The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1937 | 1958 | 1960 | 1968 | 1984 | 1986 | 1999 | 2018. Class Notes

Currently at the United States Embassy Mexico City there are eight USMA graduates serving there.

Photo: L-R, LTC Mark Padgett '03, MAJ Vijay Gallardo '02, MAJ Star Hy Class '01, Fred Odisho '00, Steve Rothert '90, Mike Brennan '82, MAJ Scott Alvarez '06, - (not pictured), MAJ Patrick Hardin '04 (not pictured)

During some of America's darkest days at the beginning of World War II, the country thirsted for heroes. Colin Purdie Kelly Jr. was born in Madison, east of Tallahassee in Florida on July 11, 1915.

On December 10, 1941 five of the Group's B-17s were sent to attack a Japanese convoy- the first bombardment mission of World War II. The B-17s bombed from high altitude, recording damage to some of the transports. Later that day Captain Kelly, flying B-17C serial number 40-2045 alone and without fighter escort, attacked what his crew believed at the time was the battleship Haruna but was likely the cruiser IJN Natori instead. The Japanese destroyer IJN Harukaze was also damaged by a near miss. During the return flight back to Clark, Kelly's B-17 was savagely attacked by Japanese Zero fighters.

Sergeant William Delahanty was killed during the first attack. A second attack set the bomber ablaze. Kelly ordered his crew to bail out of the stricken bomber and continued to try and bring the aircraft back to Clark Field. Not long after the crew bailed out the B-17C exploded, killing Kelly. The wreckage of the aircraft came down about three miles east of the field. The bodies of Kelly and Delahanty were found in the wreckage. The rest of Kelly's crew survived the mission.

Kelly's feat of heroism was the kind of story the American people needed to embrace, and embrace it they did. For his extraordinary heroism and selfless bravery, Captain Colin P. Kelly Jr. was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Kelly's B-17C was the first B-17 lost in aerial combat during World War II. Read More

WPAOG is pleased to announce that Terence Sinkfield '99 has joined us as Vice President of Alumni Support. Prior to the accepting the WPAOG position, Terence ran the largest sales and service center operation for Daltile Eastern half of the United States. He had P&L responsibility for this flagship center in the greater Washington, DC Metro area. He also had responsibility for the Builder Distribution Center - the only dual retail and commercial operation of its type in the Daltile network, including logistical support for over 80% of builder business market share in the DC/Maryland/Virginia region.

Terence branched Military Police upon graduation from West Point. He deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 in an S3 role. He also deployed as KFOR (Province of Kosovo) and led a Platoon providing security and Military Police support for the 101st Airborne Division. During deployment, he served as an off-site Professor for University of Maryland University College, and worked with the Russians to coordinate the first ever joint patrols within Kamenica sector. His experience also includes working with FEMA as an environmental specialist.

The Hoover Institution at Stanford University is pleased to announce the appointment of LTG(R) H.R. McMaster as the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow effective September 1, 2018. McMaster will also hold the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Visiting Fellowship at the Freeman Spogli Institute (FSI), and serve as a lecturer in management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. McMaster returns to Hoover where he was a National Security Affairs Fellow from 2002 to 2003 and a Visiting Fellow from 2003 to 2017.

McMaster said of his appointment, "I look forward to joining the Hoover Institution and Stanford University. I have benefitted tremendously from my long association with Hoover. Hoover fellows helped me think clearly not only about complex challenges our nation faces today, but also emerging threats to free and open societies. Hoover's mission to advance the policy ideas that promote peace, prosperity, and freedom is vital and I will do all I can to contribute to that mission. I admired and loved my friend Fouad Ajami and it is a particular honor to occupy a chair named for him."

Until recently, H.R. McMaster was the 26th Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. He served with distinction in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring in June 2018. McMaster's has extensive experience leading soldiers and organizations in wartime. McMaster also served overseas as advisor to ambassadors and the most senior commanders in the Middle East. He led important strategic assessments including the Joint Strategic Assessment Team that rewrote the campaign plan for the Iraq War during the surge of 2007. He also led teams to redesign efforts to develop security forces and governmental institutions in post-war Iraq. From 2009 to 2010 he led a Washington-based cross-government effort to develop a comprehensive strategy for the greater Middle East. Read More

To further WPAOG’s vision “for the Long Gray Line to be the most connected alumni body in the world,” WPAOG today unveils a new networking tool, Grad Link, which provides an enhanced level of connectivity with fellow grads. Grad Link improves upon the popular “Find a Grad” feature from the WPAOG website, allowing you to directly connect with fellow grads. It combines data from WPAOG with information from your LinkedIn profile to help you quickly and easily find grads that share your interests. You will be able to conceal some of your personal information, such as your email address, location or entire profile. You can access this secure platform today on your mobile device through the Google Play Store, Apple App Store or with your web browser. To ensure an easy sign-up experience, please make sure the email address attached to your LinkedIn account is on file with WPAOG by contacting GradLink@wpaog.org. More information.

Dustin Starbuck has been named the Town Manager of Dixfield, VA. "The board was impressed with Mr. Starbuck's accomplishments and resume, and with the phone and in-person interviews" Chairwoman Norine Clarke said.

He retired as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army after 28 years of active duty and reserve service as a senior instructor for the Command and General Staff College. He's commanded troops, including those in combat. He has been awarded a Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Combat Action Badge for service in Iraq, and three Meritorious Service Medals. Puiia said Starbuck is a magistrate for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"I've been serving the public since I was 18 years old" Starbuck said Tuesday from Virginia. "I still want to continue doing that. Municipal government seemed like a place where I could continue to serve people, try to help solve problems, use my experience and have a nice life." Read More

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1959 | 1965 | 1992. Class Notes

Planet Home Lending, LLC, a privately held mortgage lender and servicer headquartered in Connecticut, has announced that Dierk Hohman has joined the company as Executive Vice President, Chief General Counsel and Enterprise Risk Officer. Hohman will oversee all legal, compliance and enterprise risk matters for the company. "His breadth of legal, compliance, and enterprise risk experience, and his entrepreneurial mindset will be a tremendous asset to the company as we continue to grow our distributed retail, correspondent, and servicing operations," President and CEO Michael Dubeck said.

Hohman has broad expertise in the mortgage, banking and financial sectors. He has previously advised financial intuitions on legal, compliance, and enterprise risk matters, litigation, and corporate and finance transactions. Most recently, Hohman served as EVP, General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer for NexBank Capital, Inc. Prior to his role at NexBank, he was SVP and Associate General Counsel for Nationstar Mortgage, LLC. Throughout his career, he has held positions at leading financial services companies including HBK Capital Management, Bank of America, GE Capital, and White & Case LLP. Read More

WPAOG had our second annual Ice Cream Social for New Cadet Candidates that were gearing up for R-Day (7/2), their families and friends. Everyone had the chance to cool down from the heat with some ice cream. The best of luck to the Class of 2022! Click here to view photos.

R-Day 2018 was a certainly a memorable day at West Point. Not only did 1,210 new cadets from the Class of 2022 take their first steps toward becoming leaders of character, but LTG Darryl A. Williams ’83 assumed command of the United States Military Academy as its 60th Superintendent. Furthermore, General Mark A. Milley, the 39th Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army, was on post to take part in the new Superintendent’s Assumption of Command ceremony, and he took time afterward to witness the transformative events of R-Day. Despite these extraordinary happenings, R-Day 2018 will perhaps be remembered most by something that has certainly affected R-Days of years past—a brutal heatwave that has settled over the Hudson Valley.

