski ’21, Dominic Franco ’20 and Parker Gahagen ’17 - who all signed AHL contracts for the 2021-22 season - will attempt to earn a coveted roster spot throughout the next few weeks.

These three former Army standouts hope to join the list of former Army Black Knights in the NHL. That list includes Andy Lundbohm, Brad Roberts, Dan Hinote and current Army hockey Associate Head Coach, Zach McKelvie.

Trevin Kozlowski ’21 - Iowa Wild (Minnesota Wild) - Forward. Kozlowski was a 36 game winner for Coach Brian Riley in three seasons at West Point. "Trev" was the anchor of the Army defensive unit that propelled the squad to a 15-6-1 record in 2020-21, the best season at Army since 1995-96.

The Los Angeles native planted his name all over the Army hockey record book, finishing his career with the lowest goals against average in a season in program history, marking a 1.91 clip in 2020-21. Kozlowski also owns the fourth highest career save percentage in program history at a .911 mark. Read more.

Sponsorship Opportunities Available for West Point Entrepreneurs! The 2021 West Point Association of Graduates Entrepreneur Summit is taking place Nov 3-4 in Austin, TX. We are offering sponsorship opportunities for your business to connect with some of West Point's most successful entrepreneur graduates including business executives, investors, and startup companies. Click the link below to see more event details and view our sponsorship packages or email sponsorships@wpaog.org for further information.

Another perfect weekend with another big win for Army West Point against the UConn Huskies! During the first half, Class of 1991 President Scott Clemenson and Fundraising Chairman Jamie Schleck presented a 30th Reunion Gift of $1,500,000 in support of the Army Cyber Institute to the 60th Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, LTG Darryl A. Williams ’83 and Kristin Sorenson, VP of Development of WPAOG.

The Class made its 30th Reunion Gift in memory of their fallen classmate, MAJ William F. Hecker III. Major Hecker was one of the five soldiers who were killed on January 5, 2006, when an IED was detonated near their Humvee during a routine convoy, south of Baghdad. Richelle Hecker, MAJ Hecker III’s widow, and family also joined the class to unveil its recognition plaque on the Friday prior to the game.

The Class of 1991 has set the new record of having the highest alumni participation rate of 68.15% for the 30th Reunion Gift. Thank you to the Class of 1991 for its faithful support to West Point and congratulations on this monumental accomplishment!

The upcoming Virtual SACC Advanced Education Fair (free for all service academy alumni) focuses specifically on advanced education options providing a series of pre-recorded and live webinars available now through October 6th. Participate in the Advanced Education Virtual Admissions Fair on October 6th from 12:00pm - 5:00pm ET! You do not want to miss this opportunity!

The Department of History is excited to announce that 2LT Timothy Rudolph ’21 history major, won the Lynn W. Turner Prize from Phi Alpha Theta for the best paper by an undergraduate. 2LT Rudolph’s paper analyzed how British and American officers' disparate discourses on military theory during the interwar period helped to foment Anglo-American strategic discord concerning the cross-Channel invasion. 2LT Rudolph wrote his paper under the direction of his thesis adviser, LTC Richard Anderson. Well done!

On Saturday, September 11, 2021, a team of six represented the West Point Society of Upstate South Carolina at the 2021 Greenville City Memorial Stair Climb. The team climbed 110 stories of stairs to honor the fallen firefighters and other first responders that lost their lives that on 9/11.

December 17, 2021, marks the 40th anniversary of the kidnapping of then Brigadier General James Lee Dozier in Verona, Italy by Red Brigade terrorists. Dozier was held captive for 42 days before being rescued by a special operations team—a news story that made front-page headlines around the world. At the moment news of his rescue broke, everyone was asking: How did he manage to survive this?

The source of that resilience is the compelling story that unfolds in Finding My Pole Star, an inspiring message as timely today as it was four decades ago.

Major General James Lee Dozier retired from military service after serving 35 years with the U.S. Army and NATO in the United States, Europe and Asia. In his new memoir, Finding My Pole Star, this American hero recalls the traumatic kidnapping, his military leadership career, his civilian life as a successful business executive and his active community volunteerism. He inspires us with the timeless values that have guided his life of duty, honor, country and faith—values that can help each of us as we thrive while facing our own fears.

The foundational life-long strength and wisdom that runs throughout General Dozier’s life is what makes this memoir so compelling, say early reviewers. Lt. General Walter Ulmer Jr. U.S. Army retired, says, “Jim Dozier’s life represents that of the consummate, vigorous American. Courageous, thoughtful, and determined in combat, capture, and community, he adapted and won. Working with him as we led an Army Corps, or when he applied leadership techniques from the Center for Creative Leadership classroom to the harshness of captivity, he had the right stuff at the right time.”

The 17th class of the Army Sports Hall of Fame was inducted on Friday, September 17.  A special plaque unveiling ceremony was held in the Kenna Hall of Army Sports inside Kimsey Athletic Center, followed by the formal black-tie Hall of Fame Induction Banquet at Eisenhower Hall.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2020 includes the following: Rhonda Barush ’86 (Rifle), Leamon Hall ’78 (Football), Don Kutyna ’57 (Men’s Swimming & Diving), Jack Price ’32 (Football/Track & Field), Stewart Sherard ’62 (Men’s Basketball Athlete and Assistant Coach), Kenny Smith ’67 (Baseball/Hockey), Gene Ventriglia (Women’s Soccer Head Coach), Cardell Williams ’83 (Men’s Track & Field), Ronn Zinn ’62 (Olympian). Read more.

Michael Eggleston ’61 has published the new book, Fire on the Water, The General Slocum Disaster. Over a thousand people died in less than ten minutes when the Paddle Steamer General Slocum caught fire in the East River of New York City. This history tells the story of the disaster, minute by minute from the time the fire started until the Slocum was beached on North Brother Island in the East River. The consequences of the disaster are explained. This was the deadliest inland maritime disaster in New York history and nationally it is second only to the Civil War incident, the Sultana. This book is organized to tell the story of the disaster followed by the immediate aftermath in terms of the impact on survivors and lastly the causes and consequences for those at fault. One report included in this history stands out among other references. The government established a commission to investigate the General Slocum disaster. The result of commission hearings produced findings and recommendations that were sent to President Theodore Roosevelt. He, in turn, issued directives designed to prevent such a tragedy from happening, again. This was all done in record time but one should bear in mind that 1904 was an election year and Roosevelt needed to demonstrate decisive action. Theodore Roosevelt won reelection to the Presidency. The reader will find in this history 70 maps, sketches and photographs that help understand the events and the people that influenced them.

Reach Out is the 2021 theme for Suicide Prevention Month. The Reach Out campaign focuses on increasing knowledge about what Veterans and their loved ones can do now to help prevent a suicide later. While big life moments—like starting or losing a job, ending a relationship, or raising kids—can be overwhelming, Veterans don’t have to go through them alone. They can reach out and ask for help, and their loved ones and all of us need to proactively reach out to the Veterans and provide support during life challenges. By reaching out early and often, we can help Veterans stay on a healthy pathway through life or get back on track as needed. Here are some ways to reach out:

• Use the toolkit found at REACH.gov/SPM for more information to share with your network.
• Download and share content on the suicide prevention month page to spread the word.
• Call, text, or email the Veterans in your life. For conversation starters, visit REACH.gov/SPM.

Continue to reach out throughout September and beyond. You don’t have to be an expert to talk to a Veteran going through life challenges—showing you care makes a big difference.

Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, a day to honor those service members who were held captive and returned from war, as well as those who remain missing. We are eternally grateful for their courage and sacrifice.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1945 | 1956 | 1959 | 1962 | 1968 | 1980 | 1982 | 1996 | 2001 | 2003. Class Notes

Congratulations to all the Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients of 2020/2021!

On September 11, the Distinguished Graduate recipients of 2020 and 2021 received their awards with their families at West Point. These eleven graduates were selected because of their notable service and character in keeping with the West Point Motto - “Duty, Honor, Country.”

DGAs 2020: Mr. Richard A. Nowak ’64 | Mr. William H. Roedy Jr. ’70 | LTC (R) Andrew F. Krepinevich ’72 | LTG (R) Kenneth W. Hunzeker ’75 | GEN (R) Curtis M. Scaparrotti ’78

DGAs 2021: HON Michael W. Wynne ’66 | Mr. Randall M. Pais ’67 | Mr. Thomas C. Shull ’73 | GEN (R) Stanley A. McChrystal ’76 | GEN (R) David M. Rodriguez ’76 | LTG (R) Herbert Raymond (H.R.) McMaster Jr. ’84

Read more about each distinguished recipient on the WPAOG Website.

On August 31, The West Point Society of Upstate South Carolina and the Palmetto Chapter of the USNA Alumni Association co-hosted a Business Networking event sponsored by FocalPoint. This event was an opportunity for society members and their guests to trade business cards, learn about each other, and hear a presentation from FocalPoint Career Coaches (Mike Ungar ’80, John Roney ’85, and Jerry Pilewski USNA ’97) on implementing change in an organization. The societies are hoping to make this a quarterly event.

The United States Military Academy unveiled a monument dedicated to the Buffalo Soldiers of West Point on Friday, September 10, 2021. The new monument is located at Buffalo Soldier Field across from the Thayer Hotel. The Buffalo Soldiers were a regiment of African American soldiers who served at West Point teaching Cadets Military Horsemanship from 1907 to 1947.

In honor of the unveiling of the Buffalo Soldiers monument at West Point, WPAOG has released a commemorative collection of merchandise created and designed by WPAOG with input from West Point Grad and former West Point Commandant MG Fred Gorden ’62. Visit the WPAOG Gift Shop.

This past weekend during the victorious Army vs. Western Kentucky game and on the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the Class of 2001 presented a 20th Reunion Gift of $300,000 to support the Combating Terrorism Center and the Cyber Research Center. The Class of 2001, the last class to graduate prior to the events on 9/11, wanted to gather for their reunion and formally present their gift on this significant date. President Sean Morrow and Fundraising Chairman Matt Kapinos presented the gift on behalf of the Class to CSM Michael J. Coffey, the 21st Command Sergeant Major of USMA, and Todd Browne ’85, President and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates. Thank you to the Class of 2001 for its outstanding support of West Point!

The United States Military Academy hosted the annual Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Conference with this year’s theme “Developing Inclusive Leaders for Future Readiness”. Keynote Speaker, LTG Gary Brito, U.S. Army’s 49th Deputy Chief of Staff, delivered key messages including Developing Leaders of Character, Building Diverse and Effective Winning Teams, Dignity and Respect, and Cultivate an Inclusion environment.

The event brought cadets, staff, faculty, West Point alumni, and diversity and inclusion professionals together to discuss and share best practices on developing inclusive leaders and how to leverage their talent to enhance collaboration, engagement, and innovation within their organizations.

Additional guest speakers and visiting panelists included Mr. Anselm A. Beach, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army, Doug Melville, VP, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Richemont and nephew of General Benjamin O Davis, Jr. ’36, Cultural Support Team members including Maj. Kimberly Brutsche, MAJ Jessica Yahn, CPT Mary Kholars (P), Command SGM (R) George Fraser, and 1SG (R) Catherine Harris. Photos.

Today, WPAOG remembers and honors the members of the Long Gray Line who lost their lives as a result of the attack against our country on September 11th, 2001, or have given their lives in defense of freedom while fighting the Global War on Terrorism. https://www.westpointaog.org/inmemoriam

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1956 | 1959 | 1963 | 1971 | 1974 | 1983 | 1990 | 1994 | 1996. Class Notes

Phil Beaver ’83 has recently released (on most major music platforms) the album “Cosmos,” a collection of 1970s-style Rock songs that explore the intersection of the human condition with the mysteries of space. After writing the album, Beaver formed the band The Phirejets with some of Denver’s top musical talent (to include guest appearances by members of the Colorado Symphony) and worked with producer and arranger Stu Miller to bring the album to life. The album touches on virtually every genre of Classic-style rock, to include metal, hard rock, blues rock, country rock, disco, power ballad, soft ballad, to a chamber piece and a hymn. EMI records granted permission for the band to cover a David Bowie song as well, which is included on the album. The album includes a bonus medley of classical piano music that Beaver recorded under the title “Valentine’s Suite.” The name “The Phirejets” was formed as an acronym of the band members’ names.

