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IN THIS ISSUE
First Captain Talks Leadership
CDT Anna Caroline Robinson ’25, First Captain of the Corps of Cadets, discusses her approach to leadership.
18 Leveraging West Point for Innovation
Two Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering projects demonstrate how the Army has needs, graduates have connections, and USMA has the intellectual capital that allows cadets to solve real Army problems.
26 Four Years, Four Championships, Forever Family
The Army West Point Baseball Team players from the Class of 2024 accomplished something no other class in program history has done, win four Patriot League Championships in a row.
34 A Bedrock of the Margin of Excellence at West Point
Over the last 40 years, Lee Anderson ’61 and his wife, Penny, have answered the call to support the Academy’s Margin of Excellence program, and their impact is visible across the institution.
36 Physicians of the Long Gray Line
West Point is known for developing leaders of character, and its graduates who go on to serve in the medical field are no exception.
Photo: Erika Norton/WPAOG
On the cover: (Clockwise from upper left) CPT Sammy Sullivan ’20, CDT Anna Caroline Robinson ’25, and 2LT Alma Cooper ’23 have all been in the national spotlight in the last few months. Photo: U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program; USMA PAO; U.S. Army.
VOLUME 14, ISSUE 4 • FALL 2024
The mission of West Point magazine is to tell the West Point story and strengthen the grip of the Long Gray Line.
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A position generously supported by the Honorable & Mrs. Robert A. McDonald ’75
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Rich Cacioppe ’62
MAJ Brandon Clumpner ’13
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2LT Spenser Haslam ’24
GEN (R) Daniel Hokanson ’86 (ARNG) Carey Henry Keefe
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Dr. Gunnar Tamm
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Fellow Graduates:
It has been just over a year since Amy and I returned to our Rockbound Highland Home, and I tell every person that asks, we are so lucky and honored to be back at West Point in this role. We have the unique opportunity to see so many incredible moments, people, and sights of this place—continuous reminders of how exceptional West Point really is. I’ve experienced West Point from several perspectives—as a cadet; as a parent of three cadets, who are now young officers; as USMA Chief of Staff; and as your Association’s President and CEO—and two observations remain prominent and reinforced by this past year.
First, the Long Gray Line is stronger than ever. The strength of the Long Gray Line is not just the number of us, or stories of individual achievement, but the connection we have with one another and this extraordinary institution that shaped us all. As cadets, we relied on each other to withstand the demands and challenges placed upon us. Our companymates, classmates, teammates, and the inspiration we received from those who came before and understood this singular experience helped us persevere and succeed. Since graduation, our Long Gray Line journey has been a testament to the power of our shared experience. Our uncommon life of commitment, service, and sacrifice has bonded us in a unique and powerful way. This bond is the reason I am so passionate about our vision to be the most highly connected alumni body in the world. Just as we depended upon each other for support as cadets, I am inspired by the way the Long Gray Line continues to support one another and the Academy today.
The examples are all around us, and they underscore the vital role each of you plays. Just prior to the academic year beginning, we gathered with 250-plus graduates for our annual Leaders Conference. This gathering provided the unique opportunity to engage directly with individuals from almost every class and across most of our West Point societies. We engaged for two specific purposes: (1) to share and update on the world-class programs and services that we offer our graduates; and (2) to seek grad feedback and advice on how we can best accomplish our mission to serve West Point and the Long Gray Line. This conference was noteworthy for the content, delivery, discussions and, most importantly, the people gathered and the energy harnessed. We finished
the week with a memorable dinner at Camp Buckner, a beautiful parade on Acceptance Day, and a meaningful evening with the Class of 2026 as they stood in their India whites, raised their right hands together, and swore their second oath to the Constitution. When we talk about the “Moments that Matter,” this week was off the charts.
Second, the caliber of the Corps is exceptional and must be observed to be fully appreciated and believed. Make no mistake about it: the Corps of Cadets is comprised of the finest young men and women this country has to offer, gathered from every walk of life and from across our nation and around the world. Right now, while on the path to becoming a leader of character, the same path that you and I chose years ago, they are being challenged and pushed beyond what they believe their limits to be, and they will soon take their place in the Long Gray Line. Their dedication and determination are on display every single day and they embody the commitment to Duty, Honor, and Country. The quality of the Corps and our graduates, as recently as the Class of 2024, does not happen by accident. This is the result of the USMA Leadership Team, world-class faculty and staff, TACs and TAC NCOs, and coaches that are committed to our Army, this institution and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
I believe the stories in this issue reflect both observations. I hope you enjoy them!
Our shared experiences at West Point and after graduation make the Long Gray Line as enduring as we are unique. The continued commitment to service is upheld with our exceptional Corps of Cadets, exemplified by the oath proudly taken at Affirmation by the Class of 2026, “For Country we Commit,” and perfectly expressed in the motto chosen by the Class of 2028, “No Calling Too Great.”
As always, please know that your Association remains focused on our mission and vision: to serve and connect. If you have any suggestions or recommendations for ways we can do this better or with greater impact, please reach out and let us know.
Go Army! Grip Hands!
Mark D. Bieger ’91
Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired)
President & CEO
West Point Association of Graduates
A position generously supported by the Honorable & Mrs. Robert A. McDonald ’75
Our Mission: To serve West Point and the Long Gray Line.
Our Vision: For the Long Gray Line to be the most highly connected alumni body in the world.
WEST POINT ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATE S
Troop the Line Core of the Corps
The Pillars
Adjutant's Call Stories pages 12-14
ATTENTION!
Long Gray Line Teammates:
Fall semester is well underway here at your Rockbound Highland Home, and the energy and motivation of the Corps of Cadets are as high as ever, coming out of another outstanding summer of training opportunities, both at West Point and around the globe. Led by our new First Captain, Cadet Anna Caroline Robinson of Birmingham, Alabama, these future leaders continue to excel throughout their leader development experience.
We concluded Cadet Summer Training with the Class of 2028 successfully completing Beast Barracks with the traditional march back from Lake Frederick to West Point, proudly marching under the banner of their new motto, “No Calling Too Great.” We appreciate the nearly 400 alumni, representing 50 USMA classes from the Class of 1960 to the Class of 2024, joining us for the March Back to motivate and inspire these future leaders (although I think many of our “Old Grad” participants would agree that it was the cadets who motivated them!).
Summer training remains as intense and challenging as it has ever been. In many ways, it’s tougher. At the United States Military Academy, we emphasize that every cadet majors in character development and leadership. They also minor in grit, toughness, and motivation, which many of you have had the opportunity to witness firsthand.
My thanks to all of you, especially our 50-Year Affiliate classes, for gripping hands with and inspiring the Corps throughout the summer and during class milestone events in August.
We kicked off the academic year by launching this year’s academic theme: “The Human and the Machine: Leadership on the Emerging Battlefield,” which explores the dynamic interplay between human leaders and advanced technology across all domains of warfare, preparing cadets for future combat scenarios where machines and human leadership intersect.
We recently celebrated two significant milestones that will continue to enhance the Academy as the world’s preeminent leader development institution, while enabling how we prepare our nation’s future leaders of character for the 21st century. First, while construction has been underway for several weeks, we officially broke ground on the Michie Stadium Preservation Project, a two-year, donor-funded initiative to revitalize
and modernize the stadium, enhancing our athletic program and, ultimately, our ability to develop our nation’s future leaders and warfighters. Additionally, a revitalized Michie Stadium strengthens our ability to tell the West Point and Army story to the nation through this critical portal through which we engage and connect with America.
Additionally, we also officially opened West Point Werx, USMA’s innovation hub, which brings together cadets, faculty, and partners in an environment that deliberately fosters collaboration and integration to leverage intellectual capital against the Army’s and nation’s greatest challenges. The hub’s research portfolio includes cyber and data, space, sustainability, human-machine integration, and law and ethics of warfare, with more forthcoming.
These are just a few examples of the great things taking place at your Academy and in the Corps of Cadets. Developing leaders of character takes a village of excellence. That village includes the exceptional and dedicated team of Army professionals at West Point—staff, faculty, and coaches, both military and civilian. All our teammates are developing our nation’s next generation of leaders and warfighters. They are also committed to the values and ideals that serve as the foundation for all we do at the United States Military Academy.
Further, every member of the West Point Team—officer, non-commissioned officer, and Army civilian—takes an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. Their dedication and commitment to serving our nation is unmatched, and I am proud to be on such an outstanding team.
Our village of excellence also includes our alumni. You are vital in developing our nation’s future leaders through your generous support, your example of selfless service and professional excellence, and by gripping hands and inspiring our cadets. The excellence across the Academy and throughout the Corps is due, in large part, to your support. We are truly honored and grateful for all you do for our alma mater.
Thank you all for your continued support. We look forward to welcoming you back this fall for sporting events, class reunions, and other awesome activities.
Go Army!
Steven W. Gilland ’90 Lieutenant General, U.S. Army
61st Superintendent, U.S. Military Academy
“ To build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation.” —USMA’s Mission
Dean’s Update
From BG Shane R. Reeves '96, 15th Dean of the Academic Board
As the battlefield continues to rapidly evolve, the Academic Program is posturing for 21st century full-spectrum conflict and transforming to prepare graduates to lead now and through the next evolution of warfare.
First, the English program joined the Foreign Language programs to establish the Department of English and World Languages. How we communicate—in any language and across any culture—significantly impacts strategic relationships and the military’s ability to fight and win the nation’s wars. Aligning experts in literature, culture and language acquisition will ensure graduates are prepared to communicate precisely and effectively in support of U.S. interests globally.
Second, the Law and Philosophy programs joined to form the Department of Law and Philosophy. New technologies and domains of warfare are pushing the laws of armed conflict to its limits. Aligning these two fields of study will prepare graduates to remain true to the Constitution, the law, and their ethical obligations when faced with unanticipated challenges.
Third, we introduced a new major, Aerospace Engineering, which builds upon the existing Aeronautical minor and Space Science major. The Aerospace Engineering major covers six core aeronautical topics, such as flight mechanics and stability control, alongside astronautical topics like space structures and rocket propulsion. The new major prepares cadets to lead in aerospace domains, providing the Army with the specialized knowledge necessary for both traditional and emerging battlefields.