By the time most of the new cadets had finished their in-processing with Thayer Hall and filed into the cadet area dressed in the black Army PT uniforms and carrying nearly 50lbs of gear, the air temperature was feeling like 103 degrees Fahrenheit. “We knew the heat was coming and put contingencies in place,” said Cadet Jessica Maddox ’19, the “Queen of Beast” (or Cadet Basic Training Regimental Commander). As soon as cadets crossed Thayer Road after their in-processing, they immediately filled their CamelBaks at an M-149 Water Buffalo. “We’ve also put up camo netting in company areas to create shade and provided sunscreen in each company bathroom,” said Maddox. The latter was particularly useful for the male cadets coming back from the barbershop. Finally, new cadets were provided with double rations of Gatorade and nutrition bars, and the cadet cadre were tracking their consumption of these snacks (officially called “supplements”) to be ensure that the new cadets were consuming liquids and foods according to Army heat category guidelines.

While the new cadets will have 47 months to learn and live West Point’s famous three-word motto, “Duty, Honor, Country,” they quickly mastered another three-word response that was echoing all over Central Area on R-Day in response to orders from their cadre: “Beat the heat!” Click here to view more photos.

LTG Darryl A. Williams ’83 will become  the 60th Superintendent, USMA during an assumption of command ceremony on Monday July 2, at West Point. Williams holds masters’ degrees in Leadership Development, Military Art and Science, and National Security and Strategic Studies. He has served as the Deputy Chief of Staff G3/5/7 of United States Army in Europe, located in Wiesbaden, Germany; the Deputy Commanding General for Support for the 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea; and Commanding General for the United States Army Warrior Transition Commandand Assistant Surgeon General for Warrior Care and Transition and most recently served as the Commander, Allied Land Command, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Turkey. USMA Press Release

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1945 | 1962 | 1964 | 1967 | 1968 | 1975 | 1984 | 1994 | 1995. Class Notes

Major General (Retired) Randy Castro, formerly Senior Vice President of federal programs at AECOM's technical services business, has joined Black & Veatch as President of its federal business. Castro, brings over 35 years of government, project management and infrastructure development experience to Black & Veatch's special projects business, the company said Monday. "We are excited to add a leader of the caliber of Randy Castro, who brings extensive military and private sector experience that provides a tremendous understanding of the goals and issues of our federal sector clients," said Marty Travers, group president of Black & Veatch. Castro's military career included roles as deputy director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and commanding general of the Army Corps of Engineers Pacific Ocean Division and South Atlantic Division. He is a board member of the Army Engineer Association and sits on the board of flag directors at Arizona State University. Black & Veatch's federal business provides defense technology infrastructure, threat monitoring, energy mandate compliance and resilience preparation support services to government clients. Read More

The United States Military Academy at West Point invites all graduates back to USMA September 5-7 for the sixteenth West Point Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Conference. This conference brings together West Point Alumni, members of the Army, USMA Faculty, cadets and distinguished guests. Participants can look forward to an informative and enjoyable few days of learning and networking, plus the exclusive opportunity to hear from influential keynote speakers. Register now: https://www.westpointaog.org/DiversityConference

Jason Hutton has been named Chief Innovation Officer at Tricolor. Hutton will report directly to CEO Daniel Chu, and is responsible for broadening the mission-driven lender's platform to serve thin and no file Hispanic consumers in additional sectors and through new, innovative products or services. "While we continue to evolve the next generation of retail auto delivery to our consumer, Jason will be exploring new domains which leverage our current platform," said Tricolor CEO Daniel Chu. "His proven energy, insight and entrepreneurial spirit across a diverse range of financial sectors will be the key to advancing our mission-driven approach to lending in new and novel ways."

Hutton has served in a variety of senior executive roles at several leading financial services companies as well as smaller, more agile firms, spanning responsibilities in private equity, structured finance, consumer finance, and M&A. He began his career with GE Capital, earning a Six Sigma certification, followed by investment experience at HBK Capital Management and Fortress Investment Group. He has also held senior management roles at Huron Consulting Group, the IBS Group, LGM Finance, Braviant Holdings, and Cortland Capital Market Services. "The Tricolor model delivers a powerful industry dynamic - a propriety and proven analytics-driven underwriting model, an innovative integrated sales and lending business model, and a trusted consumer brand," said Hutton. "I'm eager to explore innovative ways that we can leverage this unique set of resources to expand our affordable lending approach across all of our consumers' possible financial services needs. The target market is sizable, the business strategy has been validated, and the opportunity to create significant value is enormous." Read More

Army West Point Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan announced the 15th induction class into the Army Sports Hall of Fame.

The Class of 2018 features basketball standout and former head football coach Dale Hall, baseball great Ed Haydash, Jr., swimming star Kerry O'Hara, volleyball extraordinaire Elita Powell, three-sport star Ed Rafalko, lacrosse standout George Slabowski and former assistant sports information director Mady Salvani.

The honorees will be officially inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 14. A special plaque unveiling ceremony will be held in the Kenna Hall of Army Sports inside Kimsey Athletic Center, with the formal black-tie Hall of Fame Induction Banquet set for Eisenhower Hall later that evening. The group will also be recognized during Army's West Point football game against Hawai'i the next day at Michie Stadium. Read More

On Wednesday June 20, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division Commander BG Diana Holland '90 toured the Port of Wilmington, NC with the Wilmington District Commander, COL Robert Clark, and a few members of his staff. Brigadier General Holland met with the Executive Director of the North Carolina State Ports Authority Paul Cozza '84 and a few other members of the North Carolina Ports. Also attending the meeting was Anthony Tata '81, a consultant for North Carolina Ports. The story was submitted by Mr. Hank Heusinkveld, a public affairs officer for the Wilmington District, whose great, great uncle was Major General Jesse Lee Reno 1846 - after whom Reno, NV is named.

Photo: Paul Cozza '84, BG Holland '90, Anthony Tata '81

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1957 | 1965 | 1970 | 1978 | 1983 | 1996 | 1998. Class Notes

Valiant Integrated Services has appointed Chris Bauer as Senior Vice President and Divisional Chief Operating Officer of the Company's National Security & Mission Support Division. In this role, Mr. Bauer will lead Valiant's National Security & Mission Support business line, which includes: Knowledge-based services. Including language services, intelligence analysis, open source data analysis and linguistics services. Cyber and threat protection services including training and operational support, risk assessment and operations resiliency. Specialized training including manned and unmanned aviation, marine and naval operations, simulations, coarse development, physical security, equipment and defense tactics.

"We are extremely pleased and excited to add someone with Chris's unique experience and expertise to the Valiant team. We are confident that Chris will enable us to continue growing our business while providing unparalleled service and support to our existing customers who rely on us to help them successfully execute critical missions across the globe," said Valiant Chief Executive James Jaska. Mr. Bauer has more than 25 years of experience leveraging strategic relationships to rapidly win, close and execute technology and mission critical solutions that support the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, and other Federal Government clients. Mr. Bauer was named by Executive Mosaic to the Wash100 list of the most influential leaders in government contracting for his contributions delivering innovative IT services in 2016. Read More

Dr. Craig E. College has been promoted to Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at CALIBRE Systems, Inc. As CFO, Dr. College is responsible for overseeing financial and accounting operations, strategic financial planning, capital structure, treasury management, the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k) management, contracts and procurement, and strategic communications and graphic design. Additionally, he retains strategic growth responsibilities in support of current corporate business areas and mergers and acquisitions.