Congratulations to COL David Barnes ’90 who was recently recognized as one of the 15 most notable AI leaders by Forbes. Barnes is the outgoing Professor and Deputy Head of the Department of English and Philosophy at the United States Military Academy, Chief AI Ethics Officer, Army’s Artificial Intelligence (AI), Integration Center (AI2C), serves on the Board of Directors for the International Society for Military Ethics (ISME), and author of The Ethics of Military Privatization: The US Armed Contractor Phenomenon. In addition to his life of service to his country, COL Barnes' work focuses on how to include more diverse, rigorous, and meaningful conversation surrounding the responsible design, development, and deployment of AI systems among government, industry, and academia.

On 7 September 2021, the West Point Society of Annapolis (WPSOA) and members USMA ’73 (50-year Affiliation Class) conducted an Affirmation Ceremony for the seven fall exchange cadets from the Class of 2023 at USNA being the cadets could not join their classmates at West Point. The ceremony took place at O'Brien's Oyster Bar & Seafood Tavern in Annapolis. WPSOA President Steve Heinecke ’77 began the ceremony by explaining the significance of the Affirmation Ceremony. Steve then introduced LTG (R) Dave Huntoon ’73, former USMA Supt, who the addressed the cadets on the significance and how their West Point education and training will help them face the personal and military challenges that lie ahead. LTG Huntoon then administered the Oath of Affirmation to the exchange cadets, which was followed by members of USMA ’73 congratulating the cadets and presenting them with their Commemorative Coins.

The West Point Society of Annapolis (WPSOA) hosted its annual Welcome Picnic at the Fairwinds Community Pavilion, Severna Park, MD, to introduce the fall exchange cadets to the Annapolis area on August 29. The seven exchange cadets, all from the class of 2023, will spend the fall semester at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. In all, more than 60 guests attended the event and welcomed the cadets who enjoyed a picnic catered by Mission BBQ. WPSOA President Steve Heinecke addressed the assemblage, commented on the society's 35-year history and introduced three of the society's founders, Bob Moore ’58, Bob Stroud ’68 and Bill Taylor ‘70. Steve then explained the annual welcome picnic tradition, mentioned the upcoming Affirmation Ceremony/Dinner and invited the cadets to introduce themselves. A great time was enjoyed by all attendees.

Photo: From left to right, Cadets Abby Graham, Tom Padilla, Caleb Jeffries, Bryce Mers, Caleb Suh, Spencer Lee and Gillian Scott

Roughly 50 members, spouses, and guests of the West Point Society of the Tennessee Valley attended a Benny Havens gathering on the patio of Huntsville’s The Open Bottle to prepare for this season’s Army Football schedule which opened this past weekend. The Society provided lots of heavy hors d’ouvres while attendees purchased their own beverages from the Open Bottle during a pleasant, sunny Alabama Saturday afternoon. Everyone had a good time and all are preparing to cheer on the Army Team for another successful Army season.

The following officers were confirmed by the Senate as of 8/27:

For promotion to the rank of major general:
BG Kris A. Belanger ’91 (USAR)
BG Windsor S. Buzza ’88 (USAR)

For promotion to the rank of brigadier general:
COL Robert A. Borcherding ‘93

The Chief of Staff of the Army announces the following officer assignments:
MG David C. Hill ‘90 to Commandant,
United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1945 |  1950 | 1952 | 1953 | 1959 | 1960 | 1974 | 1984 | 1996. Class Notes

Chaplain Camp was the longest serving USMA Chaplain (1972 – 1996) but his influence was much greater, spanning generations before and after. Beginning as the assistant under Chaplain Jim Ford at the end of mandatory chapel and an honorary member of the class of 1958, his life’s work was marrying, burying, inspiring and motivating generations of West Point graduates. Unable to host his memorial due to COVID last year, his family has scheduled a service for a non-football weekend on Saturday October 9, 2021, at 2pm at the Cadet Chapel. A reception will follow, and all are invited to attend. Multiple events have been planned for that weekend including a 9am Sunday Morning service at Trophy Point where most cadets first heard Chaplain Camp remind them to “lift our eyes up to the hills.” Kicking it all off will be a 9am Saturday hike up Bull Hill where Chaplain Camp is best known for having hiked with every company, every class, for 22 years. Visit us online, email or call 860.608.1172 for additional information.

Your 47-month West Point journey begins with a 90 second goodbye on R-Day and ends when you toss your white service cap into the endless Michie Stadium sky and pin on those butter bars at your commissioning ceremony.

Contrary to popular belief, that culminating feeling on graduation day does not mark the end of the West Point experience; it signals the beginning of a lifelong connection to the Long Gray Line as an “Old Grad.” Graduating from the U.S. Military Academy earns you a spot in a prolific and well connected network that includes every graduate that came before you and every one that comes after you - and that Long Gray Line is here to help you before you even begin your West Point journey “We share a common bond and experience that is unique to the Long Gray Line...we just get each other,” says Rick French ’86 and Executive Director of the West Point Society of D.C. Read more.

Link: https://www.blog.westpointadmissions.com/single-post/2019/10/22/3-Ways-to-Utilize-the-Alumni-Network

In honor of the United States Military Academy Class of 1967, a $10.5 million gift has been anonymously awarded to the Michie Stadium Preservation Project, further adding to the momentum of the most ambitious gift-funded construction project in the history of the Academy.

Thanks to substantial gifts like the one provided by the Class of 1967, as well as the efforts of the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) and the Army West Point Athletics Association (AWPAA), this newly announced project has already made significant progress towards its $95 million goal.

This transformational project will seek to reconstruct the East Stands of Michie Stadium, an integral part of the “once-in-a-lifetime” experience that has been revered by fans for many generations. Built in 1924, Michie Stadium is an icon of West Point and provides opportunity for Americans to engage with, learn about an immerse themselves in the culture of the Academy. Read more.

The Army Scholarship Foundation has announced the award of 290 scholarships to U.S. Army family members. The nonprofit Foundation was established in 2000 by several members of the Class of 1992 in the spirit of the USMA mission of a lifetime of service to the nation. The Foundation exists to provide college scholarships to the sons and daughters of those who have served our Army honorably as well as to the spouses of active duty enlisted Soldiers. Since its founding, the Army Scholarship Foundation has awarded over thirteen hundred scholarships. Five West Point graduates serve on the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1945 | 1953 | 1959 | 1961 | 1966 | 1970 | 1981 | 1988 | 1993 | 1996. Class Notes

The story of Army West Point Softball is a simple one: the coaches want the women on the team to be better in all pillars of their leader development. Of course, they want to win games, too, but the coaches realize that the game is only one aspect of the cadet experience. In fact, Coach Milligan says, “Anything less than trying to do what we can to make them the best humans is a disservice.” Full story.

COL (R) Jason Kirk ’93 has been named Eastern Region Water Market Leader at Haskell. Kirk joined Haskell in 2018 and most recently has served as Director-Business Development for Aviation & Aerospace Manufacturing (A&AM).

Kirk served more than 25 years his final tour of duty was as the Jacksonville District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Commander, a post in which he led an 800-member Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) team in execution of a $500 million-a-year program of water resource management across Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Among his numerous accomplishments, Kirk led the USACE’s effort to repair the Puerto Rican electrical grid after Hurricane Maria in 2018.

“I joined the Haskell team two-and-a-half years ago after 25-plus years in the Army serving as part of a dedicated group of high-integrity individuals doing important work,” Kirk said. “I’ve found incredible alignment at Haskell. I see in Haskell a team that holds true to those same foundational values.” Read more.

Join us at West Point, September 7-9, 2021, for the 18th Annual West Point Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Conference, presented by USMA. This year’s theme is Developing Inclusive Leaders for Future Readiness. This event will bring together West Point Alumni, members of the Army, USMA faculty, staff, cadets, numerous diversity & inclusion professionals, and distinguished guests for discussions surrounding best practices on developing inclusive leaders, while leveraging their talent to enhance collaboration, engagement, and innovation within their organizations. Please click here information regarding the schedule, details, and registration. Registration closes on Monday, August 30th at 10am ET.

Episode 4 of the On Point podcast is live! On Point is an interview-based podcast  hosted by Eddie Kang '08, Founder of the Old Grad Club. On this podcast, Eddie talks to veteran business leaders who are captains of industry and pioneers in their field. In each episode, they share the leadership strategies that got them where they are today, what they are working on now, and where they think the future is headed. Our goal is to bring you actionable insights that you can bring to your own career to improve your performance and increase your impact.

New episodes are released every Wednesday. Episode 4 is with John Robb '91, Founder and Managing Director of The Stone Creek Group. Prior to Stone Creek, John was a Senior Vice President & Managing Director with Bernstein Global Wealth Management. John is the former chair of the Investment Committee for the West Point Association of Graduates and has served on the Committee since 2004.

On this episode, John unpacks his investing methodology across the various funds and organizations he’s managed capital for. It was fascinating to hear how his experience working with West Point AOG helped shape his vision for creating his own firm.

Subscribe and listen to On Point wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn More

The Virtual WPAOG Leaders Conference was held on Thursday August 12, 2021. Over 200 Class, Society, and Parents Club Leaders attended the virtual WPAOG Leaders Conference, sponsored by the Class of 1967. Leaders from all over the United States and even internationally as far as 5,000 miles away received updates from our Academy & WPAOG Leader Team and had the opportunity to network with each other in breakout sessions geared towards their respective Leadership roles. We also recognized our 60 Distinguished Societies and 16 Parents Clubs in an award ceremony.

The West Point Society of Washington (WPSWA) has once again earned the Distinguished Society Award (DSA). The award was started in 1994 and since its inception, the WPSWA has earned the award every year, congratulations! WPSWA recently had the opportunity to support the incoming Class of 2025 along with their 50-year affiliate Class of 1975 with their very own “Backyard March Back”. A group from the society marched down Ruston Way, around Point Defiance and back down Ruston Way for a total of 12 miles. They were thankful to the Tacoma Events Commission for sponsoring the annual picnic at the conclusion of the March Back.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2017 included direction to the Department of Defense to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Solider (TUS100). Coordinated by the efforts of the Society of the Honor Guard Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, planning includes a number of projects by federal, state, regional, local governments, individuals and private sector organizations to build “Never Forget Gardens” across the U.S.; have a USPS stamp to commemorate the centennial; commemorative lapel pins; and coins to commemorate that for which the Tomb represents; and for persons and organizations to observe a “moment of silence” at 11am on November 11, 2021.

A former Eagle Scout, Army officer and CFO, Brian Caputo '82 brought all those skill sets to bear in steering the College of DuPage through the pandemic.

If you’re facing a real crisis — say, the need to keep a 21,000-student college going through a global pandemic — it’s not a bad idea to have a guy like Brian Caputo in charge.

Caputo started honing his leadership skills as a teen in the Chicago suburbs, earning his Boy Scouts of America Eagle Award, then attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served in the active and reserve military, gaining a specialty in finance and human resources and eventually becoming a lieutenant colonel.

Enjoying the precision of working in finance, he earned a master’s degree from DePaul and served in several suburban governments, eventually spending 19 years as chief financial officer (CFO) of the city of Aurora. Along the way, he picked up a second master’s, this time in public administration, from Northern Illinois University, and then a Ph.D.

