The 2018 U.S. News & World Report rankings are in! West Point ranks as the #1 Public College and the #4 Undergraduate Engineering Program. In specialty rankings, USMA ranks #1 in Civil Engineering, #4 in Electrical / Electronic / Communications and #5 in Mechanical Engineering. Additionally, West Point "leapfrogs" Annapolis to rank as the #12 Best National Liberal Arts College in the prestigious annual rankings. Read more. USMA Press Release.

In the past there was Superman vs. Batman and Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader. But on September 8, West Point hosted an epic matchup between two real larger-than-life warriors, when Superintendent LTG Robert Caslen ’75 took on Commandant BG Steve Gilland ’90 one-on-one on the Indoor Obstacle Course Test in Hayes Gym. It was nip and tuck for a while. Find out who pulled ahead and will now reign as Academy Leadership IOCT Champion by watching the race video.

On August 25, the Class of 2018 became the newest members of the Long Gray Line to receive their version of one of West Point’s oldest traditions, the class ring. “Your ring means much more than just a piece of jewelry or an accessory, it has a connection to the Corps,” BG Steve Gilland ’90, Commandant of Cadets, told the cadets at this year’s Ring Ceremony at Trophy Point. The rings also mean more because, for the 17th year in a row, a portion of the gold in the rings comes from West Point class rings donated through WPAOG’s Class Ring Memorial Program (also known as the “Ring Melt”). Since the start of the Ring Melt, 451 rings have been donated, including 41 for the Class of 2018. View Ring Weekend photos. Watch video of the Class of 2018 Ring Melt.

As part of Ring Weekend at West Point, 670 parents, cadets and friends participated in the 2nd Annual Ring Run, co-sponsored by WPAOG and FMWR. After completing a 5K Fun Run, participants were treated to a celebratory breakfast at the West Point Club. Prizes included 1st Parent/Cadet Combo, 18th Firstie, Most Creative Dress, and Goat of the Race. Participants also had the opportunity to make a donation in conjunction with the event, and a check was presented to WPAOG in the amount of $4,966 for the West Point Parents Fund. See photos.

Graduates can now book a Grad Insider Tour, a service offered exclusively through the new Rockbound Highland Home Program. Grad Insider Tours include access to select locations not available to the public, allowing graduates to share their unique experiences of West Point with their families and guests. Tours are available Monday through Friday at 10am and 2pm. WPAOG provides transportation for the tours, which begin and conclude at Herbert Hall. To learn more and sign up online, visit the Grad Insider Tour webpage.

Since World War II, the U.S. Armed Forces has documented its own history, although most people wouldn’t know this because most of what has been written has been classified. This is why when the Pentagon posted an opening for a historian for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it needed an applicant with “top secret” clearance. Upon hiring John W. Hall VII ’94, PhD, it got that and more. A former history major at the Academy and instructor with USMA’s Department of History, and a current professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Hall has the proven ability to produce high-quality historical writing. Hall served 15 years on active duty in the Army as an infantry officer and strategic planner, plus another 4.5 years in the Reserves, for which he is a lieutenant colonel.

The Motorola Solutions Foundation has once again provided support for the Center for Leadership and Diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (CLD-STEM), increasing the grant it awarded to CLD-STEM in 2016 by a third, a testament to Motorola’s belief in the Center’s mission. CLD-STEM is dedicated to increasing female and minority participation in STEM and attracting and retaining diverse STEM talent for West Point, the Army, and the nation. The Center engages thousands of diverse, low-income middle and high school students around the country through Mobile STEM workshops and multiday STEM camps. CLD-STEM also hosts a Women of Color and Minorities in Mathematics Lecture Series and provides professional and leadership development and networking opportunities for women and minority scholars and faculty. While the U.S. Military Academy sees diversity, inclusion, and development of STEM scholars as a need and high priority at West Point, CLD-STEM relies completely on private funding from generous donors such as the Motorola Foundation. Funding from Motorola and others has allowed the Center to increase the number of Mobile STEM workshops offered annually by almost 60 percent.

Former NATO Ambassador LTG (R) Doug Lute ’75 has been appointed to serve as the BG Robert F. McDermott ’43 Chair at West Point for Humanities and Public Affairs in the Department of Social Sciences. Before his appointment as U.S. Ambassador to NATO in 2013, Ambassador Lute served as Deputy National Security Advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan under President George W. Bush and for South Asia under President Obama. Medal of Honor recipient COL (R) Jack Jacobs previously held this position and served as a rotating faculty member in the Department of Social Sciences from 1973 to 1976. COL Jacobs is now serving as the LTG (R) David F. Melcher ’76 Family Senior Fellow in the Social Sciences. AMB Lute and COL Jacobs bring immense professional expertise as they teach and mentor cadets and faculty and support enrichment experiences at the Academy.

Fourteen members of the Class of 1979, “Top of the Line,” traveled to Shawano, WI on September 1st for the dedication of a Fitness Trail honoring GEN (R) Robert Cone ’79, who died of cancer one year ago. The mile-long trail, which is open to the public, features workout stations along its route, similar to what would be found on military base trails. On the day that he was diagnosed, Cone went for a two-mile run before doctors told him he had cancer. “[The trail] just seems like a fitting thing that he would have loved,” said Jill Cone, his widow. Watch video coverage of the ribbon cutting ceremony.

For the first time since 1979 and 1980, Army West Point Football has gotten off to a 2-0 start in back-to-back seasons, no doubt thanks to spirit and energy for cheering on the team generated at WPAOG’s Football Tailgates. If you are planning to attend a home football game this season, rally with fellow graduates, parents, and friends at Herbert Alumni Center and enjoy performances by the Cadet Spirit Band and the Rabble Rousers. If you’ll being cheering on the Army West Point Football Team at a visiting venue, be sure to check out WPAOG’s tailgate page for information relating to away game tailgates hosted by local West Point Societies.

TAPS is the official and unique annual memorial magazine of the Long Gray Line. In it, you will find the fascinating and inspiring life stories of West Point graduates. The new 2017 edition is our largest ever, with over 275 memorial articles. If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, a limited number of the 2017 edition of TAPS are still available by calling 845.446.1645.