Dr. College joined CALIBRE in October 2012 after 34 years of government service as a military officer and civil servant. Prior to joining CALIBRE, he was the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Department of the Army. Dr. College began his service as a Senior Executive in the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he served as Director, Economic Analysis and Resource Planning Division and Director, Force and Infrastructure Cost Analysis Division.

"Craig's experience in cost and economics, along with his operations and data analysis experience, makes him an excellent choice for this role," said Joe Martore, President & CEO. "During Craig's six years with CALIBRE, he has made many significant contributions to the company and played a pivotal role in developing and utilizing data analytics to manage our company. With his deep understanding of CALIBRE's business and needs, Craig is well suited to lead our finance team." A recipient of the Presidential Rank Awards of Distinguished Executive (2001 and 2007) and Meritorious Executive (1998). Read More

Malcolm Reid has been recognized by IFSEC Global as being one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in Security and Fire. In the Security Thought Leadership category, he is listed as the 10th most influential global thought leader. It was a very rigorous judging process comprising assessments from 30 judges who are themselves industry leaders from around the world. IFSEC Global defines influence 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. Read More

The Honorable Dr. Mark T. Esper, Secretary of the Army, selected Kevin D. Offel as the Army’s newest Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) to represent Oklahoma (North).

"It is an incredible honor to serve Secretary Esper and our Army as a Civilian Aide for the great state of Oklahoma," said Offel. "As a 4th generation Armed Forces Veteran and former Army officer, I personally understand what our soldiers and their families sacrifice every day. My family and I look forward to working with Secretary Esper, his team, and our steadfast leaders in Oklahoma to assist in the growth, combat readiness, and well-being of our brave warfighters, their families and my fellow Veterans."

CASAs are a vital part of the Army. Their duties and responsibilities include keeping the public informed about why a strong and robust Army is vital to our national security; partnering with the Soldier for Life Program to support our transitioning Soldiers and families; connecting prospective Soldiers with recruiters and commissioning sources; promoting good relations between the Army, Congress, and the public; and advising the Secretary on regional issues.

Offel served five years as an Army aviation officer and Blackhawk helicopter pilot with 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Hood, Texas. He served in uniform simultaneously alongside his father and older brother, who served in the Air Force; and his younger brother who served in the Navy.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1959 | 1961 | 1965 | 1982 | 1990 | 2012. Class Notes

The George Mason School of Business has announced that John McGinn, PhD, has been named executive director of the George Mason Government Contracting Initiative. As executive director, McGinn will be responsible for developing and expanding the GovCon initiative to create the first research, teaching and collaboration center in the United States where students and faculty work with key government and industry stakeholders to address issues facing the government contracting community.

To achieve this vision, McGinn will undertake fundraising in support of research, scholarships, operations and outreach. He will also work with faculty across the university to develop GovCon offerings for undergraduate and graduate programs, certificate programs and executive development. Among other goals, the GovCon initiative aims to develop a venue for the academic development of key competencies in the government contracting space and to raise awareness of thought leadership in the field.

Most recently, McGinn served in the Defense Department’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics as principal deputy director of the Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy. In that role, he was the senior career official responsible for analyzing the capabilities, overall health and policies concerning the industrial base on which the department relies for current and future war-fighting capabilities. Prior to his time in industry, McGinn served in DOD, where he focused on post-conflict stabilization, reconstruction and defense transformation and was a political scientist at the RAND Corporation. Read More

As a teenager, Scott Curtis developed his drive and focus training at the Parkettes gymnastics center in Allentown, PA. After his military service, Curtis became an FBI agent. His work eventually led him back to Allentown. "I was told there were allegations of potential corruption," Curtis said. "I identified where to focus the investigation to start gathering evidence of potential political corruption here." Agents eventually zeroed in on the top office at City Hall: the office of former Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski. After spending hours working at the federal building, several nights a week Curtis would return to the very gym that led him to a career of public service volunteer coaching young gymnasts. The five-year investigation included hours and hours of covert recordings, which proved to be the secret weapon of the federal government's prosecution of Pawlowski. Pawlowski was found guilty of 47 of 54 pay-to-play charges, ending a several month trial. After 22 years, Curtis resigned from the bureau. He accepted a position investigating white-collar crime for a firm in NY, unfortunately he will not be able to continue volunteering at the gym. Curtis summed up his time in Allentown as a mission to root out any and all corruption in the city, adding "I think I accomplished that for the most part." Read More

In a packed ceremony at The Pentagon auditorium, the Chief of Staff of the Army presented the MacArthur Leadership Award to Garrison Haning, president of the West Point Society of Eastern Oklahoma. The award is given annually to 5 of the highest performing captains in the Army Reserve, 13 captains on Active Duty, and 5 in the National Guard The recipients had a meeting with the CSA, and each received a personalized 15 lb. bronze bust of General Douglas MacArthur as well as a two-year membership to AUSA.

R. James “Jim” Nicholson ’61 has been appointed by President Trump to the West Point Board of Visitors (BOV). The mission of the BOV is to inquire and advise the President as to the morale, discipline, academic standing, and general state of excellence of USMA and the Corps of Cadets. Nicholson, himself a Distinguished Graduate of West Point and a retired Army colonel, said, "Going to West Point and serving in the Army changed my life. I am very grateful to play a role in the development of our future generations of military leaders by serving on the Board of Visitors of my beloved Alma Mater."

The 25th Annual USMA Alumni Golf Outing was held at West Point June 7-9, 2018. The outing included 36 holes of golf: Captain's Choice on Friday and Individual Play or Captain's Choice on Saturday. Other events included a reception and dinner in Herbert Alumni Center on Thursday, a boat cruise on Friday followed by dinner at the Kimsey Center, and breakfast and lunch at the West Point Golf Course. 61 graduates and guests participated; spanning 40 years of USMA classes. The senior graduate was Jim Looram '61 and the youngest was Michael Woods '00. The class of 1972 (Proud and True) with 12 graduates had the most number of Classmates.  Not far behind with seven graduates, was the Class of 1962 (Can Do). Thank you again to everyone who participated and made the event a success! Click here to view photos.

First-place teams on Friday were:
A-Flight, Score of 58 – John Northrop '72, Bill Pavlick '72, John Roggow '72, Grant Smith '72
B-Flight, Score of 66 – Joe Creeden '68, Dan Creeden, David Martin ‘68

First-place winners on Saturday were:
A-Flight, Score of 60 – Rob Beimler '76, Steve Canosa ‘76, Mike Kasun '76, Jim Lawson '76, Larry Warwick
B-Flight, Score of 66 – Jerry Comello ‘62, Sonny Sloan ‘62, Don Snider '62, James DeWire ‘63

2019 Alumni Golf Outing, June 6-8 , 2019 - We hope to see you next year! Click on the link below if you would like to receive an email when registration opens. http://www.westpointaog.org/AlumniGolfNotification

Elyse Ping Medvigy, U.S. Army Reserve Platoon Leader, 356th Broadcast Operations Detachment, graduate student at Georgetown University, and Denali Expedition Leader for USX., Ping Medvigy was the first female active duty soldier to summit Mount Everest (with USX in 2016), and the Army's first female Artillery Officer chosen to integrate into an all-male light infantry company. Ping Medvigy is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan (2014-2015).