Commanding the title of Dr. Caputo, he switched jobs in 2017 to become CFO at the College of DuPage (COD) because he wanted to help students move forward in life. In July 2019, he stepped into the president’s role at the community college — just a couple of months before the pandemic hit. Caputo spoke with Fra Noi about his experiences and his Italian heritage. [excerpt/photo from franoi.com]

Read More

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1959 | 1961 | 1965 | 1966 | 1968 | 1981 | 1982 | 1990 | 1996. Class Notes

Cindy M. Boyd ’92 has been named Chairwoman of the Clear Path for Veterans Board of Directors. Cindy currently serves as President of her West Point Class of 1992 - The Brave and the Few, as Treasurer (and Former President) of the West Point Society of Central New York and as a finance committee member for the West Point Association of Graduates.

“It is a great honor to be chosen to serve as the Clear Path for Veterans Chairwoman,” said Boyd. “I am incredibly proud of Clear Path, its mission, its dedicated staff, many of whom are Veterans, and volunteers that provide individualized direct services to Veterans and their families.” Boyd is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, a United States Army Veteran, and a graduate of Syracuse University. Boyd now works as a Program Manager at Lockheed Martin. “I look forward to working with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director Alexander Behm, and the Director of National Expansion Christopher Flaherty to continue to provide best in class services here locally while also bringing the Clear Path model to communities across this great country.”

During his 30-year military career, David Pelizzon ’81 served in many capacities, from helicopter mechanic to paratrooper to front-line soldier, while rising in the ranks from a private — as a 17-year-old who enlisted before graduating high school — to colonel, before retiring at age 47 in 2003.

While he credits the opportunities he found in the military for some of his success — like earning an engineering degree from West Point and a master’s from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government — Pelizzon says the most important lesson his three decades of military experience taught him is the value of servant leadership.

“In the infantry, leaders eat last,” he said.

It’s a formula that Pelizzon has found works well in business, too, and drives his leadership philosophy as CEO of Granby-based Squadron Capital, an industrial holding company that owns a handful of U.S.-based medical device and plastic manufacturers. Read more.

A $5 million gift has been anonymously awarded to the Michie Stadium Preservation Project in honor of the United States Military Academy Class of 1961, providing substantial momentum to the most ambitious gift-funded construction project in the history of the Academy.

Since its official launch last month, West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) and Army West Point Athletics Association (AWPAA) have raised a significant amount of the proposed $95 million that will support the Academy’s vision to reconstruct the East Stands of Michie Stadium.

“This has been a great week for the Michie Stadium Preservation Project,” Director of Athletics Mike Buddie said. “We have been so fortunate to receive the support that we have from our community in the short time since we launched this effort. It’s been really exciting to see our people come together to support Michie Stadium and help us as we push to establish it as one of the finest facilities that college athletics has to offer.”

Michie Stadium, built in 1924, has become a West Point icon and serves as the gateway to the Academy for many Americans. Whether seen on a nationally televised game or experienced in- person, Michie Stadium is an established avenue for visitors to engage with, learn about and immerse themselves in West Point culture. Read more.

Congratulations to eight new second lieutenants from the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2021 who graduated on August 5, 2021 at Crest Hall. The eight join the 996 graduates from May and the one who graduated in June for a total of 1,005 Class of 2021 graduates.

Photo: Chris Hennen and Tarnish Pride/USMA PAO

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1960 | 1961 | 1966 | 1970 | 1977 | 1986 | 1988 | 1996 | 1998 | 2008 | 2013. Class Notes

Imagine replacing your dishwasher and finding a ring along the back wall in the now empty spot. It is clearly a class ring: unique, large, and with an impressive stone in the center and writing on the sides. Unbeknownst to you, you just found one of the previous homeowner’s most prized possessions, his West Point class ring. But finding such a ring is not as uncommon as one might originally suspect. Full story.

Malcolm Reid ’98, co-founder and Managing Partner of Brison LLC, has been recognized by IFSEC Global as the 3rd most influential thought leader among, academics and association figures in the security field, worldwide.

Chosen based on nominations judged by a panel of highly respected judges, the influencers span seven categories (six for security, one from fire), with nominees and winners coming from across the globe. Defined in the following ways: Someone who has played a key role in driving technological innovation. Someone who has been a driving force in changing regulation, standards/guidance, or best practice. Someone whose insights/opinions are widely respected, and which are influential in shaping debate around industry issues. Someone who has been instrumental in the success of the organization or business they lead or are employed by. Someone who has helped to raise the industry’s profile or been an influential voice in the national media.

This is the 3rd time that Malcolm has been recognized in the top ten of global thought leaders in the security field (2018, 2020 and now 2021).

In honor of the United States Military Academy Class of 1977, a $10.5 million gift has been anonymously awarded to the Michie Stadium Preservation Project, bolstering the efforts of the most ambitious gift-funded construction project in the history of the Academy.

The project, which was officially launched last month, has already made significant progress towards its targeted $95 million thanks to the efforts of the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG), the Army West Point Athletics Association (AWPAA) and the support of the greater West Point community.

This historic effort will seek to reconstruct the East Stands of Michie Stadium, which provides fans one of the most unique and storied experiences in college football. Built in 1924, Michie Stadium is an icon of West Point and provides opportunity for Americans to engage with, learn about an immerse themselves in the culture of the Academy.

“We are so thankful for the outpouring of support that we have received in our efforts to complete the Michie Stadium Preservation Project,” Director of Athletics Mike Buddie said. “This is one of many sizeable gifts that we have received and we are thrilled by the momentum that this project has. These efforts will undoubtedly benefit the cadet-athletes, the Corps and fans.” Read more.

The West Point Society of the Tennessee Valley hosted 10 cadets on Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD) at the Redstone Arsenal on the evening of July 29, 2021 in Huntsville, AL. Cadets enjoyed dinner, and social interaction with leaders, spouses and guests from the society. Cadets in attendance included Kyle Kutz, Will Humphrys, Bryce Bauer, Travis Rettke, Anusha Pakkam, Tyler Gregory, Jeff Green, Lucas Dickerson, Tom Lake and Mackenzie Arns. Society members interacted with a total of 22 AIAD Cadets throughout this summer and developed great camaraderie with these superb upcoming members of the Long Gray Line as they have done for the past three years.

M.J. Gwynn ’86 has released My Battle For Life: Military Lessons to Survive Your Life Challenges. M.J. Gwynn faced a lethal diagnosis of an advanced stage cancer. An initial serious surgical procedure was completed and the ensuing combination cancer treatments were abruptly interrupted by a significant and life-threatening series of medical complications. These included: pneumonia, thrombosis (Blood Clot), numerous interventional-radiology procedures, punctured esophagus, anemia (low red blood cell counts), and a collapsed lung. My Battle For Life includes personal, West Point, and Military lessons, tactics, and experiences from a Cancer Survivor, West Point graduate, and Army officer whose goal is to help you or your loved one in a Battle for Life challenge involving Cancer, illness, injury, or other life threatening situation. You should read this book if you are personally involved in a personal “Battle for Life” to gain some general guidance from the voice of experience on how to get through the difficult period. This book is also applicable for those who may be spouses, family members, friends, or other loved ones going supporting someone in their difficult period. M.J. relied on his life, West Point, and Military lessons and experiences to survive this lengthy and challenging Battle for Life. The My Battle For Life book shares this story and will provide you with insights learned during the complicated recovery of the author's Battle for Life as well as some lessons that were learned as a West Point Cadet and Army Officer. Available at Amazon.

We're excited to introduce the launch of the On Point podcast! This interview-based podcast is hosted by Eddie Kang '08, Founder of the Old Grad Club. On this podcast, Eddie talks to veteran business leaders who are captains of industry and pioneers in their field. They are entrepreneurs, executives, financiers, social innovators, and others who made a name for themselves in the military and then took the private sector by storm. In each episode, they share the leadership strategies that got them where they are today, what they are working on now, and where they think the future is headed. Our goal is to bring you actionable insights that you can bring to your own career to improve your performance and increase your impact.

New episodes are released every Wednesday. Check out the latest episodes featuring Bill Murdy ’64, a 3-time CEO, and current Chairman of the Thayer Leader Development Group and Bob McDonald ’75, Former Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs and retired Chairman, President, and CEO of The Procter & Gamble Company.

Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts: Apple / Spotify / Google / Our Website

The following officers were confirmed by the Senate:

MG Antonio A. Aguto, Jr. ’88 for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as Commanding General, First U.S. Army, Rock Island Arsenal, IL.

MG Jonathan P. Braga ’91 for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as Commanding General, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC.

MG Antonio M. Fletcher ’89 for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as Commander, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Special Operations Headquarters, Belgium.

For promotion to the rank of major general:
BG Gregory K. Anderson ’91 
BG Gregory J. Brady ’91
BG Curtis A. Buzzard ’92
BG Michael K. Hanifan ’86 (ARNG)
BG Kipling V. Kahler ’87 (ARNG)
BG Joseph A. Ryan ’91
BG Michelle A. Schmidt ’92
BG Brett G. Sylvia ’94
BG Todd R. Wasmund ’91

For promotion to the rank of brigadier general:
COL Rose P. Keravuori ’97 (USAR)
COL Michael J. Karwatka ’95 (ARNG)
COL Cristina M. Moore ’95 (ARNG)
COL John R. Pippy ’92 (ARNG)
COL Benjamin S. Valentine ’93 (ARNG)

The West Point Association of Graduates is pleased to announce that Lieutenant Colonel (Promotable) James R. Enos, Class of 2000, has been selected to receive the 2021 Alexander R. Nininger Award for Valor at Arms, which will be presented on October 21, 2021, at West Point, New York.

Read more.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1959 | 1971 | 1974 | 1981 | 1985 | 1996 | 2005. Class Notes

Check your mailboxes this week for the 2021 Summer Issue of West Point Magazine! This issue covers graduation for the Class of 2021, an in-depth look at what the study of law looks like at West Point and the latest Sandhurst Competition with USMA holding the three top spots. Read the digital version here.

The following officers were confirmed by the Senate:

LTG Theodore D. Martin ’83 to Commanding General, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Fort
Leavenworth, KS.

GEN Paul J. LaCamera ’85 to Commander, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea,
Republic of Korea.

MG Ronald P. Clark ’88 for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general and assignment as Commanding General, U.S.
Army Central, Shaw Air Force Base, SC.

MG Patrick E. Matlock ’88 for appointment to the rank of lieutenant general.

BG Joseph B. Berger III ’92 for promotion to the rank of major general.

COL Shane R. Reeves ’96 for promotion to the rank of brigadier general and assignment as Dean of the Academic Board, USMA, West Point, NY.

The following officer was promoted to the rank of brigadier general: COL John T. Reim Jr. ’90.

On July 26, the Senate confirmed Frank Kendall III, USMA Class of 1971, to lead the U.S. Air Force. Kendall retired as a LTC from the US Army Reserves and from 2012 to 2017, he served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. “No doubt, our Airmen, Guardians, and their families will be served well,” said Secretary of Defense GEN (R) Lloyd J. Austin III ’75. Read Austin’s full statement here.

Nine air commandos received five Distinguished Flying Crosses and four Air Medals on July 27 for saving the lives of 88 American and Afghan special forces troops over nearly two hours of combat in September 2019. Among those recognized was aircraft commander Lt Col Christopher McCall ’05. The AC-130J Ghostrider crew from the 73rd Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, FL was tasked to provide air cover for special forces in Afghanistan, firing at unnamed enemies who ambushed the American and Afghan team. ““I am humbled by the trust and confidence the ground force placed in our crew to protect them in the critical moments, McCall said.” “Gunship crews train for missions like this, in this environment, night after night. I am truly inspired by the men and women who step into those valleys and towns not knowing what’s around the next corner. I am very proud that our crew was able to support them and execute our mission when it mattered most.” Full story.

Joseph Adams ’85 a research staff member at IDA, was installed as a fellow of the Military Operations Research Society (MORS) at the 89th Symposium. Adams works in the Strategy, Forces and Resources Division within the Systems and Analyses Center, one of three Federally Funded Research and Development Centers that IDA operates. Being selected as a MORS fellow is the highest honor bestowed by the organization, recognizing significant contributions to the society and its members. Adams became a MORS member in 1995. He served in roles such as working group chairs and co-chairs, and Strategy, Forces and Resources composite group chair before being elected as a member of the board of directors.