These efforts are already unleashing synergies between disciplines as the entire academic program focuses on how to better prepare cadets for future warfare. I assure you that West Point is truly the preeminent leadership institution, and that the Academic Program is helping accelerate preeminence by ensuring cadet education is laser focused on fighting and winning.
West Point will continuously adapt to ensure our graduates can design and implement solutions to complex problems on the modern battlefield. Stay tuned for more updates!
By realigning departments and introducing new majors, the Academy’s Academic Program is preparing cadets for the next evolution of warfare.
Commandant ’s Corner
From BG R.J. Garcia ’96, 81st Commandant of Cadets
Cadet Summer Training (CST) 2024 has come to an end, and, with this issue of the magazine, I look forward to sharing the incredible training opportunities our cadets were able to experience this summer cycle.
On July 1, 2024, West Point welcomed 1,231 cadet candidates to the Academy to commence their 47-month developmental journey. The Class of 2028 included candidates from 15 different countries, 91 prior service soldiers, and 89 valedictorians, as well as numerous Eagle Award and Gold Award recipients, varsity athletes, class presidents, and Boys and Girls State delegates. Task Force Steele’s cadet cadre trained and inspired the Class of 2028 throughout the summer, leading the new cadets through lanes familiar to most graduates, including land navigation, basic rifle marksmanship, buddy team live fire, mountaineering, and more. Over the course of training, the new cadets and their leadership completed 43 training days and spent nine nights in the field, which culminated with a crucible event at Lake Frederick ahead of their march back. In total the class covered a distance of 50 kilometers on foot.
For the members of the Class of 2027, Cadet Field Training (CFT) was the hallmark event of their summer. Task Force Paine trainees numbered 1,144 and included ROTC cadets, USNA midshipmen, and cadets from Egypt, Italy, Georgia, and Brazil. Highlights from CFT included trainees navigating the water confidence course, calling for fire, and re-certifying on tactical combat casualty care, in addition to continued opportunities for branch familiarization. A key part of their training involved executing various missions during the field training exercise, such as search and attack, react to contact, and squad and platoon ambush. Notably, 223 cadets earned the highly esteemed Recondo Badge during CFT this year.
From squad leader to first sergeant in CBT or CFT, members of the Class of 2026 excelled in their CST leadership roles. This represented a significant step in their development as leaders of character as they continued to refine their leadership styles and expanded their influence to squad-sized or larger elements. Similarly, members of the Class of 2025 led throughout CST in roles ranging from platoon leader to regimental commander in CBT, CFT, Cadet Leader Development Training (CLDT), and Air Assault School details. Through their leadership positions, these two classes experienced summer details anew, seeing them this time through a different lens as trainers, planners, and decision makers. In addition to fulfilling their leadership details, the Classes of 2026 and 2025 were also trainees in their final summer training detail, CLDT. This capstone summer detail prepared them to lead under stress, conduct tactical problem-solving, and execute smallunit tactics during their 10-night field stay.
Another summer highlight for the Corps was Cadet Troop Leadership Training (CTLT), where cadets gained valuable exposure to operational Army units and bases. Overall, 868 cadets were deployed to various locations in the continental United States, while 128 more were sent to overseas locations, including Germany, Italy, and Korea. Numerous cadets also had the opportunity to participate in Individual Advanced Development (IAD) programs. This summer’s training cycle included new character-focused IADs and saw the expansion of military IADs (MIAD). You can read more about the expansion of USCC’s IAD opportunities on page 13.
My team and I are very proud of the outstanding performances from the Corps this summer and look forward to sharing more of their continued excellence with you throughout the academic year!
The new cadets of the Class of 2028 completed Cadet Basic Training with a 14-mile march back from Lake Frederick on August 12, 2024.
Core of the Corps
First Captain Talks Leadership
Cadet Anna Caroline Robinson ’25, who was selected in August as the First Captain of the U.S. Military Academy’s Corps of Cadets for the 2024-25 academic year, credits lessons from previous first captains and her role as first sergeant for Company G-4 as having a large impact on her approach to leadership.
“This role is about bringing the team together,” says Robinson.
“I’m excited that I had an opportunity to speak to the first captains who came before me and to learn about their leadership and how I can build on that to ultimately influence the Corps and make it better.” Robinson particularly highlighted the leadership of last year’s First Captain, Martayn Van de Wall ’24.
“One thing he emphasized last year was ‘One Corps‒ Our Corps’ and really owning the Corps of Cadets,” she said.
This is something the new Brigade Staff has already begun implementing within each USCC company, battalion, and regiment. “We ultimately want to empower all cadet leaders so that they feel ready—not only ready to lead their respective echelon but also ready to influence the entirety of the Corps of Cadets,” says Robinson.
Regarding her role as a company first sergeant last year, Robinson says that being in charge of approximately 116 cadets taught her several key lessons. “One thing I learned is that it is ultimately very important not only to understand the people you are working with but to know how to communicate with them,” she says. “At the end of the day, you need to know how to communicate with those working alongside of you so that you can empower them and make them better.”
Robinson, who was the Cadet Field Training Regimental Commander in June, is now responsible for the overall performance of the approximately 4,400-member Corps of Cadets. Her duties as First Captain include implementing a class agenda and acting as a liaison between the Corps and the Academy administration.
“My team’s vision for the 2024-25 academic year is to use the surplus of intellectual capital within the Corps of Cadets to build leaders of character who will meet the demands of our Army and future soldiers,” she says. “We will continue grounding ourselves in values and standards while approaching every opportunity with a positive attitude.”
Left: CDT Anna Caroline Robinson ’25 (fourth from left), First Captain, poses with classmates after the A-Day parade. Above: Robinson shows off her new class ring.
First Captain/Brigade Commander: CDT Anna Caroline Robinson ’25
ATTENTION! Core of the Corps
The Four Pillars
Popping the Glass “Bubble”
In August, seven cadets graduated from the Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course (CDQC) at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, Florida, completing what is one of the most elite training courses in the military. Notably, two of the seven—Cadet Megan Cooper ’25 and Cadet Clara Sabo ’25—became the first women from West Point to pass the CDQC and earn the Special Operations Diver Badge, or the “Bubble.”
“When the Army began allowing women into combat arms units and schools, I dreamed of the opportunity to attend CDQC and become a combat diver,” says Cooper. Both she and Sabo took advantage of the Maritime Assessment Course, a West Point training program that prepares cadets for the physical and mental challenges of the six-week CDQC. “All the running and lifting prepared me exceptionally well for ‘Pool Week,’” says Cooper.
“The first two weeks of CDQC were the most mentally taxing, with attention to detail a huge aspect of each day,” says Sabo. She adds that the most physically demanding event was morning PT. “There was no shortage of workouts, and all of them included an aspect of teambuilding and winning, adding even more pressure,” she says.
Both Cooper and Sabo were especially impressed with the dive supervisors running the course and hope to incorporate some of the lessons they learned from them into their own roles as leaders in the Corps. “One lesson that I took back with me is that being a good leader can look like many things,” says Sabo.
“Understanding and using your strengths is far more important than trying to fit one mold of what you think leadership is supposed to look like.”
They also learned lessons from their Special Forces and Ranger classmates. “My experience at CDQC reinforced my desire to work with the SOF community,” says Cooper. “These classmates instilled in me a deep sense of respect and pride for our future, demonstrating the importance of teamwork.”
Friends, companymates, and USCC have been incredibly supportive of Cooper and Sabo, and they have reacted with pride upon learning of the two women’s historic achievement.
“People I have never met or spoken to have come to me and told me how proud they are and offered their congratulations,” says Sabo.
And how do they themselves feel about being the first women cadets from USMA to graduate from CDQC, two of only three women in the entire U.S. Army to achieve this distinction? “It’s a little unbelievable,” says Sabo. “Each day at dive school, I would remind myself that this was not just morning PT or a skills test—everything that I did, good or bad, would represent West Point and women either for better or worse.”
“Graduating from CDQC is my proudest accomplishment,” says Cooper, “and I am committed to continuing to earn the Bubble every day while representing the dive community.”
—Keith J. Hamel
CDT Megan Cooper ’25 (third from left) and CDT Clara Sabo ’25 (third from right) were two of the seven USMA cadets to graduate from the Combat Diver Qualification Course this summer, becoming the first women from West Point to earn the Special Operations Diver Badge.
West Point Develops Innovative Leaders for Modern Warfare
The nature of warfare and the complexity of the battlefield are evolving rapidly. Advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous weapon systems, advanced materials, and electronic warfare demand that Army leaders understand the capabilities of these technologies in warfare—not to mention other important considerations such as associated moral, ethical, and geopolitical considerations. This is where West Point is making a difference. The United States Military Academy is a tremendous source of innovative thought leaders and has the agility to rapidly evolve with the emerging battlefield.
To leverage its talent, the Academy is thrilled to announce the launch of the West Point Werx Innovation Hub! Ideally situated within the Army’s innovation ecosystem, the Werx will serve as the connective tissue across the Academy’s growing portfolio of Army, DoD, industry, and higher education partners, including subject matter experts throughout USMA departments. The Werx will focus intellectual capital toward the Army’s and nation’s most complex challenges through cross-disciplinary approaches to various research areas, including space, sustainability, cyber, data, human-machine integration, and the law and ethics of warfare.
Innovation starts with cadet development. The Army needs officers who can lead teams to solve complex problems, and the Werx provides cadets opportunities to develop relevant skills and hands-on experience early in their careers. The Werx enhances leader development by bringing together cadets, faculty, and
partners in an environment that deliberately fosters collaboration, integration, and synchronization of ideas.
As innovation permeates the entire academic program, West Point’s academic theme for 2024-25, “The Human and the Machine: Leadership on the Emerging Battlefield,” is fully underway. Throughout the year, the Academy will be exploring the dynamic interplay between human leaders and advanced technology across all domains of warfare. A series of fireside chats, podcasts, and multidisciplinary events will engage cadets and faculty in deep, cross-disciplinary discussions throughout the year. Key areas of focus include leveraging AI for battlefield advantages, understanding the impact of autonomous systems, and learning from technological advancements in cyber and space.