Ping Medvigy was most recently part of a five-member mountaineering team of U.S. military, veterans, and a physician from non-profit U.S. Expeditions and Explorations (USX) summited North America's highest peak, Denali, Alaska, during a scientific research expedition to benefit the study of high altitude cardiology, May 14 to June 5, 2018. Team members wore wireless electrocardiogram sensors to capture cardiology data and detect cardiac arrhythmias at high altitude. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the most frequent cause of non-traumatic death in men over 34 years at high altitude during leisure activities like skiing and hiking.

Researchers believe high altitude increases the likelihood of cardiac arrhythmias, which escalate the chance of stroke fivefold and double the risk for SCD. Limited data on this subject exists where participants ranged above 5,000 meters (16,404 feet). To fill this void, USX captured cardiology data up to 6,190 meters (20,310 feet) while summiting Denali by its West Buttress. While on Denali, each USX team member used a journal to meticulously document symptoms they experienced while ascending and descending the mountain. The research findings, which will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal in spring 2019.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1943Jan | 1956 | 1959 | 1971 | 1973 | 1988 | 1993 | 1996 | 2018. Class Notes

Universal mCloud Corp. providing Artificial Intelligence and Analytics ("AI&A") and IoT-connected asset care technology, announced Dave Weinerth will assume the position of President Smart Buildings with global responsibility.

Dave previously held executive positions with Silicon Valley technology firms such as the high-profile PARC, a Xerox Company in Palo Alto, SCIenergy in San Francisco, along with several early stage technology companies in the cleantech space. Dave received an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

"I'm excited to join this talented, diverse and motivated mCloud team," said Dave. "The AssetCare service starts with the IoT connected asset and is supplemented with a combination of machine learning and AI-driven software analytics. This tremendously empowers the service value chain. The addition of mobile 3D/AR technologies will change the paradigm for how HVAC and other building assets are supported." Read More

Kevin was born and raised in New York City. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1999, while serving overseas in command of a US Army Air Cavalry Troop. He is now medically retired and lives in Portland, Oregon with his daughter, Eleanor. Kevin devotes much of his time and energy towards overcoming the challenges of his own MS, so he can fight for others. He began writing and blogging in 2010, for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National MS Society, and then Never Stop Never Quit, a charitable foundation he co-formed to further expand his fundraising and advocacy in the fight against MS.

Kevin Byrne shares unique insight into the world of a man condemned by both his body and mind. In these stories, on loan from his personal collection, chaos becomes a burden that is no longer his—weighted instead onto the characters he has created. ...fantastic stories, where I'm limited only by my imagination, not by the confines of this stupid disease.” To read a selection from the book, please go here: http://neverstopneverquit.com/chaos/

Included in this book: In abeyance (a novella) Christopher Baxter is a man recognized for his accomplishments: West Point graduate, medical doctor, combat veteran. Chris is also a man who struggles with the familiarity of circumstances he has carried his entire life. Nothing else changes; no mystical stories or tales of fantasy. What would you do if humanity stopped dying? As the world struggles to come to grips with dormancy, is one man–Chris Baxter–just another unwilling participant, the curse, or their salvation?

Five short stories: Chaos: a reflection, confession, Essence: a perspective on the divine, I'll Never Breathe Again: a contemplation of past fears, Jimmy the Kid: a dark tale of rage (nature) and His Story, His Way: a dark tale of rage (nurture).

The Completely Inconsequential Ramblings of a Condemned Man. Inspired by a blog series first published in 2017, the never-ending struggle with multiple sclerosis is described through the symptoms they inflict on Kevin and his family, friends, and supporters in this ultimate fight. Available now at Amazon (scroll down) & BarnesAndNoble (Print, Kindle, Nook). 100% of the revenue earned goes directly to the fight against multiple sclerosis.

The U.S. private sector counterpart for the United Nations Refugee Agency awarded its first Dewey Refugee Legacy of Leadership Award to Arthur E. "Gene" Dewey '56 on April 25, 2018 at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. The annual Dewey Refugee Award is intended to recognize individual American humanitarian leadership. Future recipients of the award, named for Dewey, will exemplify values of excellence in leadership, compassion, courage and conviction in service to refugees. Dewey is a 2006 recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award.

Congratulations to 2LT Simone Askew '18, for being named one of Glamour Magazine’s top 10 College Women of the Year in its latest issue. To see the profile of each woman, including Askew, visit https://www.glamour.com/ gallery/ meet-glamours-2018-college- women-of-the-year.

The Class of 1943Jan presented a check for $60,000 in support of the Department of Law. COL(R) Bill Stewart ’43 and Mr. Bob Wood ’43 came to West Point to celebrate their 75th Reunion and present the check to the Academy. This commitment from the Class of 1943Jan demonstrates their love and support for the Academy.

The following classes have added updates last week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1958 | 1959 | 1965 | 1973 | 1982 | 2005. Class Notes

It’s the fifth annual All Academy Challenge! West Point will compete against Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and the Merchant Marine Academy to see who can get the highest alumni participation rate. Make a gift to West Point between May 31-June 4th so that we can beat the other service academies this year. Participation will win the contest! Most importantly, these gifts will support important Margin of Excellence programs at the Academy that benefit the entire Corps of Cadets. GIVE TO USMA GO ARMY! BEAT 'EM ALL!

Jim Freeze '05 has been named Executive Director/CEO of Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, to replace longtime executive director Mike McBride. "I am pleased that the board has chosen someone like Jim who has the desire to be in our community and to continue with the tradition of helping people in our community through Goodwill's programs and services," said McBride. After a long and extensive search, Freeze was selected amongst a vast pool of candidates by Goodwill's board of directors. Freeze will work alongside McBride, learning about his role and the organization, ensuring a smooth transition through Goodwill's upcoming CARF accreditation process.

Freeze completed two tours in Iraq. He settled in Raleigh, North Carolina where he worked at a recruiting firm, helping military veterans find jobs. Freeze later went on to help create Carroll's Kitchen, a restaurant that employed women from various shelters in the Raleigh area. "Being a part of that organization, I grew an appreciation for how work and gaining employment can change a person's life," said Freeze. With a desire to come back home, Freeze began looking for opportunities. Freeze was drawn to the mission of Goodwill.  "Goodwill appealed to me because it is a nonprofit that provides vocational training and employment opportunities. I had developed a firm appreciation for the value of work, the intangible and tangible skills that are developed through employment, and how it can provide hope and dignity to individuals," said Freeze. Read More

Resilient Warriors Given the "body slams" which afflict all of us at times, how do we prepare for the storms of life, how do we weather those storms, and how do we then bounce back without getting stuck in the toxic emotions of guilt, false guilt, anger, and bitterness? Resilient Warriors is written in military metaphor but applies to all of us, whether a business executive, a military professional, a young mom with three in diapers, or anyone else on the battlefield of life. Taking a holistic approach to include full integration of Biblical truth, General Dees has provided an essential guide for individual resilience, a critical life skill. This book is complemented by the Resilient Warriors Advanced Study Guide, allowing readers to personalize and apply what they read to their own life situations. Resilient Leaders Leadership is a contact sport! As an experienced military, business, ministry, academic, and political leader, General Dees explains how leaders can selflessly serve over time from a platform of character and competence.