David E. White Jr. and Andrew Glubzinski were recently elected as Stephen M. Kellen Term Members of the Council on Foreign Relations. They join fellow classmates Kyle J. Wolfle, Michael A. Robinson, and Benjamin E. Haas, who were previously elected as term members in 2019, 2020, and 2020, respectively. White is currently serving in the Biden-Harris Administration as Deputy Associate Counsel at the White House.

The Stephen M. Kellen Term Member Program provides young professionals in government, media, nongovernmental organizations, law, business, finance, and academia the opportunity to participate in a sustained conversation on international affairs and U.S. foreign policy. The program allows these term members to interact with seasoned foreign policy experts and participate in a wide variety of events designed especially for them. Each year, a new class of term members between the ages of thirty and thirty-six is elected to serve a fixed five-year membership term.

WPAOG sadly announces the death of West Point’s oldest living graduate, Colonel Raymond Renola ’40, USA Retired. COL Francis K. Newcomer Jr. ’39, USA Retired is now the oldest living graduate.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1956 | 1958 | 1959 | 1973 | 1974 | 1990 | 1996 | 2009. Class Notes

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1946 | 1953 | 1956 | 1958 | 1959 | 1962 | 1962 | 1974 | 1985 | 1990 | 1996. Class Notes

Colonel Chris Korpela ’96 with Black and Gold Autonomous Racing, partnered with Perdue, will be competing in October 2021 in the Indy Autonomous Challenge! Autonomous Racing: No driver, just software. Imagine driver-less autonomous vehicles battling wheel to wheel for track position and podium success. All to help improve the performance and safety for vehicles of tomorrow.

Autonomous racing is the ultimate engineering challenge. The driver is replaced with a variety of sensors that act as the eyes and ears of the vehicle, feeding the data to a planning and control algorithm that students develop and tune. Machine learning (artificial intelligence) is often used to create human like behaviors and interpret complex sensor data. It is a complex mechatronic challenge that offers students hands-on experience in sophisticated systems development. Learn more.

LTC (R) Jen Easterly ’90 was unanimously confirmed by the Senate as Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Prior to coming to CISA, she was the head of Firm Resilience and the Fusion Resilience Center at Morgan Stanley, responsible for ensuring preparedness and response to business-disrupting operational incidents and risks. Director Easterly served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism in the Obama Administration, and earlier as the Executive Assistant to National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice in the George W. Bush Administration. “I am incredibly honored and humbled to join the team at CISA. I have admired the agency from afar as the organization has grown over the past several years, and seen firsthand how its guidance, insight and resources can benefit public and private sector partners as part of our collective defense to build a more resilient nation.” said Easterly.

Get ready for the next Virtual Service Academy Career Conference (SACC) August 16 - 20, 2021! SACC will put you in touch with recruiters from industry-leading companies and representatives from respected universities. If you are currently transitioning beyond the military or pivoting to a new role in the industry, you do not want to miss this opportunity. This August virtual event replaces the in-person San Diego SACC and currently features 60 organizations, including a handful of graduate schools. Questions? Contact us at: careers@wpaog.org. Register now!

Mr. George Silides, from the Class of 1946, had his poem “My Country, What of Thee (A Life in Rhyme)” published in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Silides, 99, is a civil engineer and former Alaska state senator. He lives in Escondido, CA with his wife.

The West Point Association of Graduates is pleased to announce that Doctor Mae C. Jemison will receive the 2021 Sylvanus Thayer Award. The award will be presented on October 7, 2021 during ceremonies hosted by LTG Darryl A. Williams, Class of 1983, 60th Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

WPAOG Board Chairman LTG (R) Joseph E. DeFrancisco, Class of 1965, said, “The West Point Association of Graduates is honored to present the Thayer Award to Doctor Jemison. Her visionary service as an astronaut, engineer, entrepreneur, physician, and educator is reflective of West Point’s motto—Duty, Honor, Country—and makes her eminently worthy of our highest award.” Read more.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1959 | 1960 | 1962 | 1964 | 1968 | 1970 | 1974 | 1981 | 1684 | 1990 | 1996 | 2017. Class Notes

COL (R) Steve Miska ’90 released his new book, Baghdad Underground Railroad: Saving American Allies in Iraq. This book confronts the challenging issue of what to do about interpreters in Iraq and Afghanistan after American forces depart. During the war's worst fighting in 2006 and 2007, a handful of Iraqi interpreters put their lives on the line to help American combat troops. Families threatened, a bounty on their heads, ignored by the powers that be, they faced execution if they remained in their homeland. A US Army Task Force Commander decides a promise made should be a promise kept. Get them to the USA.

The WPAOG Brick and Paver Program allows graduates and friends of West Point the opportunity to etch a meaningful inscription on a brick or paver that will be placed on the historical grounds surrounding the James K. Herbert Alumni Center.

Visit our website or email us to learn more about the Brick and Paver Program or to place an order today!

Janet Petro ’81 has been named director of Kennedy Space Center in Florida by NASA administrator Bill Nelson. Petro has served as the acting director of Kennedy since May 17.

“It's an honor to be selected to lead Kennedy Space Center,” Petro said. “Having grown up on Florida's Space Coast and being the second generation in my family to work at Kennedy Space Center, it's truly exciting to help grow the multi-user spaceport as we prepare for Artemis and continue launching commercial crew missions to the International Space Station.”

Prior to being named Kennedy's acting director, Petro had served as the center's deputy director since 2007. She was central to Kennedy's transition to a multi-user spaceport, bringing a variety of new commercial and government partners to Kennedy. She led cross-agency initiatives with the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Air Force to streamline government processes and support commercial space operations, increase government efficiency, and limit redundancy.

At Kennedy, Petro will oversee the center's world class multi-user spaceport, supporting both commercial customers and NASA's science and human exploration missions.

Join WPAOG on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, at 2pm ET for our second virtual series, “Updates from Inside the Gates,” featuring Michael Chase, Executive Chef, Mess Hall. Come and learn more about the new “Go for Green” program with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of a cooking demonstration. Sign up today. Registration closes on Monday, July 26, 2021, at 5pm ET.

A huge congratulations to CPT Jessica Zhu ’17, Operations Research and Chinese Major, Class of 2017. CPT Zhu has been selected to receive a Women of Color STEM Award, one of the industry's top honors in science, technology, engineering, and math, during the Women of Color STEM Conference - Digital Twin Experience October 7-9, 2021.

CPT Zhu was an outstanding cadet during her time at the Academy. Following her graduation in 2017, she attended MIT as a Lincoln Labs Fellow, where she received her Master's Degree in Operations Research. CPT Zhu currently serves as a data scientist at the Army Futures Command's Army Artificial Intelligence Integration Center. Full story.

Recently members from the West Point Society of the Tennessee Valley hosted cadets on Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD) at Redstone Arsenal. They got to enjoy a great afternoon at a Huntsville Trash Pandas minor league baseball game in Madison, AL.

Photo: From left to right, Heather Burruss ’91 (Society’s Cadet Outreach Officer), Cadet Michele Szegda, Val McLaughlin (wife of Society Secretary Tom McLaughlin ’66), Cadet Tom Moore, Cadet Mat Pharis

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1964 | 1969 | 1973 | 1987 | 1988 | 1993 | 1996 | 2006 | 2008 | 2010 | 2013 | 2021. Class Notes

In a rare and amazing event, Petaluma, California native, CAPT Paul F. Campagna ’93 assumed command of the USS EISENHOWER aircraft carrier on December 17, 2020, at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, becoming the first grad to command an aircraft carrier.

After completing the U.S. Army Aviation Officer Basic Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama in 1994, Campagna was designated an Army Aviator and assigned to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he served as a platoon leader in D Troop 2-17 Cavalry, Aviation Brigade S-2 and qualified as an OH-58C Pilot in Command.

CAPT Campagna was flying OH-58Cs in 2-17 CAV, 101st Airborne Division as a platoon leader when the Army was transitioning to the OH-58D. He was not selected to transition and would have probably been done flying. There were some officers in 1-101st who were doing an inter-service transfer to the USAF to fly helicopters, so CAPT Campagna started researching it along with CAPT Mark Kempf ’93 and LCDR Thomas Paudler ’93. They found that the regulation was normally used for chaplains and doctors, but it was not exclusive. The Air Force said they would take them as helicopter pilots, and the Navy told them they could go to flight school and fly whatever was available. They were lucky to have had the support of the 2-17 CAV commander, LTC Roberson, who had almost transferred to the Coast Guard when he was a captain and understood their desire to continue service helped get the packages endorsed. They were soon joined in the application process by CAPT Bobby Baker ’93, and within a year, all were in flight school in Pensacola, Florida. Full story.

The Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF) announced Philip Moffatt ’06 as a 2021 Tillman Scholar in recognition of his service, and leadership potential. Receiving a scholarship funding to pursue higher education. Founded in 2008, the Tillman Scholars program supports our nation’s active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses by investing in education and professional development. PTF provides academic scholarships, a national network and professional development opportunities, so Tillman Scholars are empowered to make an impact at home and around the world. In 2002, Pat Tillman proudly put his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals on hold to serve his country. Family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation following Pat’s death in April 2004 while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. The Pat Tillman Foundation unites and empowers remarkable military veterans and spouses as the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to service beyond self.

Setting aside a passion for studying water cultivated while growing up in Colorado, Phil followed a family tradition of service and entered West Point at 17. He met and married another military officer after graduating, and they deployed with the 101st to Afghanistan beginning a high-paced six years of service. As an infantry platoon leader on his first deployment, Phil worked with U.S.AID, tribal leaders, and Afghan police to bring drinking water access and security to multiple communities near his firebase in Giro; a remote roadless district. Over the course of the year, Phil coordinated closely between Army Rangers and tribal leaders to improve security. Seeing the difference Rangers were making, Phil applied to join their regiment. Phil went on to lead a Ranger strike force and execute hundreds of missions with the 75th Ranger Regiment on three further deployments. Read more.

The Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF) announced Andrea Filozof ’10 as a 2021 Tillman Scholar in recognition of her service, and leadership potential. Receiving a scholarship funding to pursue higher education. Founded in 2008, the Tillman Scholars program supports our nation’s active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses by investing in education and professional development. PTF provides academic scholarships, a national network and professional development opportunities, so Tillman Scholars are empowered to make an impact at home and around the world. In 2002, Pat Tillman proudly put his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals on hold to serve his country. Family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation following Pat’s death in April 2004 while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. The Pat Tillman Foundation unites and empowers remarkable military veterans and spouses as the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to service beyond self.

Shortly after completing training as a military intelligence officer, Andrea heard about a call for female service members to accompany all-male units in Afghanistan as part of the Cultural Support Team (CST) program. She immediately applied to join the program and was among the first group of volunteers selected to deploy with the U.S. Army’s Special Operations Command. Andrea deployed twice to Afghanistan as a CST and served as cadre to help shape the program’s training pipeline in between her deployments. Following her time as a CST, Andrea joined the Civil Affairs Regiment. Read more.

The Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF) announced Timothy Berry ’13 as a 2021 Tillman Scholar in recognition of his service, and leadership potential. Receiving a scholarship funding to pursue higher education. Founded in 2008, the Tillman Scholars program supports our nation’s active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses by investing in education and professional development. PTF provides academic scholarships, a national network and professional development opportunities, so Tillman Scholars are empowered to make an impact at home and around the world. In 2002, Pat Tillman proudly put his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals on hold to serve his country. Family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation following Pat’s death in April 2004 while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. The Pat Tillman Foundation unites and empowers remarkable military veterans and spouses as the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to service beyond self.