By fostering a comprehensive understanding of these innovative topics, West Point ensures its cadets are well prepared to lead in an era of warfare that compels effective human-machine integration. This theme keeps innovation at the forefront of the Academy’s work to equip future officers with the technical prowess, creativity, and ethical grounding required to fight and win on the ever-evolving complex battlefield.
—Dr. Kraig E. Sheetz, Vice Dean for Engagement and Research, USMA and Mr. Abdul Subhani Distinguished Chair of Innovation, USMA
L to R: COL (R) Mark Bieger ’91, Abdul Subhani, France Hoang ’95, Lydia Turner, Robb Turner ’84, LTG Steven Gilland ’90, CSM Phil Barretto, and BG Shane Reeves ’96.
“The West Point Association of Graduates is proud to partner in this effort and play a part in supporting the development of our cadets and faculty and their contributions to USMA’s intellectual capital and its impact on our nation,” said Bieger, President & CEO of WPAOG, during the ribboncutting ceremony on September 20, 2024. “Specifically, I would like to thank Robb and Lydia Turner, who were the first to answer the call and enable the Academy to give West Point Werx’s its home—the physical setting where innovation will take root and thrive.”
West Point Cadets Forge Strong Bonds with UK Allies During Exercise Dynamic Victory
In 2024, for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Point cadets returned to the Hohenfels Training Area in Germany to participate in Exercise Dynamic Victory, a test of endurance, tactical skill, and international cooperation— as it involved training with officer cadets from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS), the British Army’s premier commissioning source.
Throughout the exercise, the West Point platoon integrated with Sandhurst’s Borneo Company, participating in a series of increasingly complex operations. From clearing an enemy-held valley to defending Kittensee Village and conducting a battlegroup attack on Ubengsdorf, the experience was both physically and mentally taxing. Cadet Jared Mahoney ’25 summed up the rigors of the exercise: “We averaged approximately 10 to 12 miles of movement per day, with minimal sleep, while enduring wet conditions for the first six days. These challenging conditions, uncommon for most of us, tested our ability to
function and complete missions over 10 days, giving us newfound confidence in our resilience and capability to push ourselves.”
One of the most impactful aspects of the exercise was the opportunity to work closely with an allied nation, revealing both commonalities and doctrinal differences between the American and British forces. “Although both forces are part of NATO and use similar tactics, there are distinct differences in operations,” Mahoney said. “The British forces practiced feints and deceptions extensively, using smoke and other devices to mislead the enemy.”
Reflecting on the experience, Cadet Nicholas Whalen ’25 summed up the sentiment of his peers by saying, “It is an experience that we all will not take for granted and will never forget.” As the West Point cadets concluded their participation in Exercise Dynamic Victory, they carried with them not only the lessons learned on the battlefield but also the enduring bonds forged with their British allies—a testament to the strength and unity of the international military community.
SCPME Introduces New Character AIADs
The Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic (SCPME) implemented two new Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) opportunities this past summer: one domestic, one international. Both AIADs offered cadets the opportunity for experiential learning and reflection during their 10-day character experiences.
The domestic AIAD took place in Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and New York City and explored the importance of character and honor in the Army profession. Cadets researched various leaders of character from the American Revolution to the modern day and connected these leaders’ stories to their own West Point journey, discussing how the Army profession grew alongside the society that it serves. The cadets then compared West Point’s Honor System with the honor systems at the United States Naval Academy and Georgetown University. The AIAD included visits to Independence Hall, Valley Forge, the Museum of the United States Army, the United States Naval Academy, Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb Sentinels, Georgetown University, the U.S. Memorial Holocaust Museum, the National Archives, and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Cadets were also able to visit the headquarters of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) and connect with recent graduates, discussing how the lessons they learned at West Point aided their experiences as junior officers.
Cadet Leila Hurst ’25, reflecting her experience, described the domestic AIAD as a “once-in- a-lifetime experience,” saying, “[It]
CDT William Laino ’25 (left) poses with his former Clifton College (Bristol, UK) roommate, Archie Scott, following the RMAS beret-donning ceremony.
provided me with more clarity on how important it is to live honorably and demonstrate excellence.”
The international AIAD took cadets to significant sites in France, Belgium, and Luxembourg (e.g., D-Day beaches, NATO Headquarters, and Bastogne) and provided them with a deeper understanding of the historical and contemporary significance of officership in the Army, enriching their appreciation of military leadership and the professional standards upheld within the Army. The AIAD also built upon the case study “Band of Brothers” in the USMA core course MX400: Officership, highlighting the profound impact of character and leadership in challenging environments.
Asked about the impact of the international AIAD on his development as a leader of character, Cadet John Devino ’25 stated, “At each stop, I thought about how, in a few short months, I will lead soldiers and need to have the proper moral judgment and willingness to be the best leader for them.”
—2LT Nicole Sacchinelli ’23, USCC
Expanding Horizons: West Point’s Enhanced Military Training
In the summer of 2024, West Point’s Department of Military Instruction (DMI) launched a series of training programs to enhance cadet education. DMI introduced six new Military Individual Advanced Development (MIAD) opportunities and two Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) experiences, broadening the scope of cadet training beyond traditional air assault and airborne courses.
At the NATO Mountain Warfare Center of Excellence in Slovenia (as well as in Italy and Georgia), cadets powered through extreme weather, high altitude, and steep inclines to master tactical tasks in challenging mountainous terrain with international partners. In Hawaii, cadets attended the Jungle Operations Training Course, learning about mobility, camouflage techniques, tracking, and jungle medicine and participating in practical exercises that taught them how to fight, win, and survive within any jungle environment. At Fort Moore, Georgia, cadets mastered the fundaments of dismounted reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition at the 26-day Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leader Course, training on mission-essential equipment and land navigation and progressing to a culminating field training exercise during which they conducted detailed mission planning, airborne insertion, and intelligence reporting.
DMI’s Defense and Strategic Studies program also partnered with INDOPACOM to create two new AIAD experiences. In the first, cadets were embedded in the INDOPACOM Commander’s Action Group and engaged with senior leaders, including USMC Major General Jay M. Bargeron and Commodore Jonathan Lett from the Royal Navy, to explore key aspects of military operations
in an international AIAD in Europe were driven to Utah Beach so could visualize the importance of the Higgins Boat during the D-Day landings.
Cadets on an AIAD with the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade were able to attend the Pacific Pathways Planning and Coordination Conference at Fort Shafter, Hawaii.
such as logistics, access, basing, and deterrence against emerging threats. In the other AIAD, cadets were paired with the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) and traveled to the INDOPACOM HQ at Fort Shafter, Hawaii to study USARPAC’s theater strategy at the Pacific Pathways Planning and Coordination Conference and then joined the 5th Battalion, 5th SFAB in Manila, Philippines to observe how tactical level activities support operational and strategic goals.
DMI’s expansion of training opportunities represents a significant evolution in military education. By incorporating specialized courses and strategic insights, West Point is preparing cadets to face the complexities of modern military challenges, and the future of military education at West Point promises to align closely with evolving national security requirements.
CST 2024 Recap
The Department of Military Instruction introduced (or in one case reintroduced) key initiatives to Cadet Summer Training in 2024. In Cadet Leader Development Training (CLDT), cadets remained in the field for the entire FTX, with their refit day occurring in a patrol base. CLDT also incorporated operations in limited visibility, requiring cadets to use night vision goggles. For Cadet Field Training (CFT), cadet cadre were instructed on how to teach, coach, and supervise squad-level tactics and were allocated additional time in the evening to train at the platoon and squad level. The result was more competent squads with cadets better prepared at every level and possessing a greater understanding of what was expected of them for each task (223
cadets from the Class of 2027 earned the Recondo Badge, 125 rated as marksmanship experts, and five maxed the ACFT with a 600 score). Finally, during Cadet Basic Training (CBT), the new cadets underwent a multi-day crucible event during which they moved tactically to Lake Frederick by company and platoon, slept in patrol bases, swam across the lake, and encamped at Frederick. Like previous years’ iterations, CBT 2024 focused on standards and discipline, physical training, basic tactical skills (land navigation, rifle marksmanship, medical training, and field craft), and character development.
New cadets rainproof their tents during their CBT multi-day crucible event at Lake Frederick.
A cadet from Company F takes part in the Lane 7, force-on-force exercise, which is the culminating event of CLDT.
Michie Groundbreaking
On August 14, 2024, the West Point Association of Graduates held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Michie Stadium Preservation Project.
This fully donor-funded project will rebuild and modernize the East Stands of the 100-year-old football stadium at West Point, capitalizing on panoramic views of Lusk Reservoir, the Cadet Chapel, Fort Putnam, and the scenic Hudson Valley, while also upgrading building systems and operations, including broadcasting, ticketing, lighting, winterization, and the circulation of fans throughout Michie Stadium.
In his remarks during the ceremony, Colonel Mark Bieger ’91 (Retired), President & CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG), noted that the Michie Stadium Preservation Project was the No. 1 priority for the West Point Ready Campaign, WPAOG’s $600.5 million comprehensive fundraising campaign for West Point and the Long Gray Line.
“WPAOG is proud to partner with our teammates in Athletics and at the Academy in this effort—not just because of the new, best-in-class addition to this historic stadium; not just because of the historic nature of this effort—because of the people, the people who will enjoy and benefit from this remarkable project and who will continue to be inspired by America’s Team,” said Bieger.
Seven “cornerstone” donors were recognized at the groundbreaking for their support of the project: Lee Anderson ’61, Bill Foley ’67, Vinnie Viola ’77, Doug Black ’86, Rob Healy ’86, Bob Eisiminger ’88, and Anthony Noto ’91. “All seven of these donors demonstrate the very highest levels of generosity, commitment, and a shared confidence in the Academy and the ideals that have shaped us all—Duty, Honor, Country—and all of them are continuing to make a difference in the development of our cadets who will one day serve our Army and the nation,” said Bieger. Indeed, the new Corps of Cadets seating section will stretch end zone to end zone ensuring that the cadets are a central focus in the Michie Stadium Preservation Project.
Lieutenant General Steven Gilland ’90, the 61st Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, spoke of the benefits of Michie Stadium to the Academy at large, saying that the venue aids in recruiting, helps tell the USMA story, and serves as a portal to connect with America.