In addition to unique, Biblically-based discussions regarding key leader characteristics, key leader competencies, and the wisdom of the leader, Resilient Leaders includes an invaluable section on leader self-care. This book provides a unique window into how leaders lead well, stay resilient, and help the organizations and individuals they lead do the same. Resilient Nations God Himself breathed life into the soul and spirit of America. While there are many infrastructures that undergird our nation (economic, military, energy, transportation, etc.), the most critical one of all is our spiritual infrastructure which is also an "element of national power" and the unseen glue that makes America the most exceptional nation on earth. Resilient Nations identifies the ingredients which comprise spiritual infrastructure as it relates to national resilience, and assesses this from the founding of America to our current state of moral decay. Taking a deeper dive into Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness; Resilient Nations then provides mandates for We The People, We The Church, and We The Statesmen. As a closing challenge, General Dees asks, "If not now, then when? If not us, then who?" Available at Amazon.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1953 | 1965 | 1970 | 1981 | 1998 | 1999. Class Notes

Earlier this week, the Class of 1968 returned to West Point to celebrate their 50th reunion. On May 22nd during the Alumni Luncheon for the Distinguished Graduate Awards, COL(R) D. David Hostler USAR '68 and Mr. Paul A. DeCoursey '68 presented a check for $2,000,000 to LTG Robert Caslen Jr. '75, 59th Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy and LTG(R) Joe DeFrancisco '65, Chairman of WPAOG's Board of Directors.

This generous gift from the Class of 1968 is in support of The Fallen Graduates Memorial Scholarship, Academy Scholars, and DCA. Thank you to the Class of 1968 for their generosity!

Army physician Lt. Col. Andrew Morgan, a NASA astronaut, will be one of two members of the NASA astronaut class of 2013 going into space in 2019, according to an announcement released by the space agency May 24, 2018. Morgan, a 2002 graduate of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences' (USU) F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine – "America's Medical School" – will launch in July 2019 as a member of the Expedition 60/61 crew headed to the International Space Station. Morgan's colleague, astronaut Christina Hammock Koch, was also selected for a mission to the ISS with Expedition 59/60, which is scheduled to launch in April 2019. Read More

The calendar may have said May 22, the start of Grad Week at West Point, but the raw weather for the annual alumni exercises and cadet review for the 2018 Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA) recipients felt more like an extension of Gloom Period. But rain showers and temperatures in the low 60s could not dampen the spirits of the more than 1,100 graduates and guests who returned to their Rockbound Highland Home for the festivities, especially those of Col (USAF, R) Kermit Dyke '40, USMA's oldest living graduate, who at 103 years old walked from library corner and across diagonal walk to lay a wreath at the base of Thayer Statue, nor those of the six graduates who joined the legacy of 133 other graduates, just two-tenths of one percent of the Long Gray Line, who have been recognized as West Point "Distinguished Graduates": COL (R) Dana Mead '57, Mr. Thomas Barron '65, LTG (R) Larry Jordon '68, GEN (R) William Wallace '69, HON Sloan Gibson IV '75, and HON Douglas Lute '75. Click here to see more photos. Full Story »

Tim Bensley has been named Chief Financial Officer of Blue Apron Holdings, Inc., effective May 21. "I am excited to join the passionate and dynamic team at Blue Apron," Tim said. "The company has reached an inspiring inflection point, and as CFO I look forward to contributing to the company's growth as we build on recent progress in our core business while expanding our powerful brand to new channels and new consumers."

Tim joins Blue Apron from Acosta, Inc., where he was most recently CFO since 2015. Prior to his time at Acosta, he spent 29years at PepsiCo, Inc., beginning in the Frito-Lay North America division. He progressed through various supply chain operations roles then spent the next 15 years in various finance leadership positions at Frito-Lay, leading the supply chain finance and sales finance organizations before being promoted to CFO of Frito-Lay Canada in 2005. In 2007, he was appointed vice-president of corporate strategy for PepsiCo then named CFO of Pepsi-Cola North America in 2008. In 2010, he was promoted to CFO of PepsiCo Americas Foods and named senior vice-president of PepsiCo Global Transformation in 2012. Read More

Sometime in early March 2016, Kent Troy '81 and his wife, Ingrid, went to the Tacoma Trophy store, which is located outside Joint Base Lewis McChord in Lakewood, to place an order for a project regarding their West Point class. DJ Brown, a retired Navy chief petty officer and the proprietor of this store, recognized the West Point crest and asked if they happened to know a graduate named Bob Kenevan.

DJ showed them The Howitzer yearbook from the class of 1970 and 29 medallions. These had been ordered by Dr. Bob Kenevan '70 back in November 2014 and were to have been picked up sometime in March 2015. Bob's vision was to create a medallion for each of his company mates, with their photo from the year book, a group he identified in writing as, "The Alphogators", and with their class crest on the other side. Alphagators was the nickname associated with their company, A-4. He wanted to surprise them with these medallions during the upcoming 45th class reunion at West Point in October 2015. Even though he had paid for the medallions, he never returned to pick them up and all attempts by DJ and his wife, Judi, to reach him were unsuccessful. DJ and Judi knew how important this project had been to Dr. Kenevan so they held on to the medallions and The Howitzer in the hope of getting them to the intended classmates.

Since Kent was also a graduate of West Point, DJ thought he might be able to assist in finding Bob's family or perhaps one of his classmates.

Upon returning home, Kent looked online at the Association of Graduates (AOG) Register website and quickly found Bob Kenevan listed there. Ingrid checked online and both learned that, sadly, Bob Kenevan had unexpectedly passed away Aug. 22, 2015. They contacted DJ and Judi to share this sad news. Full Story »

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1965 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1978 | 2003 | 2009. Class Notes

A. Rhodes Wilson of A. Rhodes Wilson & Associates, representing First Financial Group (FFG) in Doylestown, PA, has received the prestigious Christopher Ferrara Memorial New Agent of the Year Award from The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian). This award recognizes the top-producing new agents for their outstanding accomplishments. Wilson was the top insurance producer of any Guardian agent hired in 2016 or 2017. With this honor, he earns a seat on the Executive Committee of the 2018 Leaders Club. This achievement places him in the top 1 percent of Guardian's 2,781 agents in 2017 production.

"In today's complex financial world, helping people keep up with a changing economy and get to the level of financial security and comfort they seek is personally very gratifying," Wilson said. With over 25 years of experience in financial services, Wilson joined the FFG team in 2017. He is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner and an IRS Enrolled Agent, holding membership in the Financial Planners Association, National Association of Enrolled Agents and Bucks County Estate Planning Council. Wilson is involved in his community as a member of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce and the Central Bucks Sertoma Club (Past President and Past Chairman of the Board).

Ken C. Hicks has been appointed Chairman and CEO of Academy Sports + Outdoors, sports, outdoor and recreation lifestyle retailer dedicated to making it easier for everyone to enjoy more sports and outdoors. "I grew up in Houston with Academy, and I know this company is special because of our mission, values, and people. Our philosophy of making sports and outdoors accessible for all for less is differentiated in today's retail market, and our focus on our customers will continue to drive our success," said Hicks.

Hicks has been a member of the Academy Board of Managers and brings over three decades of senior merchandising, marketing and operational experience in the retail industry. During his six-year tenure as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Foot Locker, he helped develop and deliver on a plan that reversed three years of negative same store sales, generating significant financial return and shareholder value. Prior to Foot Locker, Hicks served in leadership positions at several major retail companies, including J.C. Penney, Payless ShoeSource, Home Shopping Network and May Department Stores. Ken earned a Masters of Business Administration with highest distinction from Harvard Business School. Hicks, a long-time Academy customer, grew up in Houston and has deep roots in Academy's hometown region. Read More

Long days of little food and sleep affected every waking moment for Captain Natalie Mallue, as she neared the end of Third Phase at Ranger School, deep in the murky waters and terrain of Florida's swampy Camp Rudder. But after three months of attending the demanding course and enduring recycle during the final phase, Natalie knew it would soon be over, the grueling days and nights culminating in one crucial thing: the coveted Ranger tab. When Natalie graduated from Fort Benning in April 2017, she became only the sixth female to pass Ranger School and the first to wear both the Ranger and Sapper tabs in the U.S. Army.