The oldest of five children to a widowed mother, Timothy was always a leader and decided to attend West Point in his junior high school year. Timothy entered West Point and soon was elected class president. While at West Point, Timothy developed a sense of community and intellectual curiosity about social and economic justice in America. After serving in the 101st Airborne Division, Timothy returned to his alma mater as a diversity admissions officer and was part of the team that ushered in the most racially diverse class in the Academy’s history—witnessing the educational disparities and lack of representation of Black and Hispanic officers in the military. Timothy created Collaborate and Graduate (CAG), a non-profit focused on helping Black and Hispanic students applying to service academies or selective ROTC programs pay for SAT/ACT preparation classes. Read more.

Congratulations to WPAOG on being awarded four American Business Awards, also known as the Stevie Awards. CEO & President of WPAOG Todd Browne ’85 will accept the awards on behalf of AOG.

Nomination: Pre-Graduation Video - West Point Association of Graduates
Category: Events & Live Webcasts
Status: Gold Stevie Winner

Nomination: West Point Magazine's 10th Anniversary Issue
Category: Other Publication - Association or Non-Profit
Status: Gold Stevie Winner

Nomination: West Point Association of Graduates
Category: Organization of the Year - Non-Profit or Government - Small
Status: Silver Stevie Winner

Nomination: WPAOG's Virtual West Point Entrepreneur Summit
Category: Corporate & Community - Community Engagement Event
Status: Bronze Stevie Winner

The Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF) announced Samir Patel ’08 as a 2021 Tillman Scholar in recognition of his service, and leadership potential. Receiving a scholarship funding to pursue higher education. Founded in 2008, the Tillman Scholars program supports our nation’s active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses by investing in education and professional development. PTF provides academic scholarships, a national network and professional development opportunities, so Tillman Scholars are empowered to make an impact at home and around the world. In 2002, Pat Tillman proudly put his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals on hold to serve his country. Family and friends established the Pat Tillman Foundation following Pat’s death in April 2004 while serving with the 75th Ranger Regiment in Afghanistan. The Pat Tillman Foundation unites and empowers remarkable military veterans and spouses as the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to service beyond self.

Samir Patel is a veteran and entrepreneur of Indian descent. He graduated from West Point and served as an armor/ cavalry officer in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In Iraq, he commanded a combat outpost consisting of 25 U.S. Army and 50 Iraq and Kurdish soldiers conducting counter-insurgency operations. After returning from overseas, Samir continued his service in the U.S. Army Reserve and is now an innovation officer in Army Futures Command. In addition to military service, Samir is passionate about entrepreneurship as he teaches at Georgia State University on a part-time basis. Read more.

Colonel (Retired) John K. Tien ’87 was sworn in as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security by Secretary Mayorkas on June 24, 2021. Tien is the first Asian American to be confirmed as the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

“I am deeply gratified to return to public service and honored to serve as Deputy Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security,” said Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security John Tien. “I look forward to the opportunity to serve our country again and working with Secretary Mayorkas to support our workforce and strengthen the Department.”

Prior to becoming the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Tien spent ten years serving in senior executive roles in the critical infrastructure financial services sector as a managing director at Citigroup. As a chief operating officer, he provided customer service support to tens of millions of customers to include safeguarding their accounts against fraud, data breaches, and other cyber threats.

Tien previously served in the Obama Administration as the National Security Council Senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2009-2011, the Bush Administration as the National Security Council Director for Iraq from 2008-2009, and the Clinton Administration as a White House Fellow in the Office of the United States Trade Representative from 1998-1999.

Kyle Beyer of Army Men’s Lacrosse added another accolade to his already impressive resume as he earned a spot on the USILA Academic All-America list. He joins elite company as one of only 75 players in Division 1 lacrosse to earn the distinction. Beyer achieved excellence in the classroom and on the field in his final year at West Point. This academic honor comes after he was named to the All-Patriot League Second Team earlier this year.

Beyer was a force to be reckoned with on the Army defensive line during the 2021 season. The New Jersey native started all 11 games for the Black Knights, causing 11 turnovers and picking up 19 ground balls.

Beyer graduated with a degree in civil engineering last month and is currently serving as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Read more.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1943 Jan |1953 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1966 | 1970 | 1971 | 1974 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 2000 | 2001 | 2018. Class Notes

Astronaut and West Point Grad Shane Kimbrough '89 went for a walk in space on June 20. The spacewalk outside the International Space Station was streamed live as Kimbrough and fellow Astronaut Thomas Pesquet installed and deployed the first new roll out solar array. The two astronauts will venture outside the ISS again on Friday, June 25, for a third spacewalk to continue power system upgrades. Video. Full story.

Department of Chemistry and Life Sciences and Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering graduates 2LT Grayson Seidel ’21 and 1LT Halle Kotchman ’19, along with MAJ Erin Milner and Dr. Kevin O’Donovan, published “The Underlying Effects of Celiac Disease and Subsequent Implications on Deployment in the United States Army” in Military Medicine. The article provides an overview of the causes, pathology, and treatments for celiac disease and its impacts on the Army. Well done, Team.

Senator Ernst of Iowa has re-introduced bill S.1872 in the Senate to award the Congressional Gold Medal to all members of the WWII Ranger Battalions. Representative Jason Crow of Colorado has reintroduced a similar bill H.R.3577 in the House. There were at least seven West Point graduates in those WWII Ranger Battalions: COL Bill Darby ’33, who was the first WWII Ranger battalion commander; LTC Hank Mucci ’36; CPT Ralph Colby ’40; MAJ John Dobson ’39; LTC Robert Garrett ’41; CPT James Greene Jun ’43; and CPT John Raaen, Jr. Jan ’43 pictured.

The Congressional Gold Medal, when awarded, will be presented to all WWII Rangers collectively. This is an honor much deserved by these WWII Ranger veterans for their combat actions in all overseas theaters; for their six night-time assault landings; and for their recognition through eight Presidential Unit Citations. These are the Rangers who climbed the cliffs, neutralized the guns, and about whom President Reagan spoke in 1984 in his famous “The Boys of Pointe du Hoc” speech. These are the Rangers, led by COL Hank Mucci, who freed 516 Allied POWs at the Japanese Camp at Cabanatuan before they were to be executed.

These are the Rangers who led the way off of “Bloody Omaha” Beach and gave today's Rangers their motto of “Rangers Lead The Way!” There are only 19 known WWII Rangers still with us today out of the almost 7000 who volunteered to serve in WWII Ranger units, and one of these is MG (R) John Raaen, Jr., last member standing from the class of Jan ’43.

Check out the newest SOSH Podcast episode from our Department of Social Sciences. Three recent graduates and American Politics Majors, Ryan Johnson, Pat Schlimm, and Chris Weaver, discuss their theses with AP Professor and @usarmy Major AJ Glubzinski. They discuss the economic impacts of expanding the interstate highway system, the emergence of interstate compacts to combat COVID-19, and Congressional oversight powers over the military.

Check out their latest episode, and catch up on previous episodes here. Learn more about the Sosh Research Lab here. Learn more about the Department of Social Sciences here.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1952 | 1961 | 1962 | 1970 | 1976 | 1993 | 1996. Class Notes

Cadet Basic Training (CBT) is stressful enough on its own, but in the summer of 2020 new cadets had to endure Beast Barracks with the added stressor of COVID-19. “I remember lying in bed on that first night thinking, ‘If this is what being an officer is like, I don’t know if I can do five years,’” Knights says. He found that he missed his parents a lot, even though he told them and himself before CBT that he wouldn’t. As it turned out, by the end of Beast, Knights learned that he now had a second family. True, his companymates and classmates have become family to him, but at the conclusion of CBT Knights also met his Fourth Class Sponsor family: Chaplain (Major) Jay Hudson, his wife and their three kids, who have volunteered their home to assist Knights and five other plebes in their development by exposing them to Army traditions, customs, and courtesies, as well as helping them realize that the Army lifestyle involves a family environment not all that different from what they knew as civilians just a few months earlier. Full story.

Our third West Point Entrepreneur Virtual Speaker Series event for the year will be held on Thursday, June 24, 2021, at 2pm ET and will feature Taylor Justice ’06, Co-Founder and President, Unite Us. This fireside chat will be moderated by Brad Harrison ’94, Founder/Managing Partner, Scout Ventures. Email us here: Alumniconferences@wpaog.org. Register here.

Six Redstone Arsenal Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD) Cadets (Owen States, Chris Sowinski, Ethan Paraiso, Luke Hester, Josh Dale and Dan Minyard) enjoyed a dinner at Mellow Mushroom with West Point Society of the Tennessee Valley Officers (Bill Wilhelm, Comms Officer), Ian Humphrey (Active-Duty Liaison Officer), Heather Burruss (Cadet Engagement Officer), John Warnke (Activities Officer) and Gary Stewart (President) in Huntsville on the evening of June 10, 2021.

In May, many West Point Grads volunteered to participate in a service project called “The Honor Project” during Memorial Day Weekend. Grads, Veterans, and civilians traveled to the Arlington National Cemetery and laid out flags in front of the gravestones of nearly 4,000 fallen service members as a special request from their loved ones during May 29 -31, 2021. The West Point Grads who attended the event also visited the gravestones of West Point classmates who were buried at Arlington National Cemetery. West Point Grads, John DiNome ’81, Charles Chalfont ’94, Bridget Altenburg ’95, Bridgette Bell ’04, Mary Tobin ’03, Janaia Nash ’03, Chief Program Officer, Tracy Tawiah ’03, Kafi Joseph ’03, and Cadet Nathaniel Miseli 23 volunteered at the event.

The Honor Project was started this year after COVID-19 prevented many families from visiting in person last year during the pandemic.

June 14, 1775, America’s Army was founded when our nation’s leaders established the Continental Army. Today, the Army is the strategic land power of the joint force, at its core, selfless soldiers. Never wavering. Never faltering. 245 years of defending our great Nation. Happy Birthday, United States Army!!

Bill Kosco ’62 has released Establishing the Brotherhood: Army Rugby’s First Team. In true rugby fashion, the creation and publication of Establishing the Brotherhood (available on Amazon.com) was a team effort. First Team Historian, Mike Schredl ’62, gathered team stories, testimonials, and statistics to honor the 60th anniversary of the Army Men’s Rugby in 2021. When Mike passed in 2019, Bill Kosco ’62 assumed the role of editor, obtaining additional input, as well as publication assistance from Dave Phillips ’62 and a cover design by Fred Bothwell ’62.

Establishing the Brotherhood traces the March 1961 origin of Army Rugby to the foresight and perseverance of John Taylor ’62 (founder); the experience of Ric Cesped ’62 (coach), a foreign cadet with high school rugby credentials; and 50 members of the Corps inspired by the Oxford-pitch impact of Pete Dawkins ’59. On 12 May 1962, following General MacArthur's farewell address to the Corps, these cadets took the field and beat the best in the East. Thus began a legacy of leadership, tenacity, and success, establishing Army Rugby as a preeminent Warrior Sport.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1961 | 1970 | 1971 | 1990 | 1996 | 2000 | 2013 | 2021. Class Notes

Josh Zock ’21 and Tyler Kim ’21, former members of the Army Men's Swimming and Diving Team, competed in the first wave of the U.S. Olympic qualifier last weekend at the CHI Health Center.

“Tyler and Josh stepped up on the biggest stage of their competitive swimming careers and swam well and competed as they always do – with everything they've got,” Army head coach Brandt Nigro said. “I'm proud of the work and resiliency it took for them to make it to Omaha. They represented themselves, their families, our program, West Point, and the US Army in such a positive manner.”

Zock competed in the 50m freestyle, finishing with a time of 23.52. Kim placed 23rd in the 200m backstroke with a time of 2:02.44.

“They will certainly remember this meet and the experience for the rest of their lives,” Nigro added. “As a program working to elevate it's competitiveness across the board – Tyler and Josh have certainly opened the door for the up and coming folks who look up to them. I'm already excited for 2024 and can't wait to get back to Olympic Trials with many more cadet-athletes.”