Before the gold shovels broke ceremonial ground, Army West Point Football Head Coach Jeff Moken and the Director of Athletics Mike Buddie gave their takes on the importance of the Michie Stadium Preservation Project, both emphasizing how the new 138,000-square-foot structure—with premium club-level seating, various hospitality options, a new fan store, and upgraded amenities—will distinguish Michie Stadium as a premiere venue for sports and special events.
Academy Leadership and the seven “cornerstone” donors put shovel to earth at the Michie Stadium groundbreaking ceremony on August 14, 2024. (L to R) Pat Ortland ’82, COL (R) Mark Bieger ’91, HON Bob McDonald ’75, Anthony Noto ’91, Bob Eisiminger ’88, Vinnie Viola ’77, LTG Steve Gilland ’90, Lee Anderson ’61, Rob Healey ’86, Doug Black ’86, Jeff Monken, Mike Buddie, and Dan McCarthy ’90.
ATTENTION!
Adjutant ’ s Call
Sedgwick Shines Again; His Spurs Spin Again
Approximately two-and-a-half years ago, someone at West Point noticed something missing from the Sedgwick Monument. One of his spur rowels, which numerous cadets in full dress (under arms) had spun at midnight the night before a term-end examination according to legend in the hope of passing their test, had broken off. Needing to repair one part of it, West Point decided to give the entire 156-year-old monument of Major General John Sedgwick, Class of 1837, who was killed at the Battle of Spotsylvania in 1864, a major refurbishment.
To make this happen, West Point turned to the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG), who proffered funds from the Class of 1978 to complete the project. According to Les Szabolcsi ’78, Class President, “We raised $55,000 for this project in order to renovate something that was sentimentally close to our class history and that needed some fixing up.”
cultural resources manager, who approved it to be attached to the monument.
The new spur was attached to Sedgwick’s left boot during the monument’s refurbishment in August 2024. Over the course of three days, a restoration specialist also sandblasted the green oxidation from Sedgwick to return the statue to its original golden hue from 1868, then used a dark graphite spray to protect the Sedgwick Monument from the elements.
WPAOG established a contract with American Monument Company, which has been doing cleaning and restoration of monuments for more than four generations. In April 2024, the company’s project manager took a mold of Sedgwick’s remaining spur and sent that to a bronzing foundry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to make the new spur. Six weeks later, the new spur and eightpoint rowel were in the hands of Paul Hudson, the Academy’s
“What this restoration project has done—helping to ensure that our traditions, our lore, and our history stay forefront—is really important,” said Brigadier General Shane Reeves ’96, the 15th Dean of the U.S. Military Academy, at the refurbished monument’s unveiling at the start of Reorganization Week. “We want to inspire the current generation of cadets to be like Sedgwick when a time comes and they have to do something difficult, like leading this country’s young men and women into combat… and every day they walk by this monument, knowing the story of how Sedgwick led his soldiers of the 6th Army Corps, they recognize what they have to aspire to and what’s expected of them as a West Point graduate.”
View a video of the Sedgwick Monument resoration project.
Photos: Justin Conti, Rebecca Rose/WPAOG
Sedgwick’s boot, post-refurbishment.
Sedgwick’s boot, pre-refurbishment.
Sandblasting and a graphite spray were used on the monument’s plaque.
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It was so good to feel the brotherhood and friendship among West Point grads. This was particularly relevant and precious at the D-Day celebration. The whole trip was unforgettable.
Visit WestPointAOG.org/travel to learn about upcoming trips. Contact us at 845.446.1605 or travel@wpaog.org
North Sea
Leveraging West Point for Innovation
Photo:
By MAJ Brandon Clumpner ’13, CPT Terry Lee ’17, 2LT Spenser Haslam ’24, and Dr. Gunnar Tamm , Guest Authors
Starting on R-day, all new cadets begin to internalize the adage “collaborate to graduate,” which includes forming shared experiences with their classmates and eventually bonding with fellow alums while serving domestically or abroad (and even at the Army-Navy Game). The West Point experience develops this spirit of collaboration in all graduates.
Working together to share resources and solve problems pays immediate dividends for graduates when they are Army officers, and their impact can extend much further to the Army enterprise, industry, and society. Graduates have long reached out to current West Point faculty and cadets to solve real Army problems, recognizing the intellectual capital they can provide, as well as the value added to the 47-month cadet experience.
Spirit of Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Work
Interconnection and collaboration are not only baked into the cadet experience but also faculty research and USMA’s public messaging. Brigadier General Shane Reeves ’96, Dean of the Academic Board, premiered a new West Point Press podcast in March 2023 called “Inside West Point: Ideas that Impact.” This monthly podcast highlights the applied research and crossdisciplinary work of West Point scholars, regarding topics such as high energy lasers, artificial intelligence, arctic research, and modern applications of the law of armed conflict. West Point scholars consistently produce intellectual capital for the Army and industry, and this new podcast makes their work digestible to a wide audience, as listeners hear directly from experts as they converse with the Dean.
Graduates have many opportunities to engage with West Point faculty and cadets. These opportunities include creating a summer internship through an Academic Individual Advanced Development (AIAD) project, mentoring cadets during Cadet Troop Leadership Training (CTLT), volunteering with the Directorate of Admissions as a Field Force representative and requesting cadet and faculty research teams to solve organizational and tactical problems through independent study and capstone projects. These strong relationships provide endless opportunities for impact.
The best projects are those that directly benefit soldiers and make the Army a more effective force. Such projects inspire cadets (and their faculty advisers) and build a strong sense of morale for the project teams. There is nothing more rewarding to cadets than knowing that the technology they are developing today will be the technology they use as officers tomorrow. Two recent projects within the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering highlight how old grads have reached back with real Army needs that current cadets then innovated to solve.
Concrete Breaching for Rescue Operations
THE ARMY NEED—The 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company (TREC) is the Department of Defense’s only TREC and keeps a constant readiness posture to perform on-call technical rescue of DoD senior leaders and supporting agencies in the National Capital Region. Soldiers in the 911th TREC are federally certified in five disciplines: rope, trench, and mine rescue; structural collapse; and confined space. Structural collapse often requires breaching multiple wood, concrete, or metal structures to access a trapped individual. Concrete thicker than 18 inches poses a particularly tough problem for the 911th TREC and first responders, as it often takes more than three hours for an experienced team to make a breach with modern equipment in even ideal conditions. Rescue operations are extremely time sensitive, and shortening rescue time can have compounding effects on the health and welfare of those trapped. Successfully solving this problem can have far-reaching impact throughout the first responder community, particularly the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue task forces.
THE ALUMNI CONNECTION—The alumni connection for this need has been decades in the making. Captain Terry Lee ’17, who majored in mechanical engineering as a cadet, currently commands the 911th TREC. Since Branch Night in 2016, one of Lee’s longtime mentors has been Lieutenant Colonel Brian Smith ’97 (Retired). The two remained in contact after Lee
graduated, commissioned, and matriculated through the Army, and they usually connect in person at the Army-Navy Game. When Lee received orders to the 911th TREC at Fort Belvoir, Virginia in 2022, Smith offered to connect him to Colonel Aaron Hill ’97, the Deputy Head of the Civil & Mechanical Engineering Department (CME) and Smith's classmate. Hill commanded the 911th TREC previously. Dr. Gunnar Tamm, who taught in CME while Lee was a cadet, agreed to serve as the faculty adviser, and then-Cadet Spenser Haslam ’24, who eventually chose to branch Engineers, selected the 911th TREC problem for an independent study experience. CME faculty members Major Brett Rocha ’12 and Dr. Nathaniel Helminiak served as co-advisers.
THE USMA SOLUTION—After an initial kickoff meeting, the project team took a day trip to Fort Belvoir, Virginia to observe the 911th TREC during Exercise Capital Shield 2023, the unit’s annual mission validation event. The USMA team talked to company leaders, observed soldiers breaching concrete of various thickness (up to 18 inches), and met with first responders and experts. By crawling through a simulated building collapse, the USMA team experienced first-hand the challenges for rescuers in confined spaces.
Concrete breaching is currently performed by drills, saws and jackhammers. Haslam proposed multiple alternatives to breach the concrete rapidly, and three were studied in greater depth, each prioritizing the safety of the trapped victims and the rescue team. First, using DoD computational software and high-speed computers, the team studied various configurations and placements of shaped charges, which they found to be plausible to rapidly breach but posed too great a risk for the personnel.
Next, the team built high strength, reinforced concrete specimens and cut through them with an industrial waterjet cutter. The process was deemed to take too long and would require a tether of pressurized water. Lastly, using computer simulation, the team found that the most feasible solution would be inserting a hydraulic splitter into a drilled hole, which would embrittle the concrete more rapidly than using conventional tools. While no solution was necessarily better than the current methods, finding out what would not work was equally valuable.
Photos:
U.S. Army
photo by Henry Villarama
U.S. soldiers assigned to 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company use tools to create an entry point while participating in urban search and rescue training during Exercise Capital Shield 2023 at the Washington, DC Fire and EMS Training Academy.
A U.S. soldier assigned to 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company drills into concrete while participating in urban search and rescue training during Exercise Capital Shield 2023 at the Washington, DC Fire and EMS Training Academy.
Thermal Lance Breaching of Fortified Targets
THE ARMY NEED—Military breaching operations in complex environments require both a precision and accuracy that cannot be attained with the traditional solution of explosives. This problem is currently solved with a handheld thermal lance system, which is an incredibly high-temperature torch that burns solid metal with oxygen. However, the handheld system exposes users to a harmful environment and consumes resources inefficiently. Thermal protection must be worn: apparel guards against molten slag, eye protection against harmful light, and a breathing apparatus against toxic fumes. The Army need is to create an autonomous thermal lance system that is effective, user friendly, efficient, and portable and that would allow soldiers to breach through complex hardened steel structures. An autonomous system reduces the number of soldiers required for these operations as well as the time they spend in dangerous environments.