The determination to achieve these goals was something instilled in Natalie, 30, at a young age, as she grew up in Portland, Oregon. She did not grow up in a military household however, she said. "I was raised in a typical rural, suburban type neighborhood. Nobody was in my family was in the military … I didn't know anything about it," Natalie said. "I had a neighbor who was retired Air Force and he suggested I take a look at the Air Force Academy. So I started taking a look into it and the other military academies."

Natalie considered her options and eventually decided on West Point, seeing it as the most viable academy. "Between all the service academies I liked West Point and the Air Force the most. I ended up choosing West Point because it was more people focused," Natalie explained. "The Air Force Academy seemed more focused on technology. I also liked the aspect of learning leadership and people skills." Despite the rigid military structure and discipline required at West Point, Natalie said she never felt restricted or contained by her new Army surroundings. Full Story »

General Curtis Scaparrotti has received the Distinguished Military Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council. He assumed duties as commander of European Command and as supreme allied commander, Europe in late spring of 2016. A career infantry officer, General Scaparrotti was previously assigned as the commander, United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea. He also served as the director, Joint Staff. Prior to his tour with the Joint Staff, General Scaparrotti served as commander, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command; deputy commander, US forces in Afghanistan; commanding general of I Corps and Joint Base Lewis-McChord; and commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division.

In addition, General Scaparrotti has served in key leadership positions at the tactical, operational, and strategic level of the US military to include director of operations, United States Central Command and as the sixty-ninth commandant of cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has commanded forces during Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan), Support Hope (Zaire/Rwanda), Join Endeavor (Bosnia-Herzegovina), and Assured Response (Liberia).

His military education includes the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College, and the United States Army War College. He holds a master's degree in administrative education from the University of South Carolina. His awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and the Army Meritorious Service Medal. He has earned the Combat Action Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, and Ranger Tab.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1965 | 1968 | 1976 | 1978 | 1986 | 1989. Class Notes

General(R) Raymond T. Odierno has been appointed to the Oshkosh Corporation Board of Directors. With the appointment of General Odierno, Oshkosh Corporation has 12 board members.

General Odierno has 39 years of service in the United States Army and has held many distinguished positions of increasing responsibility at every level of the Army, with service in both the Persian Gulf and Iraq Wars. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, General Odierno commanded the 4th Infantry Division, the Army's III Corps and the United States Forces – Iraq. Since the Vietnam war, Odierno is one of only two American military officers to command at the division, corps and army level during the same conflict with distinction. General Odierno also served as the senior military advisor to the Secretary of State providing advice on international relations and politico-military concerns worldwide. Prior to his retirement, Odierno served as the 38th Chief of Staff for the United States Army.

"We are honored to have such a distinguished military leader join our Board of Directors. General Odierno's superior leadership experience, expansive military and international expertise will enhance our Board and our ability to serve our military customers," said Wilson R. Jones, Oshkosh Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer. "Additionally, his commitment to serving others aligns with our people first culture." Read More

BG(R) Jim Golden will receive the 2018 Prentis Award from William & Mary University. The award is presented annually to people in the Williamsburg community for their strong civic involvement and support of the university.

"When you combine piercing intelligence with powerful organizational skills, the capacity to complete tasks quickly and splendidly and a wonderful bedside manner, and then you mix in military training and experience, a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard, years of teaching and leading at West Point and a stint in the corporate world, all before joining us at William & Mary 20 years ago, you get Jim Golden," Reveley said. "The General has been an invaluable force for progress on campus and in the community. The range of his activities has been simply extraordinary. He is a cherished colleague and friend to so many of us. By any measure, Jim is a very worthy recipient of the Prentis Award."

In addition to his service to W&M, Golden has deep ties to the Williamsburg community. He is currently the chair of the board of the Williamsburg Health Foundation, immediate past chair of the board of Williamsburg Landing, past chair of the Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance and a member of the local Towne Bank board, the Williamsburg-James City County Schools superintendent's business & community advisory committee and the Troops to Teachers Virginia Center advisory committee.

"Jim Golden is extraordinary," said W&M Provost Michael R. Halleran. "I know of no one who combines as effectively his high-level strategic thinking, attention to detail, instinct for partnerships and commitment to the common good. We — William & Mary and the wider Williamsburg community — have been blessed to have him in our midst." Golden's work at William & Mary spanned many areas, including strategic planning, business innovation and communications, efforts to develop and buy property around campus and collaborations to help build the local economy, to forge research partnerships, to create links to the local military and defense establishments including the Army's Training and Doctrine Command and to help address veterans' issues. Read More

This past weekend, 311 graduates from the Class of 1978 returned to West Point to celebrate their 40th reunion. On Friday, May 4, during the Academy Leader Team briefing at Eisenhower Hall Theatre, members from the Class of 1978 presented a check for $3,000,000 to LTG R obert Caslen Jr. '75, 59th Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy and Todd Browne '85, President and CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates. This generous gift from the Class of 1978 supported the West Point Visitors Center, the Center for the Study of Civil Military Operations and the Three Marksmanship Teams. Thank you to the Class of 1978 for their tremendous support!

Registration is now open for the 25th Annual Alumni Golf Outing. It will be at West Point, June 7-9, 2018. Reconnect with alumni, former classmates, and your alma mater. Registration fee includes two rounds of golf, all meals, a boat cruise, and some great prizes! (View Agenda) All graduates and guests are invited. Registration closes June 1.

Mike Pompeo was sworn in as the 70th US secretary of state on April 26, after the Senate voted to confirm him, 57-42, installing the former CIA Director as the nation's top diplomat at a time when several high stakes negotiations are underway around the globe. "I'm delighted to be secretary of state and completely humbled by the responsibility. I'm looking forward to serving the American people and getting to work right away." Said Pompeo.

In a statement, President Donald Trump welcomed the Senate's vote.

"Having a patriot of Mike's immense talent, energy, and intellect leading the Department of State will be an incredible asset for our country at this critical time in history," said Trump. "He will always put the interests of America first. He has my trust. He has my support. Today, he has my congratulations on becoming America's 70th Secretary of State."

"No other Secretary in recent history has gone on a trip as quickly as he has," Nauert noted just before Pompeo boarded his flight to applause from State Department staffers. Read More

The West Point Association of Graduates is pleased to announce that Leon E. Panetta—23rd U.S.Secretary of Defense, 3rd Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, 18th White House Chief of Staff, and Chairman of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy—will receive the 2018 Sylvanus Thayer Award. The award will be presented on October 4, 2018 during ceremonies hosted by the Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

"I thank the West Point Association of Graduates for this distinguished award," said Secretary Panetta. "I am honored to be recognized among those men and women who have dedicated their lives to the values of West Point: Duty, Honor, Country." Full Story »

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1959 | 1964 | 1973 | 1978 | 1982. Class Notes

Liam O’Connell '82 has been recognized by Chambers USA: Americas' Leading Lawyers for Business as a Leader in the field of Labor & Employment Law. O'Connell is a lawyer at Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP located in Seaport West Boston.

Chambers has been ranking the best lawyers since 1990, and now cover 185 jurisdictions.They rank both lawyers and law firms based on the research of more than 170 full-time editors and researchers speaking with lawyers and clients all the year round, conducting in-depth telephone interviews, all are trained in the techniques of investigative research.