The West Point Society of the Mid-Hudson Region hosted their popular Cadet Candidate Picnic on Sunday June 6, despite a rather warm day. The Society invites the incoming cadet candidates and their families who reside in the Hudson Valley Region to the event so that the cadet candidates get to meet their local classmates, and their parents get to know other parents. Current members of the Parents Club brief the new West Point families as to what to expect living in the West Point region as their cadet children bring classmates home.

The speaker for the picnic was COL Tanya Estes, a professor at West Point and a decorated Army Aviator. COL Estes delivered a very inspirational address to the cadet candidates and their parents. Fortunately, the folks at the USMA 2nd Aviation Detachment at Stewart Airport allowed the society to use their picnic area.

The Seventh Annual Service Academies Global Summit (“SAGS 2021”) will be held virtually/online and “live” on June 15, 2021, with expected attendance by 300-400 attendees representing all five service academies. The Summit theme for SAGS 2021 will be “Rebuilding Together!” and the focus will be on rebuilding our nation, our communities and our institutions in addition to our businesses, careers and lives. Visit the SAGS website to find the full list of distinguished speakers and more details. Register now!

After 20 years of active duty and 10 years as a Department of Defense civilian Kevin Zurmuehlen ’90 decided to become a pastry chef. It is quite the leap, from career military to French pastry chef and entrepreneur, but 53-year-old Chef Kevin Zurmuehlen has jumped in with both feet. “This is so much fun,” said Zurmuehlen. “God gave us an opportunity.”

The love of food and travel are what led Zurmuehlen and his family to the create their own French bakery. Throughout their time overseas during Zurmuehlen’s military career, the family traveled whenever they had the opportunity. In every country they visited, they sampled a wide assortment of culinary delights. French cuisine, especially pastries, carry fond memories. Read more.

WPAOG invites you to take part in an exclusive event on Monday, June 28, 2021, in New York. WPAOG is in an event partnership with The Brew Bus. Enjoy and explore some great venues including a brewery, a winery/cidery/distillery and lunch while getting to know fellow West Point families!

The event starts at 1:00pm with lunch at Christopher’s Bistro Touring/tasting at Clemson Bros Brewery & Warwick Valley Winery, Cidery & Distillery. There’s also an option for a personal tour guide and a luxury passenger vehicle and driver with a lavatory.

To learn more information about the tickets, tours, prices, or guest requirements email The Brew Bus.

Following the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2021 Graduation Ceremony Saturday, friends and family convened at the Boylan household at West Point to continue the right of passage into officership for USMA Class of 2021 Cadet Tully Boylan as he readied himself to don the bars of a second lieutenant on the shoulders of his uniform as family members have done before him.

“This is going to seem weird at first, but you just have to bear with me,” Colonel Gregory Boylan, the executive officer to the Superintendent, said to the family and friends who sat before him as he readied his speech. “All right, everybody, close your eyes. I’m going to talk and I’ll tell you when to open them,” Gregory asked. Everyone closed their eyes with curious smiles on their faces. Then, Gregory began.

“West Point played a crucial role in keeping the new United States from falling to the British. For the area became known for its famed military academy. West Point is located on a plateau, on the west bank of the Hudson River, approximately 60 miles north of New York City,” Gregory said. “It is 1781. George Washington has called the fortified site quote ‘the most important post in America,’ and he worked to keep patriot control of West Point throughout the Revolutionary War.” Full story.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1945 | 1956 | 1959 | 1960 | 1962 | 1966 | 1968 | 1982 | 1988 | 1994 | 1996 | 2013. Class Notes

For one of his last official duties before retiring as the Deputy Commander of the Memphis District of the Corps of Engineers, LTC Nate Molica ’99, presented a certificate of commendation from the West Point Society of the Mid-South to JROTC Cadet Christopher Phebus on May 28, 2021, during the Annual Awards Ceremony for the Shelby County JROTC Program of 19 units. JROTC Cadet Major Phebus will report to West Point in June as New Cadet Phebus to join the Class of 2025. Congratulations to both, as Nate completes a stellar Army career, and Chris Phebus begins his.

The West Point Magazine Spring Issue of 2021 explores how the Long Gray Line stayed connected throughout the years.

Take a closer look at the legacy and history of how TAPS and the Register of Graduateskept the records of West Point and lead to the West Point Association of Graduates becoming one of the most connected alumni bodies in the world!

Read the full article here.

Officers of the West Point Society of the Tennessee Valley Dale McDonough, Gary Stewart and John Innes participated in a Memorial Day Service at Huntsville and Madison County’s Veterans Memorial. The Society Officers presented a wreath in memory of fallen comrades. There were roughly 100 wreaths presented by military, community and veteran’s services.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1943 Jan | 1959 | 1966 | 1971 | 1974 | 1988 | 1996 | 1998 | 2003. Class Notes

Scott “Scotty” Alpaugh is an executive at one of the world’s largest wealth management companies and has worked in the financial industry for over 11 years. He served in the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division for three years before he was hurt while on a combat tour in Baghdad, Iraq.

Here is Scott's take on things people can do to address the root of the problem they are trying to solve. “COVID has forced us to be shackled to our homes and socially distanced from each other. This, among other things, has caused many of us to become spectators instead of players in our own lives. Sadly, this was a problem long before Covid. We watch social media videos, practice tiktocks, and try to ascertain the truth in the news, all the while, watching our lives pass us by. First, in order to address this, I would love to see politicians refocus their efforts to regulate social media platforms and to ensure news stations actually report the news in a bipartisan fashion. Second, I think people need to be more accepting. There is so much tension in our society right now. Families and friends are breaking up over political social media posts, things are getting cancelled faster than they are getting created, and everyone seems to be in a constant state of being offended. If we chose instead to accept other people’s differences of opinions a bit more and didn’t focus on absolutes, the world would be a better place.” Read more.

The Seventh Annual Service Academies Global Summit (“SAGS 2021”) will be held virtually/online and “live” on June 15, 2021, with expected attendance by 300-400 attendees representing all five service academies. The Summit theme for SAGS 2021 will be “Rebuilding Together!” and the focus will be on rebuilding our nation, our communities and our institutions in addition to our businesses, careers and lives. Visit the SAGS website to find the full list of distinguished speakers and more details. Register now!

Alonzo Q. Ford ’98 has been named Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Lowe’s Guardian Angel (LGA). LGA is a care provider for people with disabilities in the Southeast. The announcement ushers in a new generation of guidance and growth for the company, which is poised to expand its resident-centric, compassionate approach within Atlanta Metro and surrounding areas. Ford co-founded LGA, www.lowesguardianangel.com, in 2005 with Windy Lowe and Glenn Lowe. They began with one facility, 2 employees, and 2 clients, later growing their organization to a multimillion-dollar enterprise with five locations and over 50 employees and volunteers. Read more.

50 members of the West Point Society of the Space Coast (WPSSC) gathered together on Saturday March 20, 2021 to celebrate Founders Day and meet distinguished speaker, the former Secretary of the Air Force, the Honorable Michael Wynne ’66. The semi-formal event was held at the Holiday Inn Viera in Melbourne, Florida. After the Benny Haven’s, the event formally opened with the Presentation of the Colors by the Viera High School Army JROTC Color Guard, followed by the traditional toasts and a wonderful dinner, attendees enjoyed an entertaining and informative speech by the guest speaker. Oldest grad in attendance, Dr. David Thomas’57 and the Youngest Grad, John Palazzolo ’90, both made brief remarks and then shared the responsibility of cutting the WPSSC Cake with a cadet sword. The evening ended with a moving rendition of the Alma Mater led by the outstanding video provided by the West Point Glee Club and the US Army Band.

Photo: The Honorable Michael Wynne ’66

Registration is open and it is going to be a great Founders Day this year for the West Point Society of North Texas on June 5, 2021! This year’s celebration features casual attire, great barbecue, no speaker other than the Supt’s recorded video, a very deserving Ray Colvin Award winner, and a lot of trash talk between classmates. This year’s venue, Marty B’s, is a great barbecue restaurant. Their second-floor open-under-cover dining room is where they will be holding their Founders Day celebration – and it is the whole top of the building. Right after the celebration, live music by LIVE 5 will be performed on the stage next to the building. Founders Day Registration closes Saturday 29 May 2021. Register here.

The West Point Society of Hampton Roads hosted its annual picnic on May 22 at Harbor Park in Suffolk, VA. Guests were the incoming Class of ’25 members and their families. Four incoming cadets participated. The Norfolk Tides honored the incoming class by acknowledging them prior to the game - those in attendance, and those who were unable to attend. The attending Class of ’25 members waved from the picnic area as they were introduced. The Tides announcement noted the contributions West Point has made to the nation since its founding. Rich Naigle ’77 introduced the cadets in attendance to those who attended the picnic. Rich acknowledged their parents and thanked each veteran parent for his or her service to the nation. Society Treasurer Joy Gibbon ’84 presented a scholarship check to the parents of each cadet present.

Thank you to the West Point community who came together in record numbers to strengthen the Margin of Excellence during the 2021 All Academy Challenge with gifts totaling $2.57 million. It was a close race with Merchant Marine for all five days. We narrowly came in second, with 22.52 percent of the Long Gray Line supporting the Challenge. Every year we have increased West Point participation during the Challenge, which is something to celebrate and will benefit the Academy tremendously. Congratulations to all the academies! Check here to see the 2021 All Academy Challenge Class Leaderboards.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1959 | 1963 | 1966 | 1970 | 1971 | 1974 | 1975 | 1991 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020. Class Notes

The Army West Point Baseball Team has been well-represented through the start of the 2021 minor league baseball season, as three former players have made appearances for their organizations. Catcher Jon Rosoff ’18 is on the Double-A roster for the Detroit Tigers, while both outfielder Jacob Hurtubise ’20 and left-handed pitcher Cam Opp ’19 are playing High-A for the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Mets, respectively.

Each member of the trio will strive to join former Army West Point pitching star and 2013 graduate Chris Rowley, who is currently the program's only alum to have made an MLB appearance. Rowley got the call in August of 2017 and tossed 5.1 innings en route to becoming the 13th player in the Toronto Blue Jays' history to earn the win in his debut. Read more.

You can make sure you never miss a story: a digest of all the news posted on WPAOG’s website can be delivered directly to your email inbox. Grad News is all about the Long Gray Line and individual achievements. 

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COL(R) Ralph Puckett Jr. ’49 will receive the Medal of Honor today from President Biden. The ceremony will be livestreamed from the White House at 1pm, click here to watch.

The U.S. Military Academy honored members of the Long Gray Line during a wreath laying ceremony today at the base of the Col. Sylvanus Thayer statue. The ceremony was held with Superintendent, LTG Darryl A. Williams, CSM Michael Coffey, West Point Association of Graduates President Todd Browne, and First Captain Reilly McGinnis, who filled in for the oldest graduate and placed the wreath. The event traditionally honors the Long Gray Line and classes in attendance during Graduation Week, while the oldest returning graduate performs the wreath laying. However, this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, members of the Long Gray Line and classes could not attend. Photos.

The West Point Association of Graduates’ Alumni Support programs have been dramatically affected due to COVID-19, but one program is strong as ever.

While dealing with the impact of COVID-19 has been a challenge, it has given Alumni Support an opportunity to re-invent its services, and no program better represents this “pivot” than its 50-Year Affiliation Program (50YAP) which pairs the entering cadet class with an alumni class that is 50 years its senior.

The purpose of the 50YAP, which began with the classes of 1949 and 1999, is to strengthen the ties between the graduates of yesterday and the cadets of today as both groups work together to strengthen the Long Gray Line as it serves our nation. Over the course of four years, the 50YAP graduates will accompany and support their affiliated cadets at significant milestone events from Reception Day (R-Day) through Graduation. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the 50YAP graduates have been unable to be with their affiliated cadets at these ceremonies; however, just like the “close a door; open a window” saying, the support they have given has never been stronger. Full story.