THE ALUMNI CONNECTION— Cadets that work on capstone projects maintain a lasting relationship with their former advisers. Then-Cadet Griffin Gerchman ’17 was a Mechanical Engineering major working with Dr. Tamm on a project funded by the Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. As a captain, Gerchman became involved with a combat breaching team a few years ago and identified the challenges of using a
thermal lance torch. With Picatinny establishing initial funding, this became a multi-year capstone that has since garnered additional Army interest. Co-advisers with Dr. Tamm on this project have included Major Jonathan Kralick ’09 and Major Brandon Clumpner ’13, also graduates of CME. Kralick and Clumpner have commanded user teams and have made further connections to the expert breachers.
THE USMA SOLUTION—The cadet teams have overcome challenges that skeptics within the Army said were in insurmountable and did not want to support. With minimal user involvement, the cadets’ device can now load a fresh fuel rod, enable oxygen flow, ignite the rod with a spark, move to engage the target, maneuver the burning rod with a six-axis robotic arm, turn off the oxygen when the rod is spent, discard the spent rod, and cycle back with a fresh rod to continue breaching. The 2024 team—with now-Second Lieutenants Spenser Haslam, Charlie Kleinschmidt, Jake Pinuelas and Tanner Traugutt (all Class of 2024 Mechanical Engineering majors)—named their device the Automated Robotic System for Obstacle Neutralization (ARSON). As cadets, they won the Scott R. Clark (USMA Class of 1985) Innovation for Soldiers Award, given out annually to one project during the Academy’s Annual Projects Day Research Symposium, and are seeking patent protection. A future cadet team will make the system smarter, with more sensors and advanced programming.
Photo:
U.S. Army
photo by Henry Villarama
A U.S. Marine assigned to the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, Marine Forces Northern Command, observes an egress point being cut from concrete during a simulated structural collapse for Exercise Capital Shield 2023 at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy in Fairfax, Virginia.
Conclusion
Opportunities for cadets and faculty to solve challenges and provide intellectual capital to the Army exist in every department. Alumni are encouraged to stay connected to the Academy, learn what USMA’s evolving capabilities are, and pose challenges for West Point to consider while educating and developing leaders of character for the nation.
MAJ Brandon Clumpner ’13 has taught at West Point since 2022 within the Department of Civil & Mechanical Engineering, where he is an instructor. His research interests include advanced manufacturing, biomechanics, and field expedient capabilities. He earned his M.S. from the Naval Postgraduate School and his B.S. from USMA.
CPT Terry Lee ’17 is an engineer officer currently serving as the commander of the 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Lee has a mechanical engineering degree from USMA and M.S. degree in engineering management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
2LT Spenser Haslam ’24 is an engineer officer currently in the Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He majored in Mechanical Engineering at USMA, and his first assignment is to the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Liberty, North Carolina.
Dr. Gunnar Tamm has taught at West Point since 2004 within the Department of Civil & Mechanical Engineering, where he is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and has led the ME program. His research interests include thermodynamics, renewable energy, field expedient capabilities and weapons systems for soldiers. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida, M.S. from Rutgers and B.E. from the Cooper Union.
Cadets from the 2024 Team ARSON capstone project enjoy victory after a successful test of their robotic system, which won the Scott R. Clark (USMA '85) Innovation for Soldiers Award at the 2024 West Point Annual Projects Day Research Symposium.
The ARSON system’s robotic arm uses an 8,000-degree flame to pierce two-inch thick steel in seconds.
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Four Years, Four Championships, Forever Family
By Keith J. Hamel, WPAOG staff
In the Batter ’s Box
The Army West Point Baseball Team has won the last six Patriot League Championships; however, with the tournament being cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the nine team members from the Class of 2024 are the first group in program history to win four championships in a row. According to now-Second Lieutenant Derek Berg ’24, who played catcher on the team (as well as first and second base) and was recently drafted in the 10th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates, “The players of the Class of 2024 had a lot of ups and downs over their four years,” yet they are a great example of “the brotherhood”
that has come to define the Army West Point Baseball Team recently. “These players are so close,” said Army West Point Baseball Head Coach Chris Tracz. “The brotherhood in the program is real.”
Rounding First Base
The players of Class of 2024 entered West Point over the course of three R-Days in July 2020. “We got here at the height of COVID that summer and began a shared hardship,” said nowSecond Lieutenant Sam Ruta ’24, who played third base and was named MVP of the 2022 Patriot League Championship.
Photo: Army West Point Athletics
Above: On Senior Day in May, players were joined by their family members in a pre-game ceremony. (Two of the 11 players photographed were baseball-eligible seniors but were not considered firsties academically.)
“Living in COVID barracks and having to adhere to social distancing, we got to know each other by playing catch, throwing the ball more than 6 feet back and forth to one another.” Ruta said that COVID brought out a “next guy up” mentality in him and his classmates, which is central to their brotherhood. “When someone went down with COVID, there was another guy to step up and fill his role,” Ruta said. “Since then, we’ve been with each other through all the peaks and valleys of the 47-month West Point experience.”
The players from Class of 2024 endured a 3-11 record to start their plebe year season and got off to a poor start in conference
“They will go down as arguably the best class in Army West Point Baseball history. Yet, their impact was greater than just winning games; they are championship players and now Army officers.” —Chris Tracz, Army West Point Baseball Head Coach
play too, but the team fought back and ended up winning the conference championship that year. They repeated as conference champs their yearling year but had to make an adjustment when their coach, Jim Foster, moved on and Tracz took over.
The team won 38 games during the players’ cow year (one game shy of the program’s record), winning both the Patriot League regular season and tournament titles, but it suffered lopsided losses in the 2023 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament’s Charlottesville Regional and also lost righthanded pitcher Tanner Gresham ’24, the 2023 Patriot League “Pitcher of the Year” to offseason Tommy John surgery.
“Yet, it’s not just the ups and downs of baseball; it’s about being a soldier and a cadet at the United States Military Academy,” noted Ruta. “Figuring out how much time to spend on academics, figuring out how much time to devote to military training, and never forgetting that we are D-I baseball players forced us to be such a resilient group.”
“The bond they share within the experience at West Point and on the field together is vital for their development as future leaders in the Army,” said Tracz, who was named the Patriot League “Gene Depew Coach of the Year” in 2023. “They take the lessons they learn in the classroom and during field training to the baseball field and vice versa.” Perhaps the best lesson Army Baseball players learn is teamwork. “Being a great teammate will forever be one of their greatest assets in the athletic arena and in the Army,” said Tracz.
Stretching It To Extra Bases
The players of the Class of 2024 said they had great examples of great teammates during their four years on the Army West Point Baseball Team. “Anthony Giachin [’21], who was a firstie when I was a plebe, is my best friend,” said Ruta. “He helped inspire a ‘you have to earn it’ attitude in me and my classmates that forced us to come to practice every day prepared to compete— from day one of the pre-season to the last day of the NCAA regional.” Ruta also said that he and his other firstie leaders spoke weekly to the second lieutenants who served as team captains in 2023, including Kevin DuBrule ’23, an AllAmerican who’s now an Aviation officer, and Ross Friedrick, who’s currently a first baseman in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. “Last year’s group of captains were incredible players on the field who led by example by never taking a pitch off,” said Ruta. “This is something we hope we passed on to the next class of leaders on the team.”
“The firsties on the 2024 squad made this team what it was,” said Tracz. “They had a belief in themselves and the team and brought it every day.” Tracz pointed out, reviewing their four years on the team, that the players from the Class of 2024 won 128 games, four Patriot League Titles, and played in four NCAA regionals. “They will go down as arguably the best class in Army West Point Baseball history,” he said. “Yet, their impact was greater than just winning games; they are championship players and now Army officers.” To gauge the 2024 players’ impact, Tracz said to just watch how the underclassmen emulate
Photo: Army West Point Athletics
Steven Graver ’24 pitches in the NCAA Athens Regional, where Army faced off against Georgia Tech.
“Figuring out how much time to spend on academics, figuring out how much time to devote to military training, and never forgetting that we are D-I baseball players forces us to be such a resilient group.”
—Now-2LT Sam Ruta ’24
their leadership going forward, particularly citing Chris Barr ’26, Billy Parker ’26, Coleson Titus ’25 and Justin Lehman ’25, who was named the 2024 Patriot League “Pitcher of the Year.” “Next year we will have a lot of competition for new faces to showcase themselves,” he said.
And the players from the Class of 2024 have set the bar high, particularly when it comes to beating Navy. When these players arrived in the summer of 2020, the Army West Point Baseball Team had a losing series record against their archrival; yet, after winning 15 of 20 games against the Midshipmen, the players from the Class of 2024 have tilted the all-time series record back in the Black Knights’ favor (133-131). “There was a different
energy surrounding rivalry games,” Tracz said. “These guys have earned every win by showing up every day and by being at their best when their best is needed.”
Coming Home
Of course, success does not come without support. “Championships are the byproduct of a lot of hard work, togetherness, resiliency, and consistency,” said Tracz, “and we have great support here from our Academy and Athletic Department administrators.” He particularly highlighted support from the team’s officer representative, Colonel James Schreiner ’90, and the team’s sport supervisor, Dan McCarthy ’90. “Mike Buddie [Director of the Army West Point Athletic Department], who has the best baseball resume on Post [as a member of the New York Yankees’ 1998 World Series championship team], has also been extremely supportive of our program and our athletes,” noted Tracz. However, Tracz said the team played its best when it had the support of the Corps of Cadets. “They were the missing piece early this year when we played 14 straight games away from Doubleday Field [amassing a 7-7 record],” he said. “They made a difference late in the season and helped push us across the finish line.”
“Our companymates, friends, and family members are all part of the ABF,” said Ruta, “ABF” meaning Army Baseball Family. The ABF extends the camaraderie and kinship shared among the team’s current players to former players, staff, faculty, etc. “Major
Derek Berg ’24
Photos: Army West Point Athletics
Tanner Gresham ’24 recovered from offseason Tommy John surgery just in time to contribute to another championship postseason run in 2024.
Sam Ruta ’24 (right) celebrates after homering against Georgia Tech and stands alone in first place among Army Baseball players in all-time career RBIs—187. (Ruta also hit 40 home runs across his Black Knight career, another program record.)
Braden Golinski ’24 provided consistent pop in the heart of the Army order in 2024.