Lieutenant General(R) Thomas P. Bostick '78, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, NAE, was named a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). This is the highest honor to which a civil engineer can aspire; in the Society's 163-year history only 698 people have been elected to the honor. He will be inducted on Sunday, October 13, 2018 at the Celebration of Leaders Luncheon during ASCE's 2018 Convention, in Denver, Colo.

In 2012, Bostick became the 53rd Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). As Chief, Bostick streamlined processes for the USACE Civil Works program, led the USACE response to Super Storm Sandy and attracted stakeholders and partners to USACE including ASCE, the Department of Defense, Congress, the White House, influencers in the industry, academia and the public and private sector. Throughout his 38-year career, he has focused on climate change and building resilient infrastructure. Between 2012 and 2016, he successfully managed programs worth more than $104 billion, representing the largest construction program in the history of USACE. Bostick was often a speaker at the United Nations High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters, a group of international strategists who worked to meet challenges throughout the world.

Since his retirement from the Corps, Bostick has joined Intrexon, a biotechnology company and a leader in the engineering and industrialization of biology to improve the quality of life and health of the planet. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Intrexon, which applies engineering principles to biology to enable products in the human and animal health, food and agriculture, energy and chemicals, environment and consumer products industries. As Chief Operating Officer, General Bostick oversees operations across the company's multiple technology divisions, driving efficiency and effectiveness in the application of the company's assets toward its development projects.

The Kentucky Derby will be run for the 144th time on May 5, and this year two runners will have West Point connections. The colt Vino Rosso could propel John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, and the St. Elias Stable of Vinnie Viola '77 into a category that includes the greatest Derby winner of them all, Secretariat. Secretariat won the Derby and the rest of the Triple Crown in 1973, one year after his stablemate Riva Ridge won the Derby and the Belmont. Both colts were ridden by Ron Turcotte, trained by Lucien Laurin, and were owned and bred by the Meadow Stable of Penny Chenery. In the great, rich history of the Derby, beginning with Aristides in 1875, that is the only time the same jockey, trainer, and owner have combined to win the Derby in back-to-back years.

Last year, Velazquez, Pletcher, and St. Elias won the Derby with Always Dreaming. St. Elias is part of an extensive partnership that owns Always Dreaming. With Vino Rosso, St. Elias is partners with Mike Repole. Vino Rosso comes off a victory in the Wood Memorial and is one of the favorites in a very even field. But Vino Rosso stands alone this year as the only horse who can bring the same jockey, trainer, and owner to the Derby winner's circle for the second straight year. In addition to the Vino Rosso West Point Connection, My Boy Jack is another contender with West Point ties. He is partly owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, which was founded by Terry Finley '86. West Point Thoroughbreds also was co-owner of last year's Derby winner Always Dreaming, so the there is a double opportunity for a repeat. Read More

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1959 | 1961 | 1981 | 1984 | 1986 | 1996 | 1998. Class Notes

Daniel Steiner served in the U.S. Army for seven years with assignments in Germany; Ft. Stewart, Ga.; and as a combat engineer company commander in the 24th Infantry Division (Mech) during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He is enrolled in the Penn State master's degree program in geographic information systems with a GEOINT focus.

The Lt. Michael P. Murphy Award in Geospatial Intelligence is named for Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy, a distinguished Penn State alumnus. Murphy was killed June 28, 2005, by enemy forces during a reconnaissance mission in Afghanistan. For his selfless leadership and courageous actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The Murphy Award recognizes achievement by a Penn State graduate who is serving or has served in the U.S. Armed Forces or the Intelligence Community. Recipients are chosen based upon demonstration of exceptional contributions to the discipline after completing Penn State's graduate certificate in geospatial intelligence. Read More

Congrats to Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Korpela, Director of the Robotics Research Lab at West Point, on receiving the 2018 Carnegie Fellows fellowship for his work in Teaching Ethics of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS)

The Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program provides support for high-caliber scholarship that applies fresh perspectives from the humanities and social sciences to some of the most pressing issues of our times. The fellowship carries a stipend of $200,000, making it possible for the recipients to devote their time to significant research and writing.

To learn more about this great accomplishment go to: https://carnegie.io/2H3H2XE

Tim Hein has been name the Vice President of Sales at Paradigm Spine. Tim, a 20-year veteran of the medical device industry, has prior leadership experience at Zimmer Biomet Spine, LDR Spine, Medtronic, DePuy Spine, and Ethicon Endo-Surgery. He earned his MBA from Pacific Lutheran University.

"The combination of innovative technology, market creation sales leadership experiences developed throughout my medical device career at Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Kyphon and LDR Spine. In terms of pure leadership, my experience as an Army officer was invaluable," said Hein. Read More

Brad Ruther '98, a partner with West Point Thoroughbreds owned by Terry Finley '86, had the opportunity to enter the Winners Circle with their horse "Cullum Road," a three-year old colt at Keeneland. This past Sunday was Military Day at the Races at Keeneland Race Track in Lexington, Kentucky, recognizing the men and women who serve our country. All active-duty, reserve, veterans and military families received free general admission and reserved grandstand seating. The Military Family Zone offered free food, live music and more from noon to 4 p.m. Brad gave Cullum Road some motivational background on who George Cullum was before the race and enjoyed this all with his son, who loved every minute. Click here to watch the Flag unveiling.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1961 | 1981 | 1988 | 1996 | 2007 | 2013. Class Notes

Stephen Wilkins has been named the interim superintendent of Shaker Heights Schools. He will temporarily replace the departing Gregory Hutchings, while the Board of Education seeks a full-time, permanent replacement. The interim superintendent will be appointed at the May 8 Board of Education meeting. The district will then begin its search for a permanent replacement in the late summer of 2018.

Wilkins is currently the district's assistant superintendent of business operations and human resources. He will return to that role when his time as interim superintendent comes to an end. Wilkins is a retired Colonel who served in active for more than two decades. He was an assistant professor at West Point and had stints at the Pentagon and the White House.

His academic career included stints with the Chicago Public Schools, the Alexandria Public Schools in Virginia, and the Dekalb County Schools in Georgia before he came to Shaker Heights. He has a Masters of Public Administration from Harvard University and is fluent in Spanish. he recently earned his doctorate degree.

When Bob Eisiminger, former Air Defense Artillery Officer, realized that gaps in his company's recruiting and HR processes were costing him tens of thousands of dollars every month, he knew it was time to blow something up.

Eisiminger's company, KnightPoint Systems, is a $150 million government contractor based in Washington, D.C. But since all staff are required to get security clearance through the federal government before they can start work, even the smallest bottleneck could create problems felt throughout the organization. "The hiring process in the government contracting industry has quite a few pieces to it," Eisiminger explains. "It wasn't working because it was—and in some cases still is—taking too long to hire folks. Slow recruiting causes a lot of downrange effects."

When Eisiminger added it all up, the paperwork and process around wasteful recruiting practices was costing the company as much as $75,000 a month.

Since he came to accept that one of the responsibilities of a leader is to kill out-of-date legacy processes, Eisiminger hired a new recruiting coordinator to communicate with job candidates more often to make sure nothing falls between the cracks; instituted a systems of quarterly check-ins instead of elaborate performance reviews; and, streamlined the security clearance process internally. Read More

"Today, those who serve face profound and difficult challenges. In recent years, mental health needs have become an ever-increasing concern for our veterans, military personnel, first responders, first care receivers, and their families. Hoplite is driven to make a positive impact in the lives of these individuals by addressing this concern."