Steve Townes ’75 continues doing aerospace buyouts and consolidations, which he has practiced for over half of his entrepreneurial career in a long series of growth platforms. For the past five years, his Ranger Aerospace holding company has been doubling the worldwide scope of their air cargo services & logistics company, ACL Airshop, to 55 major air hubs on 6 continents. In late April 2021, he merged ACL into a large global infrastructure group called Alinda Capital. Townes will remain CEO of ACL Airshop and co-invested in the capital structure of the deal. Ranger Aerospace LLC also co-invested. “By partnering with Alinda, one of the largest infrastructure investors in the world, we begin an exciting new chapter of strategic scalability and growth.” Townes said. Read More.

Today we celebrate all five branches of the United States military. The West Point Association of Graduates would like to thank all the men and women of the United States Armed Forces for their service to our country.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1943 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1966 | 1973 | 1975 | 1981 | 1985 | 1987 | 1988 | 1996. Class Notes

Tom Kilgore ’80 was recently elected mayor of Lakeway, Texas. Kilgore served in the public sector as an energy executive. Since moving to Lakeway, Kilgore has been an active participant in city government by attending council meetings, redrafting ordinances, and working on the City Charter Committee. He wants to focus on transparency, accountability, fiscal responsibility, senior tax relief and keeping the roads safe. Read more.

Have you ever considered serving on the WPAOG Board of Directors or Advisory Council or do you know someone who would be an excellent candidate? Nominations for the WPAOG Board of Directors and Advisory Council are now being accepted through July 1, 2021.

Click here to find out more about the nomination process.

On May 7, MG John A. George ’88 turned over command of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) and retired from the Army after a 33-year military career. George graduated from the Academy in 1988, and he held several command and staff assignments during his Army service. He deployed on numerous Army missions, including Operation Joint Guardian (NATO), Kosovo, where he served as Chief of Force Issues and Requirements, and Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, as the Chief, Afghanistan National Police Force Management Branch. George’s tenure with DEVCOM began in November 2019, a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic began. In response to the pandemic, DEVCOM released a future of work concept paper to its more than 27,000 soldiers, civilians and contractors, embracing remote work, flexible work schedules and innovative hiring practices. The command, which comprises eight reporting units and three regionally aligned international elements, is the Army’s largest technology developer. “I was proud to join your team 18 months ago, and I am even more proud today to have served alongside each of you,” George said during his retirement ceremony. “It is my hope that I leave the Army better than I found it: that I inspired and encouraged those around me; that I trusted individuals to work their full capacity; that I empowered my teammates to strive for greatness and compassion.

 "A story of epic proportions [and] an awesome feat of biographical reconstruction."—The Boston Globe

 A classic of its kind, The Long Gray Line is the twenty-five-year saga of the West Point class of 1966. With a novelist's eye for detail, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Rick Atkinson illuminates this powerful story through the lives of three classmates and the women they loved—from the boisterous cadet years to the fires of Vietnam, to the hard peace and internal struggles that followed the war. The rich cast of characters also includes Douglas MacArthur, William C. Westmoreland, and a score of other memorable figures. The class of 1966 straddled a fault line in American history, and Atkinson's masterly book speaks for a generation of American men and women about innocence, patriotism, and the price we pay for our dreams.

This program includes an original foreword, read by Rick Atkinson, and exclusive to the audiobook, and a bonus conversation with Ty Seidule.

MG Chris Sharpsten '88 spoke to the Department of Systems Engineering EM482 class. The cadets are focused on Supply Chain Engineering, and MG Sharpsten gave them an update on the state of the COVID vaccination efforts and the US Government program to defeat COVID (formerly known as Operation Warp Speed). Sharpsten is the Director for Supply, Production, and Distribution for the Federal COVID-19 Vaccines/Therapeutics Operation. The operation is charged with delivering 300 million doses of a safe, effective vaccine for COVID-19 as part of a broader strategy to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics. Other USMA 88 classmates were also in attendance to include COL John Hartke (Chair of Physics), COL Greg Ebner (Chair of Foreign Language), and LTC(R) Dan Pritchard (USMA Library).

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1949 | 1956 | 1962 | 1966 | 1970 | 1971 | 1973 | 1974 | 1984 | 2001. Class Notes

COL (R) Ralph Puckett ’49 received the Distinguished Service Cross 70 years ago for his actions in Korea and that award is being upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

Colonel Puckett was a young lieutenant when he led 51 Rangers and nine Korean soldiers across 800 yards of frozen rice paddies to seize and hold a key hill overlooking the Chongchon River in what is now North Korea. They lost four Rangers and one Korean in the assault, but another battle was still to come. During the night that followed, Puckett’s Rangers faced hundreds of Chinese forces counterattacking the hill. He would be wounded three times before ordering his men to leave him behind and retreat — a command they disobeyed. Read more.

West Point has had a total of 21 grads that have been selected as NASA astronauts. COL(R) Shane Kimbrough, USMA Class of 1989, is currently in space as part of SpaceX's Crew-2 mission, the second operational commercial crew flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. The U.S. Army Astronaut Program allows active-duty Army personnel who successfully apply for admission to NASA’s Astronaut Candidate Program to complete the two-year candidate process while serving on active duty. Upon completion of training, astronauts will continue to serve on active duty.

Photo courtesy of NASA

The U.S. Senate has confirmed the following officers for promotion to the rank of major general:
BG Richard E. Angle ’91, BG Charles D. Costanza ’91, BG David M. Hodne ’91, BG Heidi J. Hoyle ’94, BG Mark H. Landes ’90, BG Charles R. Miller ’90 and BG Walter T. Rugen ’89.

The Chief of Staff of the Army announces the following officer assignments:
MG Richard E. Angle ’91 to Commanding General, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC
BG(USAR) Christopher Z. Barra ’89 to Commander (Troop Program Unit), 451st Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Wichita, KS
BG Charles D. Costanza ’91 to Commanding General, 3d Infantry Division and Fort Stewart, Fort Stewart, GA
BG Garrick M. Harmon ’92 to Commanding General, U.S. Army Security Assistance Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL
BG David M. Hodne ’91 to Commanding General, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Fort Carson, CO
BG(USAR) Stephanie Q. Howard ’94 to Commander (Troop Program Unit), USAR Sustainment Command, Birmingham, AL
BG Mark C. Quander ’95 to Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY
BG Paul T. Stanton ’95 to Commanding General, Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon, Fort Gordon, GA
BG Curtis D. Taylor ’94 to Commanding General, National Training Center and Fort Irwin, Fort Irwin, CA

The West Point Association of Graduates would like to thank all our 200 virtual guests who attended the Donor Tribute live stream event from Herbert Hall last week.
WPAOG took the opportunity to thank the dedicated supporters of West Point, ensuring that current and future members of the Long Gray Line benefit from the extraordinary range of opportunities and experiences that make up the Margin of Excellence. These experiences and opportunities include many of the cadet projects seen throughout this year's Virtual Projects Day. View more photos of Projects Day.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1945 | 1960 | 1961 | 1966 | 1968 | 1981 | 1982 | 1987 | 1988 | 1996. Class Notes

The U.S. Army announced April 29, 2021 that COL Shane Reeves ’96 will be the next U.S. Military Academy Dean of the Academic Board.

Nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination.

“I want to congratulate Col. Reeves on his nomination for appointment to brigadier general and assignment as the U.S. Military Academy's Dean of the Academic Board,” said LTG Darryl A. Williams 60th superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy. “He is an integral member of the team, involved in so much of what makes West Point the preeminent leadership institution preparing our graduates to lead in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.”

Reeves, a native of Rock Springs, WY, currently serves as professor and head of the Department of Law and will replace BG Cindy Jebb when she retires on May 28.

“The opportunity to serve as the Dean of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point is a great honor and privilege,” said Reeves. “I am excited to join LTG Williams and his command team. I look forward to collaborating with the staff and faculty to continually advance our institution’s commitment to developing leaders of character for the Army and the nation.” Read more.

The 2020 Register of Graduates is coming soon. It contains more than 77,000 individual entries recording the names, classes, and careers of every West Point graduate from 1802 to 2020. The 2020 Edition will feature a premium “Red Sash” red cloth binding embossed with gold foil, suitable for display in your office or home library. Thank you to all that have pre-ordered already. This edition has gone to print, and it should be in the mail by late May. There are limited quantities of extras so make sure to order yours today! Order online from the WPAOG Gift Shop. You can also order by phone Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm by calling us at 800.426.4725.

Cadets at the United States Military Academy presented their Capstone projects and final presentations at West Point. Cadets have worked hard all year long and will share their research in a virtual space to USMA’s academic faculty, stakeholders, and their fellow Cadets. Projects Day and many other academic enrichment events like this are made possible by donor support! More than 800 Cadets created, researched, and designed 319 projects! Below are a few links to where you can see their innovative work and download a helpful app to keep updated. Ways to follow the 22nd Annual USMA Projects Day Website, YouTube and Downloadable App.

Team Superstrand, a West Point multidisciplinary cadet team, won the 2021 WISE Challenge hosted by the DEVCOM Soldier Center on April 27th by beating eleven other teams from the U.S. Service Academies.  Over the last academic year, cadets and midshipmen researched, designed, and implemented solutions to service specific or joint mission challenges.  In the WISE Finals, teams were judged for innovation, technical approach, and analysis, operational impact to the Warfighter, and how well the idea was communicated to the audience.  Team Superstrand brought home the top spot with their state-of-the-art design of a biosensing, conductive textile material for military uniforms using synthesized carbon nanotubes and cellulose nanofiber composites.  Cadets Felita Zhang, Edward Tang, Paul Trackey, Alexa Zammit, Danielle Lynch, Hunter Beauchamp, and Jeff Tantow were advised by Colonel John Burpo and Dr. Enoch Nagelli from the Department of Chemistry and Life Science.  Furthermore, Team Defenders, another West Point multidisciplinary cadet, tied for second place in the WISE Challenge.  Their project designed and tested an innovative armor structure system to protect military vehicles against blasts while optimizing weight.  Cadets Jarrett Justice, Courtney Loomis, Tyler Kim, and Jesus Carrillo, were advised by Dr. Kevin McMullen from the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering.

Raw emotions energized the moment as an ample number of shared memories synergized the atmosphere in reflecting on a 39-year military career and 43 years since arriving at the U.S. Military Academy. In honoring an exceptional and genuine person and a unique professional experience, the Corps of Cadets bid farewell and celebrated the Dean of the Academic Board Brig. Gen. Cindy Jebb with a Corps Farewell Banquet April 15 at the Cadet Mess Hall.

The evening was a retrospect of an expansive legacy that began in 1978 as a member of the third class of women accepted to West Point. Her story expounded on a career that included field research in Africa, working at the National Security Agency, study projects in Afghanistan and Iraq, serving as a senior advisor to the Chief of the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, the head of the Department of Social Sciences to becoming the first female and 14th Dean of the Academic Board at USMA in June 2016.

After Jebb retires from the military next month, she will become the fifth president of Ramapo College of New Jersey, not too far from her childhood home of New City, New York, in Rockland County.

However, before she moves onto her next venture in life, Jebb received several acknowledgements and had a chance to remember and give many thanks to everyone who helped shape her into the academic stalwart she is today during the farewell banquet.

Before Jebb’s speech, a handful of speakers set the stage beginning with the Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Curtis A. Buzzard.

Buzzard, who is the third commandant to work with Jebb since she became dean, first met her about eight years ago when she was the SOSH Department head and he attended a Senior Leaders Conference at West Point, which was a conference to discuss national security challenges. Full story.