Mike Ruggieri ’24 delivers a pitch in a doubleheader at Lafayette. (The Black Knights did not drop a series against a Patriot League opponent in 2024, winning both the regular season and tournament title.)
Kevin McKague ’12, who is an Army Baseball alum and attends nearly every game, is a perfect example of the extended ABF,” said Ruta.
As the players from the Class of 2024 reflected on their four years in the ABF, they found the memories to be, as now-Second Lieutenant Mike Ruggieri ’24, a righthanded pitcher who led the team in strikeouts in 2024 (70), said, “a little bittersweet.” “We know that when we took the field for our final game, we were on the field with the 40 greatest guys we’ll ever be around,” Ruggieri said.
“After four years of seeing one another just about every single day, it’s going to be strange being on different assignments, but we’ll certainly stay in touch,” said Berg.
“I may not remember all the wins and losses, but I’ll never forget the times in the team room, hanging out in the locker room, or just messing around with my teammates,” said Ruta. “This is what I’m going to miss the most.”
“Playing
a high level of baseball at such a high-level institution such as West Point
is something I’m very appreciative of and will never forget.”
—Now-2LT Braden Golinski
’24
“It’s been amazing playing baseball at West Point,” said nowSecond Lieutenant Braden Golinski ’24, who played centerfield and was one of just three Black Knights to start in all 54 games in 2024. “Playing a high level of baseball at such a high-level institution such as West Point is something I’m very appreciative of and will never forget.”
SCORE! THE BLACK KNIGHTS AND THE ARMY WIN!
Assignments for the Class of 2024 Team Members
Name Branch Assignment
Derek Berg ’24
Sean Dennehy ’24
Trevor Finan ’24
Braden Golinski ’24
Steven Graver ’24
Tanner Gresham ’24
Joel Rubin ’24
Mike Ruggieri ’24
Sam Ruta ’24
Field Artillery Fort Sill, OK
Field Artillery Fort Wainwright, AK
Military Police Fort Campbell, KY
Infantry Fort Cavazos, TX
Field Artillery Fort Wainwright, AK
Military Police Fort Johnson, LA
Infantry Fort Irvin, CA
Infantry Fort Riley, KS
Armor Fort Cavazos, TX
2LT Joel Rubin ’24
2LT Mike Ruggieri ’24
2LT Sean Dennehy ’24
2LT Braden Golinski ’24
“I have therefore concluded to apply for the privilege of becoming a cadet at West Point.”
—George Stoneman Jr., Class of 1846
Photo: SFC Alan Brutus/USMA PAO
A Bedrock of the Margin of Excellence at West Point
You have to give back in order to get—my father taught me that,” Lee Anderson ’61 says, “and, beginning with him, a sense of giving has always been strong in our family.”
Anderson, named a Distinguished Graduate of West Point in 2013, has certainly given back to his alma mater. He and his wife of 59 years, Penny, made their first gift to support West Point in 1980, answering an early call to support the Academy’s emerging Margin of Excellence program. Prior to 1980, the Academy was almost exclusively funded by government appropriations. The Andersons immediately understood the need for graduates to supplement core government funding to keep the Academy competitive with top tier institutions. They knew their generosity would directly benefit the cadet experience and help attract, retain, and develop future leaders of character.
Over the last four decades they have continued to answer the call, and their impact is visible across the institution. They are one of
only two donors in the Thomas Jefferson Lifetime Giving Society, which recognizes giving of $50 million to $99.9 million. Counting just Class of 1961 Reunion gifts, the Andersons have impacted projects such as the Thayer Walk, the Center for Oral History, the 50-Year Affiliation Program with the Class of 2011, and the Superintendent’s Endowment.
Their personal giving beyond Anderson’s class was stirred by the Academy’s first ever campaign to mark its bicentennial. The Bicentennial Campaign ran from 1997 until 2002 and was focused on building much-needed new athletic facilities. The Andersons were lead supporters of the construction of the Kimsey Athletic Center and went on to provide the Academy with a worldclass rugby facility, the Anderson Rugby Complex. During that same period, they endowed the Anderson Normandy Staff Ride in the Department of History.
Above: Lee Anderson ’61 and his wife, Penny, were the lead donors for the 21,000-square-foot Anderson Athletic Center—the home of the Army West Point Softball Team, Volleyball Team, and Sprint Football Team—which opened its doors in March 2020.
Anderson was a solid athlete while at West Point. At 6-foot, 7-inches, he played center on the Basketball Team, threw discus on the Track Team, and played football. Anderson was also an active member of the Corps, spinning records for KDET, building a portable 6-inch TV with the Hi Fi Club and promoting West Point as a cow and firstie on the Public Information Detail. Serving with the latter, Anderson divined the value of the Academy. “It’s all about leadership and building character,” he says.
His experience with the Basketball Team inspired him to support the team, which the Andersons have done for many years, ultimately funding an endowment and naming the Lee Anderson Head Men’s Basketball Coach. They have also provided ongoing support to the Men’s and Women’s Rugby Program and named the Penny Anderson Women’s Rugby Head Coach. Once, when asked about why he gives back so much to West Point, Anderson said, “It’s important to share success with the Academy because, for many of us, this is where that success began.”
Once again responding to a pressing need for important facilities, the Andersons stepped forward during the For Us All Campaign (2009-15) to fund the Anderson Athletic Center, which opened in October 2021 to serve sprint football, softball, and volleyball. They subsequently contributed to the General Crosbie E. Saint Equestrian Center at Morgan Farms, and most recently, as part of the West Point Ready Campaign, they stepped up as cornerstone donors to the historic Michie Stadium Preservation Project, which broke ground earlier this year. “Lee and Penny’s ongoing generosity has literally changed the landscape across West Point,” says Kristin Sorenson, the West Point Association of Graduates’ Vice President of Development. “In addition, his sage counsel and participation as a member of both campaigns is invaluable, creating a legacy that will reverberate for generations to come.”
Upon graduation, Anderson commissioned in the Air Force and was assigned as a base engineering officer in the 4510 Combat Crew Training Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. While Anderson would have loved to have made a career in the military, his father had a medical emergency and, in 1964, needed his son to run the family business, a small fire-protection service named APi.
Anderson turned that small business into a Forbes Top 400 company that operated in over 160 locations in all 50 states, Canada, and the United Kingdom. When Anderson sold his company in 2019, it had $4 billion in revenues and 20,000 employees, some of whom are now millionaires thanks to an employee stock ownership plan Anderson started for the company in 1985. “That’s something I’m very proud of,” he says. He’s also proud of the leader development program he implemented, which has led to hiring a number of veterans, many of whom are West Point graduates. “We had about 50 companies that made up the APi Group, and I’d say half of those were being run by USMA grads,” he says.
In addition to his past role as Chairman and CEO of APi, Anderson is a world-renowned leader of conservation programs: he is a Heritage Member of Ducks Unlimited, a Golden Member of U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, and a Founding Member of the International SeaKeepers Society. Anderson has also met all the requirements for the SCI World Conservation and Hunting Award, achieving his Capra World Slam Super 30 in February
2023, which earned him induction into the Grand Slam Club/ Orvis Pantheon. “There’ve only been 19 members to ever achieve that,” he says.
Finally, embracing his father’s lesson, the Andersons are among the top-30 philanthropists in the country, supporting West Point in addition to hospitals, veterans’ programs, and other institutions of higher education. “I’ve had lots of opportunities, all because of West Point, and being able to give back to the nation has been a cornerstone for me and my wife,” he says.
“This is the greatest opportunity in your life,” Anderson’s father told him when he informed Lee that he had applied to West Point on his son’s behalf.
“And, of course, he was right,” Anderson says.
“You have to give back in order to get—my father taught me that, and, beginning with him, a sense of giving has always been strong in our family.”
—Lee Anderson ’61
In 2013, Anderson received WPAOG’s Distinguished Graduate Award, which recognizes graduates whose character, distinguished service and stature draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which West Point strives, in keeping with its motto: “Duty, Honor, Country.”
Physicians of the Long Gray Line
By Erika Norton, WPAOG staff
West Point is known for developing leaders of character, and its graduates who go on to serve in the medical field are no exception. There is a rich history of West Point graduates becoming physicians, making an impact in all areas of healthcare, both on and off the battlefield.
From operating on presidents (such as Dr. Thoralf M. Sundt Jr. ’52, who operated on Ronald Reagan) to heading Army hospitals and serving as surgeons general, the 1,092 known doctors of the Long Gray Line have always healed from the front.
West Point magazine spoke to a few of these physicians. While their journeys differ, each believes their education at West Point helped prepare them for their service in the medical field.
Colonel Victor Garcia ’68 (Retired)
Garcia is currently a professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the UC School of Medicine and a pediatric surgeon at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where he founded the trauma department. After graduating from West Point in 1968, Garcia spent a year in Korea and then graduated from Ranger School before being assigned to Germany. While there, he applied to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and got in. “I felt that, as a physician, I could serve both my purpose and my obligation by healing people,” Garcia said.
West Point prepared him well for the medical profession. He learned to hold himself to the principles of honesty and integrity while serving on the Cadet Honor Committee. As in the Army, both of these values are instrumental to being a doctor, according to Garcia. The other skill Garcia learned from West Point is teamwork. As a cadet, he saw how people with different
“Despite having the best pediatric trauma program in the country, with all that expertise and all the technology, that child died, and it became apparent to me that my responsibility was to prevent injuries from occurring and not limit myself to what I could do in the operating room with the skills as a surgeon,” Garcia said. “This experience resonated with me as being similar to the mission at West Point, training to be leaders in times of war and of peace.” Going further, Garcia said, “You’ll see former West Point graduates with all sorts of distinguished accomplishments, but, for me, it was addressing inequities and disadvantages that persist in this country that particularly affect marginalized people, which I think is in line with the purpose of West Point.”
Colonel Bill James ’72 (Retired)
backgrounds and different life experiences needed to work together to accomplish a mission. The same goes for surgery, except the mission involves saving a life.