These are the words of Brendan McNichol '07 founder of the Hoplite Resilience Center, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that looks to empower individuals who have served, and may continue to serve, this nation through their service in the military, emergency services, and emergency hospital care.

Brendan and his team of professionals hope to be able to accomplish the goal of "Building Resistance, Enhancing Resilience, and Speeding Recovery" by offering a continuum of care to those who may benefit from behavioral and mental health services. This continuum of care system, modeled after the Johns Hopkins construct of human resilience, will provide pre-acute, acute, and post-acute care through several advanced resilience-based and science-based programs.

Captain Hamid Nasir '13, has been awarded a fellowship from The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans program. Nasir's award will support work toward a juris doctor degree at Georgetown Law School.

The son of immigrants from Pakistan, Captain Hamid Nasir was raised in the great State of Alaska. When he was sixteen, Hamid was appointed as a Senate page by the late Senator Ted Stevens. The experience changed his life and propelled him to West Point.

While learning and developing as a leader at the Academy, Hamid felt uniquely positioned to foster understanding. He soon realized that he might be the only Muslim his classmates would meet before deploying overseas. He taught his friends about Islam, Urdu and Arabic, and the cultural nuances of operating abroad. He was hopeful that one day this knowledge might save their soldiers' lives—and the lives of innocent civilians in the region. Read More

To learn more visit https://www.pdsoros.org/meet-the-fellows.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1958 | 1961 | 1978 | 2008 | 2011. Class Notes

For the first time in a long time Captain Gavin White will be able to live a better quality of life thanks to the donation of a new smart-home for him and his wife. Gavin White served in Maiwand, Afghanistan with the 137th Sapper Company Engineering Battalion charged with Route Clearance and Counter IED Operations. Life changed forever for Gavin and his wife Karissa on August 24, 2013, while leading combined Afghan U.S. patrol. Gavin stepped on a pressure plate IED which resulted in the amputation of his right leg, the loss of use of his left leg, chronic pain and other injuries.

Since that time - he says he's faced more challenges than ever before. For White, even the smallest tasks like even going into his own closet or using the bathroom has been extremely hard to do without help. White explained "Problems that I never considered started appearing in my home. Not being able to use the kitchen, not being able to do laundry and not being able to get clothes out of my closet to wear for the day. At one point every time I wanted to use the bathroom, I had to get out of my chair on to the floor and walk on my hands to get to the toilet."

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation honored Gavin with a custom-designed smart home. The home is made for severely injured heroes so they can live a more independent life. "Until today this was just a house where I lived. Now I feel like it's my home" said White. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation created its "smart home" program to give independence back to those who have paid a daunting price for our freedom. Story

Congratulations to CPT Charles Harris, CPT Scott Clark '08 and CPT Adam Jannetti '08 who have been named 2019 Olmstead Scholars. The Olmsted Scholar Program, named after George H. Olmsted, awards scholarships to highly qualified, active duty junior officers in the United States military to pursue language studies and overseas graduate-level education. Created in concert with the Department of Defense, the Scholar Program provides one year of foreign language training followed by two years of study at a foreign graduate school.

The Scholar Program was established with an initial grant from George and Carol Olmsted in 1957. In his original Statement of Donor, Olmsted noted, "Fundamental to the initial purpose of creating the scholarship program is the conviction that the greatest leaders must be educated broadly." Since its inception, the Olmsted Scholar Program has provided grants for over 600 officers, many of whom have gone on to the highest levels of leadership and responsibility in the military, government and private sector.

JLL Vice Chairman, Americas, Herman Bulls has been recognized by Savoy magazine for his executive and business leadership in national and global corporations as one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America.

Bulls said, "It's an honor to be one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America again. In nearly 30 years with JLL, it's been rewarding to play a role in the company's tremendous growth while helping to maintain its focus on diversity, integrity and ethics."

Selection of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America begins by examining several spheres of influence including: corporate sector influence, scholastic achievement, career growth, community outreach and recognition. The information received from over 500 prospective candidates in diverse fields was pre-screened by the selection committee. Read More

A pictorial saga of James A. Scott's military service, from enlisted soldier to West Point graduate, Class of 1961, and decorated Vietnam Aviator, recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying across. The book includes Scott's awards with photos of citations and presentations, plus rare photos of shoulder patches, devices and medals. Scott now battles another lethal and rare enemy, Inclusion Body Myositis. Proceeds will go to research a cure for that disease. Available at Blurb.com.

The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1976 | 1978 | 1986 | 1988. Class Notes

Dr. Bruce D. Jette, COL(R) ’76, was recently formally sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology ASA(ALT) to serve as the Army Acquisition Executive, the Senior Procurement Executive, the Science Advisor to the Secretary of the Army, and the Army’s Senior Research and Development official.

A veteran Armor and Acquisition Corps officer, Dr. Jette served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait; established the Army’s Rapid Equipping Force; and served as a Project Manager, a Product Manager, and the Science Advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA). Upon retiring, he founded Synovision Solutions and provided consulting, engineering, and project management services in support of industry, military, and government. Introducing Dr. Jette, Secretary of the Army Mark Esper declared him "the right man for the right job at the right time."

Speaking after being sworn-in, Dr. Jette attributed much of his success to those who have supported him throughout his career. A Two-Percent Club member, he also recognized "the beauty, the grace, and the astounding patience of [his] bride," Cathy, thanking her for supporting him in every way. Regarding his current charge, Dr. Jette pledged to improve how the Army engages acquisition to ensure "better value for the taxpayer and better results for the Soldier on the battlefield." Read More

Recently, Mr. Roger Smith was servicing a washing machine from a laundromat in Manhattan, Kansas, close to Fort Riley. The washer had finally broken down after 29 years of faithful service. When Mr. Smith got the washer apart, there shining, was a ring from the class of '78. The Ring belonged to Joe Gonzalez Jr. and has been missing for 29 years. The ring has now been returned and is back with its rightful owner.

The Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation announced the election David Seymour, senior vice president of Integrated Operations for American Airlines in Ft. Worth, Texas as a Director.

Seymour, a Ranger School graduate, was assigned to the 82ndAirborne Division as a Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer. Seymour has worked extensively with American Airlines Skyball which benefits the Airpower Foundation. The Airpower Foundation funds projects that directly support the members and families of all branches of our military, veterans and wounded, ill, or injured service members and their families.

"I have seen first-hand the difference the Foundation makes in the lives of Americans by teaching the values of the Medal of Honor," said Seymour. "I’m honored to be invited to join the board and am looking forward to ensuring that the stories of these gentlemen are never forgotten and their acts of heroism are held up as an example for us all." Read More

First-ever West Point Founders Day in Botswana. It was held on March 22, 2018 at the Avani Hotel & Resorts in Gaborone, Botswana.

Photo L-R: Dean Chang '84 (oldest grad); Consul, US Embassy Botswana; Oagile Merifhe '95; Chief Information Technology Officer, Stanbic Bank, Botswana; Ravi Balaram '01 (youngest grad); Deputy Defense Attaché, US Embassy Botswana.

Brian Mennes '88, Director of Force Management, G-3/7, received his promotion order to the rank of Major General from Lieutenant General Joseph Anderson '81 Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, during a ceremony in the Hall of Heroes at The Pentagon on March 30, 2018. There are 22 General Officers from the Class of 1988 currently serving in The Army.

Photo: Major General Brian Mennes and Lieutenant General Joseph Anderson