The latest issue of West Point magazine should be arriving at your doorstep very soon if, it hasn’t already. The online edition is available now! Read about the combat experience of the GWOT Generation of the Long Gray Line, the Ring Melt program for the Class of 2022 and the families that volunteer for the Cadet Sponsorship program here.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1954 | 1959 | 1960 | 1966 | 1986 | 1989 | 1990 | 1992 | 2005. Class Notes

Join us from 2:00 to 3:30pm ET on Thursday, May 6, 2021 for our monthly installment of the West Point Entrepreneur Virtual Speaker Series featuring Steve Cannon ’86, CEO, AMB Sports + Entertainment. This fireside chat will be moderated by Jamie Holden ‘00, Senior Vice President, Vista Equity Partners.There is no cost to attend.

If you have any questions, contact alumniconferences@wpaog.org or 845.446.1649 and reference our event. Register before Tuesday, May 4!

Navigating a transition during a pandemic is especially daunting. If you are considering a new career path OR if your organization is searching for top-tier talent, SACC can help you make the right connections. Employers are already reaching out to prospective candidates for introductory, pre-screen phone calls. Do not miss out on this opportunity to land a job offer in a challenging economic environment. SACC Questions? Contact us at careers@wpaog.org.
*SACC Webinars May 3-5, 2021
*Virtual Career Fair May 7, 2021
*Connect virtually with recruiters from industry-leading employers
*Meet with companies who are actually hiring

Register now for SACC May 3-5, 2021

Former Captain Greg C. Washington ’05 is preparing to walk nearly 1,800 miles across 11 states to increase awareness on veteran suicide and pay respect to his two best friends killed in combat. During “A Walk to Honor,” Washington will depart from Mound Bayou, Mississippi, at the end of this month and stop in 25 cities before ending his journey at the United States Military Academy at West Point, in September.

The trip will include 65 days of walking and 71 on-site days. With each stop, he will participate in a series of scheduled rallies as a call to action to local, state and military communities to help end veteran suicide, he said. The walk will also pay tribute to 2LT Emily Perez and CPT Scott Pace, two of his closest friends and fellow 2005 academy graduates, said Washington, who served seven years and deployed twice to Iraq.

“Scotty Pace and Emily Perez were two amazing people,” Washington said during an interview. The three of them “were a peculiar bunch,” he added, as they collectively pushed each other through all the “blood, sweat, and tears” to graduate West Point and become Army officers. Full story.

Colonel Shane Kimbrough ’89 will serve as commander of NASA and SpaceX's Crew-2 mission flying to the International Space Station next week. Kimbrough will take command of Crew Dragon for his third trip to space, currently slated for liftoff from Kennedy Space Center at 6:11 a.m. April 22. He will spend six months aboard the ISS with three others traveling in the capsule: NASA colleague Megan McArthur, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide. Read more.

It's National Volunteer Week. Thank you to all our volunteers around the world that continue to promote and support WPAOG and USMA. Their dedication and commitment are what helps the West Point Association of Graduates remain the leading, most powerful, most highly connected alumni body in the world.

To join one of our amazing volunteer groups, visit our information page.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1962 | 1966 | 1974 | 1984 | 1991 | 1994 | 1996 | 2000. Class Notes

Major General Heidi J. Hoyle ’94 was promoted to 2-star General April 9, 2021, officially making her the youngest 2-star in the United States Army. MG Hoyle is the commanding general of the Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. Distinguished guests and family attended the promotion, including a dozen or so members from the Class of ’94.

“I can tell you that her leadership is authentic,” said General Stephen R. Lyons. “It’s clear she serves with a greater purpose, embracing discipline and sacrifice for others. She’s a straight-shooter that exemplifies mutual respect, which is the basis for empowerment of high-performing organizations.” Read more.

The Class of ’46 Great Hall in the Herbert Hall Alumni Center includes floor to ceiling windows, gleaming wood floors, brass balcony, and a majestic fireplace. The Great Hall can be used for wedding receptions, graduation parties, Class reunions, military promotion, or retirement ceremonies, and more. Find out more about the Great Hall. Contact us at Great-Hall@wpaog.org or visit our website WestPointAOG.org/HerbertHallRental for more information.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1962 | 1966 | 1970 | 1979 | 1996 | 2002 | 2007 | 2013. Class Notes

Join us on Wednesday, April 14th at 7:30pm EST for our 1st virtual West Point DEVCOM Warfighter Innovation in Science and Engineering (WISE) Challenge Semi-Finals. WISE is a new Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) competition sponsored by the Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Soldier Center and approved by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research & Technology. Nine cadet teams from across West Point will compete in a Shark Tank like event to be selected to represent the Academy at the upcoming DEVCOM WISE Finals.  The competition is managed by the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering’s Center for Innovation and Engineering, directed by LTC Jamie Bluman ’99, AVN. For more information on this event contact the Center for Innovation and Engineering at CMEcie_director@westpoint.edu”

View Events on YouTube Channel

WPAOG’s most historic publication is currently being updated in a new 76th edition for 2020, now available for pre-orders. The "Register of Graduates & Former Cadets" is WPAOG’s oldest publication, dating back to 1850, when the first Register was compiled by George W. Cullum, Class of 1833, who devised the system of "Cullum numbers" assigned to every graduate. It is an indispensable treasury of military history.

The 2020 Register of Graduates will contain more than 77,000 individual entries recording the names, classes and service to the nation of every West Point graduate from 1802 to 2020.

The 2020 Edition will feature a premium “Red Sash” red cloth binding embossed with gold foil, suitable for display in your office or home library.

Order online from The Gift Shop - WPAOG online store. You can also order by phone Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm by calling us at 800.426.4725. https://www.wpaoggiftshop.com/register-of-graduates.

Learn more about this classic West Point reference book recording the history and achievements of the Long Gray Line: https://www.westpointaog.org/registerofgraduates

The WPAOG Travel Program is proud to announce its 2022 trips. Sign up today to reserve your spot for the trip of a lifetime! Join fellow West Point alumni, family, and friends for exciting adventures all over the world. To learn more about all of our travel experiences, visit WestPointAOG.org/travel and explore our interactive travel map or email us at Travel@wpaog.org.

From Starkville to West Point Military Academy to deployment in Afghanistan, Captain Matt Savage ’13 never thought he would end up moving back to his hometown. But a motorcycle crash in 2018 changed everything for the former sharpshooter.

“I would have never thought that the human body could have lived through what mine went through,” he said. The body that was in a coma. And then I woke up.” Now retired, Savage may be a civilian, but the Army Ranger veteran is still finding ways to serve his country.

“There’s no giving up,” he said, describing the mindset that fueled his incredible recovery and continues to motivate him. “There’s no giving up on a flight and you have to be very dedicated to that and just keep fighting every single day.” Nowadays, he’s traded his rifle in for a hammer. “I’m the official rank of ‘Mr.’ instead of ‘Captain.’,” he said with a smile.

Savage partnered with Starkville’s Habitat for Humanity and Mississippi State to help build the 2020 Maroon Edition House for a local family in need. Monday, they held a ceremony to welcome the new family and dedicate the house in Savage’s honor. Read more.

Stuart Williams ’02 is the first-named inventor on two US patents, #10,887,218 & #10,951,654.  The patents increase network security and improve encryption and data obfuscation on routed networks and optical networks, respectfully.  Stuart is a Principal Solutions Architect supporting the Defense and National Security Business Unit for AT&T Corporation, and based in Annandale, VA.  Stuart architected the network as a service (NaaS) framework that Defense Departments are currently prototyping for their enterprise and mission networks.  Stuart is also driving technical strategy to support Defense migration to 5G.

Darin Pepple ’07 has released Dodgebomb: Outside the Wire in the Second Iraq War. Dodgebomb is a gritty, unheroic war novel set in Iraq during the Troop Surge in 2008. Trying to break the Hollywood clichés of every soldier having PTSD and being Special Forces, the book focuses on the regular unassuming soldiers that fought Al Qaeda, broke bread with sheiks, and tried to understand why they were there.

During the height of the Global War on Terrorism, Lieutenant Eddie Fitzgerald is sent straight from school to Iraq as a casualty replacement. Immediately thrown into combat, he must quickly overcome his naivety and earn the trust of his unit in order to survive. However, if hunting Al Qaeda wasn’t enough, he’s quickly pulled into Arab tribal politics and Army officer rivalries that threaten to spoil any work that he accomplishes.

Available on Amazon in eBook or paperback.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1958 | 1960 | 1962 | 1965 | 1966 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1987. Class Notes

On Target with Success

By Kim McDermott ’87, WPAOG staff
(West Point magazine fall 2019)

In the late summer of 1993, a Daily Bulletin item caught the attention of Lieutenant Colonel Duston Saunders ’72 (Retired) (then working at the West Point Association of Graduates). The Academy was seeking a volunteer coach for the Pistol Team. During an assignment at West Point in the 1980s, Saunders and his wife had sponsored four cadets from the Class of 1984 and found it to be a very rewarding experience. He hoped that coaching the Pistol Team would be equally so. He says, “I had no background in competitive shooting. Along with picking the brain of the outgoing coach, Jack McJunkin, I attended several NRA firearms instructor courses and coach certification courses.”

The leadership at AOG supported Saunders’ desire to coach, and he is now entering his 27th year. Prior to 1993, Army Pistol had been a Corps Squad, or varsity, sport. Budgetary cuts affecting the Academy at the time meant some things had to change, and downgrading the program to a club status was one of them. Despite the change, the team still competes against many of the same opponents each year. Primary competition includes: U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, The Citadel, Virginia Military Institute, Texas A&M, and Ohio State University. Full story.

It's April Fool's Day and today we laugh and remember one of the most hilarious pranks pulled off by West Point Grad Mike Nemeth '04 that fooled many Midshipmen and Yahoo News!

On November 4, 2015, Nemeth put together a fake press release that claimed the City Council of Annapolis voted to enact a “Go Army Beat Navy” Day with a “7-1” vote. The bogus press release also included fake quotes from made-up residents and small business owners who were in support of the idea like “Sylvia Thayer” and “Fred Steuben.” One quote said, “Not everyone likes boats — It'll be great to support real soldiers for once.” If those names sound familiar, it's because Sylvanus Thayer was superintendent of West Point from 1817 to 1833. Frederick Von Steuben drafted a drill manual with Prussian techniques for soldiers during the Revolutionary War.

After a few clicks, the story was taken down later that day, but Nemeth says, “It was the best $250 I ever spent.”

The WPAOG Brick and Paver Program allows graduates and friends of West Point the opportunity to etch a meaningful inscription on a brick or paver that will be placed on the historical grounds surrounding the James K. Herbert Alumni Center. This is a great way for graduates and their families to leave a legacy behind and commemorate their West Point experience. Visit WestPointAOG.org/brickandpaver for more information and to place your order or email us at Bricks@wpaog.org. Brick and Paver purchases are tax-deductible.

When faced with challenges, CPT (R) Kerry McNair ’84 learned early on that if he gave his best efforts, even adversity could present opportunity. It was true when he attended West Point and it is true today, as he helps companies deal with the fallout of a global pandemic. McNair, who earned his MBA from Baylor University in 2002, is a consultant with The Partnering Group, where he advises clients in a variety of areas including supply chain network design and optimization, as well as performance improvement.

He grew up in El Paso, Texas, in a military family. “I come from a big family, and I had to figure out a way to pay for college, but I also knew I wanted to serve my country,” McNair said. “If you have been in IT your whole career, getting an MBA can potentially allow people to see you as something other than an IT person.” Read more.

Warrior Centric Health (WCH), Ron Steptoe ’87 CEO and Co-Founder, has been selected to join Microsoft for Startups, a global program that helps B2B startups scale successfully. WCH now gains exclusive access to Microsoft technologies, including Azure, as well as a streamlined path to selling alongside Microsoft and its global partner ecosystem. WCH is a population health management company with an innovative digital platform giving healthcare institutions the tools to deliver essential care to the underserved Warrior community in the commercial sector. The Microsoft global program helps B2B startups scale their companies and accelerate growth.