Garcia, who was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate in 2019, said that when he looks back at his training at West Point and in the Army, he learned how to push past obstacles, both external and internal. In 1964, when Garcia entered West Point, there were only five minorities in a class of more than 1,700. Through the challenges at West Point and at Recondo training and Ranger School, he realized there was really nothing that he couldn’t achieve; it was actually his own selfimposed limitations that he needed to rise above. “If you think you can’t or you think you can, you’re right,” Garcia said. “My West Point and early Army experiences helped me appreciate that there’s really nothing that I can’t achieve, not just as an individual, but as a leader.”
“I felt that, as a physician, I could serve both my purpose and my obligation by healing people.”
—COL (R) Victor Garcia ’68
Garcia said that, sadly, the injuries that he sees in children are similar to the injuries he saw in soldiers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, namely gunshot wounds. He said a turning point in his career occurred when a 12-yearold died in his hands from a lethal gunshot wound to the chest.
James is currently an emeritus professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. When he went to West Point, James hadn’t even thought about medicine, nor did he think there was a way to go to medical school through West Point—that was until a fortuitous moment in one of his science classes. James was in his thermodynamics class, and a cadet asked the instructor one day: “You’re the medical school liaison officer for us, aren’t you? Tell us about the program.” Amazed by what he had heard, James went to his then-girlfriend’s house for Christmas and said to her, “I’m good at science and math and I want to be around people, so this seems like something I should consider.” He decided to pursue medicine then and there.
At the time, by law, only one percent of a West Point class could go directly to medical school after graduation, and James just missed the cut. He also still needed several prerequisite courses since he decided to apply to medical school late into his cow year. James reapplied the next year through a program that existed at the time that allowed a small number of active-duty soldiers to go to medical school. He was accepted into the Indiana University School of Medicine with the provision that, during summer school, he would take some of the prerequisite science courses he still needed. James decided to go into dermatology after talking to a friend who was a dermatology fellow. He liked that he would get to serve patients of all ages and that dermatology is a combination of both medicine and surgery, given that many skin conditions can predict a patient’s internal health. According to James, the character traits instilled in cadets—such as holding oneself
COL (R) Victor Garcia ’68 currently serves as a pediatric surgeon at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where he founded the trauma department. He is also a professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at the UC School of Medicine.
COL (R) Bill James ’72 is an emeritus professor in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
accountable for one’s performance, hard work, and being goaloriented when working with a team—helped prepare him for his career in dermatology. His military education and training also helped him, specifically his residency at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco. “Early in my residency I was taking care of a patient with a leg condition, and I think my knowledge of some of the tactics used during the Vietnam War helped me make a diagnosis that hadn’t been suggested before,” he said. “The patient had a shrapnel wound from a landmine that caused an arteriovenous fistula, which was then able to be cured.” James was also Keller Army Hospital’s dermatologist for two years and says that his knowledge of cadet life helped him take better care of cadet patients. He helped a cadet who was in a training accident where his machine gun misfired and blasted back into his face and carbon particles implanted into his skin. He also discovered that a certain chemical being used on cadets’ feet to toughen them up was actually causing blisters and other allergic reactions.
Later, as chief of dermatology at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, his knowledge of how a soldier’s skin can incapacitate a soldier on the battlefield became invaluable. “I took care of soldiers who brought back infectious diseases from their overseas assignments,” James said. “My knowledge of their occupational exposures allowed me to narrow down possible conditions that might have escaped other doctors.”
James says his favorite part about being a physician is the relationships he’s built, both with patients and his students. “I’ve taught a lot of residents and fellows, and being able to see their contributions over the years is certainly satisfying,” James said.
Lieutenant General Nadja West ’82 (Retired)
West grew up in a military family. When deciding her career path, she felt the medical field was a way for her to combine her desire to serve, her interest in science, and her desire to take care of others, especially soldiers and their families.
While attending West Point, her father became seriously ill and went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment. Seeing the inner workings of the hospital further solidified West’s desire to go to medical school, and a chance encounter with a plastic, reconstructive, and hand surgeon Dr. Alan Seyfer ’67 in the hospital’s elevator the summer before her firstie year inspired her to go right after graduation. West told Seyfer that she wanted to go to medical school but that she’d probably wait because of the difficult application process and because of her dad’s situation. According to West, Seyfer gave her the inspiration she needed when he said: “Why don’t you apply? What’s the worst that can happen? They say ‘no.’ And if you’re going through West Point, that’s pretty tough, so I’m sure you’ll be able to do it.” Seyfer encouraged West to take the MCAT and see what happened. He later came and visited her dad, and West ended up doing a summer research project with Seyfer.
West not only got into the George Washington University School of Medicine but went on to serve as a Medical Corps
officer at Fort Benning, Georgia. She deployed with the 197th Infantry Brigade, 24th Infantry Division for Operation Desert Shield and was attached to the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment for Operation Desert Storm. She also deployed to the former Yugoslavian republics of Macedonia and Kosovo, serving as the deputy task force surgeon for the 1st Armored Division. In 2013, West became the first Black woman to become a major general in Army medicine, as well as the first Black woman to become a major general in the active-duty U.S. Army. She was promoted to lieutenant general in 2015 upon being appointed the 44th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, becoming the highest-ranking West Point woman graduate at the time. “If it hadn’t been for West Point, I don’t think I would have done any of those things,” West said. “I worked hard, and I studied hard, so I would have done something, but I don’t know about being Surgeon General of the Army.”
West, who was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate in 2022, said the discipline she learned at West Point to overcome really challenging times—as part of only the third class of women at West Point—allowed her to expand her skill set and later do things that she never would have done. All the opportunities she had, including going to Air Assault School and Airborne School, helped push her out of her comfort zone. “It gave me a better understanding of the people that I would support,” West said. “There’s no requirement for a doctor to go to Airborne School or Air Assault School, as you just need to be a competent physician and take care of patients; however, the inspiration I had from West Point and being immersed in a military culture and environment contributed to every position I had throughout my military career.”
LTG (R) Nadja West ’82 served as the 44th Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and as commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Command.
When someone asks West how she selected the different steps she took to get to the point of Surgeon General, she says she didn’t map anything out; she just went wherever the Army needed her. For example, she went to Korea right after being in Germany for four years because the person who was slated to go couldn’t and they needed a dermatologist. “If that’s what is needed, that’s where I’ll go,” West said. “That’s my duty, and it’s all about Duty, Honor, Country.”
Colonel Benjamin “Kyle” Potter ’97 (Retired)
Potter had always planned on going to medical school, but when he got accepted to West Point, he decided he would serve for five or six years before doing so. His plebe year at the Academy was tough, but somewhere in the middle of his yearling year he realized that he enjoyed the discipline and challenge to excel in a rigid environment and decided he wanted to go straight to medical school. The problem was he didn’t have the prerequisites needed. If he was going to get in, he needed to revamp his whole academic schedule for the next two years, which is what he did. He even ended up taking organic chemistry as a firstie in a class full of yearlings, after he had already taken the MCAT.
Even after all that, Potter was conflicted about going straight to med school and not becoming an infantry officer like his friends. He applied to only three medical schools and decided to let the chips fall where they may. He was one of the two percent of graduates who, by law, could go straight to medical school, being accepted to the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.
Originally, Potter had no interest in surgery due to the long hours involved; however, after spending only one week with a tumor surgeon operating on bone sarcomas, he was sold. “I thought he did the coolest surgery,” Potter said. “He operated all over the body, and they were complicated surgeries that other surgeons were scared of.” Potter once again revamped his whole schedule and went into orthopedics. When 9/11 happened, Potter was an intern at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Soldiers from Afghanistan and Iraq started coming in with serious combat casualties, and there were not many orthopedic trauma surgeons who had the expertise to take care of patients with limb loss. According to Potter, in theory, amputations seem like an easy surgery to perform, but, in reality, there can be a lot of complications and things that could go wrong. Don Gajewski, the orthopedic oncologist at Walter Reed at the time, stepped up and started taking care of these patients, and Potter stepped up to assist and learn. “I liked working with him and appreciated that this was a neglected population of orthopedics,” said Potter, who decided to become a tumor surgeon with a unique skillset. Potter was fortunate enough to not only go into orthopedics but was allowed by the Army to do a tumor fellowship. He returned to Walter Reed, immediately took over for Gajewski, and was the “tumor and amputee guy” for the next 16 years. As director for surgery at Walter Reed, he operated on more than 1,000 injured service personnel returning from duties overseas, including more post-9/11 U.S. war casualties with limb loss than any other military surgeon, according to Penn Medicine News. “It’s been the honor of my life and certainly my professional career to be able to apply the skills I have to such a deserving patient population, literally America’s sons and daughters in uniform.” At one point, Potter even took care of his West Point classmate Daniel Gade, who lost his right leg at the hip.
“I feel like I have a job where I get to take care of our nation’s heroes and be a servant’s servant, and that’s been the story of my career.”
—COL (R) Benjamin “Kyle” Potter ’97
After retiring from the Army last year, Potter, who recently won the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine’s Army Hero of Military Medicine Award for his leadership in combat casualty care, was named “Chair of Orthopedic Surgery” at Penn Medicine. He attributes West Point for helping prepare him to lead by example. “I’ve never been a big screamer or yeller or someone who says, ‘You’re going to do this because I said you have to do it’; rather saying, ‘We’re going to do this because this is the right thing to do, it makes sense and I’m going to do it with you,” said Potter,
COL (R) Benjamin “Kyle” Potter ’97 served as director for surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he operated on more than 1,000 injured service personnel with post-9/11 U.S. war casualties.
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“I think my experiences at West Point also help me relate to my patients.”
—MAJ Kiley Hunkler ’13
Hunkler said. “Reproductive medicine is a fast-moving and intellectually stimulating subspecialty, and helping patients build their families is truly a special privilege.”
Hunkler says she will always be grateful for her West Point education because the opportunities and mentorship she received led her to medicine and prepared her for a rewarding career. Medical training is an exercise in working with constantly changing teams, according to Hunkler, which is fairly similar to the West Point environment. “Chief residents must engage in peer leadership, which felt less intimidating thanks to my experiences at West Point,” she said. “I think my experiences at West Point also help me relate to my patients,” Hunkler said. “Many of my patients are very readiness-focused and have career goals they are trying to balance, and understanding those priorities helps me to strategize their care.”
perhaps channeling “Schofield’s Definition of Discipline” from his old Bugle Notes. “I feel like I have a job where I get to take care of our nation’s heroes and be a servant’s servant, and that’s been the story of my career.”
Major Kiley Hunkler ’13
Hunkler majored in Engineering Psychology at West Point but completed the pre-med courses not part of her major in order to apply to medical school as a cadet. As a cadet, she had the opportunity to travel to Ghana with other cadets and USMA associate professor Dr. Alan Beitler ’77, a general surgeon with specialized training in surgical oncology. The trip proved to be very influential. “Dr. Beitler showed us the complexity and excitement of the operating room,” Hunkler said. “His love of helping patients was infectious and solidified my interest in pursuing the medical field—he even removed my own stitches on the trip with the other cadets ‘assisting’ him!”
Thanks to the encouragement of several mentors within the USMA Graduate Scholarship Program, Hunkler not only applied to medical school but also applied for a Rhodes Scholarship, for which she was selected in December of her firstie year. She graduated from West Point in 2013, was able to defer medical school for two years, and went on to complete her studies at the University of Oxford. She started medical school at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2015. Hunkler completed her residency training in gynecologic surgery and obstetrics at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and is now conducting fellowship training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. “I have five sisters and completed a master’s in women’s studies as part of the Rhodes, so I think caring for women was a natural fit,”
According to Hunkler, the best parts of her job are her patients and colleagues. “I love taking care of patients in the clinic, the operating room, and in labor and delivery,” she said. “It’s a very personal space, as my own department delivered both of my children. It’s what makes military medicine so special. We take care of each other’s families and are therefore very invested in each other’s training and successes.”
The Next Generation
Twenty-three members of the Class of 2024 who were selected for the Pre-Medical School Scholarship are now in medical school continuing the legacy of healing from the front. Endorsed by the United States Military Academy Medical Program Advisory Committee for their commitment to research, clinical exposure, and volunteer work, these graduates will go on to serve as the next generation of Army medical doctors.
Is There a Doctor in the Line?
Are you a physician? Let us know! Use the QR code to participate in WPAOG’s “Physician Survey,” the information for which will be printed in the USMA Graduate Physician Compendium and made available to fellow graduates in the medical field, as well as to current cadets pursuing entrance to medical school.
Courtesy
Photo:
Photo/Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
MAJ Kiley Hunkler ’13 (center) completed her residency training in gynecologic surgery and obstetrics at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and is now conducting fellowship training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
FORWARD MARCH
Leaders Conference 2024
Story on page 53
Gripping Hands
Serving the Nation (R) Recognition
Benny Havens “Our” WPAOG News
1970 Roedy Receives Winston Churchill Leadership Medal
On June 12, 2024, America’s National Churchill Museum at Westminster College presented the Winston Churchill Leadership Medal Award to Bill Roedy ’70, a 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award. As CEO of MTV Networks International, Roedy had the audacious idea of bringing MTV to East Germany, an idea which is credited with toppling the Berlin Wall. Established in 2003, the Leadership Medal Award recognizes exemplary leadership in the spirit of Winston Churchill, and its past recipients include Walter Cronkite and U.S. Senator John Danforth.
1983
Hoover Named LA28 Olympic Committee CEO
LTG (R) Reynold Hoover ’83 has been named the chief executive of the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles, California. Hoover, the former chief of staff for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a special assistant to President George W. Bush for Homeland Security, “is one of the few people in the nation who possesses the operational and logistics expertise that the Olympic and Paralympic Games require,” said LA28 Chairman and President Casey Wasserman.
2023 Cooper Crowned Miss USA
2LT Alma Cooper ’23, a military intelligence officer, was named the winner of the 73rd Miss USA Pageant, which was held on August 4, 2024 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California. Cooper graduated in the top five percent of the USMA Class of 2023 and is a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University, where she is pursuing a master’s in data science. While a cadet at West Point, Cooper was a Mathematical Science major and focused her research on the Army’s recruiting crisis and the cost-benefit analysis of raising the allowed body mass index standards.
“Grip hands—though it be from the shadows—while we swear as you did of yore, or living or dying, to honor the Corps, and the Corps, and the Corps. —Bishop Shipman,1902
General Officer Announcements
The following general officers were promoted to the rank indicated below between June-August 2024:
LTG Joseph B. Berger III ’92
MG Niave F. Knell ’92
MG Philip J. Ryan ’92
MG Robert A. Borcherding ’93
MG Patrick J. Ellis ’94
MG Kimberly A. Peeples ’94
MG Christopher D. Schneider ’94
MG Stephanie R. Ahern ’95
MG Jeffrey A. VanAntwerp ’98
BG Allen J. Pepper ’93
BG Kevin L. Cotman ’94
BG Jin H. Pak ’94
BG Chad C. Chalfont ’95
BG Kenneth C. Cole ’94
BG William M. Parker ’95
BG Robert S. Brown ’96
BG Landis C. Maddox ’96
BG Brendan C. Raymond ’96
BG Sara E. Dudley ’98
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III ’75 has announced that the president has nominated:
LTG Ronald P. Clark ’88 for appointment to the grade of general and assignment as Commanding General, United States Army Pacific, Fort Shafter, HI
MG Mark H. Landes ’90 for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as Deputy Commanding General, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and Commanding General, United States Army Center for Initial Miliary Training, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
MG Gregory J. Brady ’91 for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as the Inspector General, Office of the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC
MG Joseph A. Ryan ’91 for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3/5/7, United States Army, Washington, DC
MG Curtis A. Buzzard ’92 for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as Commander, Security Assistance Group-Ukraine, Operation Atlantic Resolve, Germany
MG Gavin A. Lawrence ’95 for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as the Deputy Commanding General and Chief of Staff, United States Army Materiel Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL
MG Paul T. Stanton ’95 for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as Director, Defense Information Systems Agency and Commander, Joint Forces Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network, Fort Meade, MD
BG John M. Cushing ’93 for promotion to the rank of major general
BG Michael J. Simmering ’93 for promotion to the rank of major general
COL Jonathan C. Taylor ’97 for promotion to the rank of brigadier general
COL Eric W. Widmar ’98 for promotion to the rank of brigadier general
Alternate Routes
I grew up in Happy Camp, California, a small logging community where Bigfoot statues outnumber stoplights four to zero. When I was 6 years old, my mom called me and my siblings into the house to watch Neil Armstrong become the first person to walk on the moon. Like so many kids from that era, that became my dream, and I knew I had a lot of work to do.
Through perseverance and determination, I was accepted to West Point. I studied aerospace engineering and commissioned in the Aviation branch. On active duty, I served in air cavalry, attack helicopter and aviation test units and flew every chance I could. I gained combat experience in Operation Just Cause, applied for graduate school, and was selected as a finalist for the astronaut program by the Army.
Spoiler Alert! —I did not become an astronaut. In 1995, in a series of events involving the needs of the Army, a conversation with my branch manager, and the demands of a family with three young children, I decided to leave active duty.
But what I thought was the end of my dream was the start of something bigger. For the past four years, I’ve served as chief of the National Guard Bureau and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I didn’t take the direct route to success; instead, I chose an alternate path where decisions and relationships gave me the opportunities to prove myself and ultimately build a 38-year career I’m proud to remember.
Even though I never became an astronaut, my studies at West Point gave me the opportunity to attend flight school. Being an
Army aviator gave me a career in the Army. A career in the Army gave me the most incredible opportunities I’ve had in my life—the closest friends I will ever have, the chance to meet my amazing wife, educational opportunities I only dreamed of, and experiences around the globe with some of the greatest people I will ever know.
One of those people is my mentor, Major General Raymond Rees ’66. I met him in 1996 when my family and I left active duty, moved to Oregon, and joined the Oregon National Guard. I was trying to join its aviation unit, and the state aviation officer was reading my biography in a staff meeting. General Rees did not appreciate the officer reading during the meeting, so he took my bio, glanced at it, and said, “I need a new aide; schedule him for an appointment.”
That meeting—one for which I wasn’t even present—changed the trajectory of my career. General Rees hired me as his aide-de-camp and gave me an immersive education in extraordinary leadership.
Standing on the Plain (L to R) in 1986: LTG Willard Scott Jr. ’48, 52nd Superintendent; CDT Thomas Brechbuhl ’86, Deputy Brigade Commander; GEN (R) William Westmoreland ’36, 45th Superintendent; CDT Timothy Knight ’86, USCC First Captain; CDT Daniel Hokanson ’86, Brigade Adjutant; and BG
Peter J. Boylan Jr. ’61, 60th Commandant of Cadets.
By GEN (R) Daniel Hokanson ’86 (ARNG), Guest Writer
Serving the Nation
I learned early that General Rees led by example—in everything. This meant doing the harder “right” over the easier “wrong” at every turn. It meant taking the time—one on one—to mentor and develop others and make a difference wherever one served. General Rees would often say, “Leadership is not about the leader; it’s about the led.”
I also learned to begin every mentoring opportunity by asking him, “Sir, what do I want to do next?” He always had a recommendation, especially if it wasn’t a path I had considered. For example, my career in the National Guard gave me the opportunity to attend Harvard on a War College Fellowship. Halfway through that fellowship, General Rees called to ask if I had any input on my next assignment. “Wherever the organization needs me to serve,” I told him. “If possible, I would like to stay with troops.” I imagined returning to Oregon as the state aviation officer and hoped to continue flying. Instead, I was offered a path in the Infantry: first, an assignment as chief of staff for Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix in Afghanistan; second, as commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Iraq. My experience in the Infantry set me on the path to flag rank, which ultimately led to a role as a member of the Joint Chiefs.
I learned many things in taking the “alternate route,” doing the unplanned and the unexpected. Above everything else, I learned the importance of mentorship and of taking care of people. All of us who serve work with someone’s hero, and we should treat him or her as such. When we take time to mentor others, we leave a bit of ourselves behind; when we invest in their success, there is no limit to where our influence can go.
(R) Recognition
I encourage cadets and those who decide to leave the active Army to be flexible in their career plans and open to new possibilities. Opportunities can arise in unexpected places—leading to experiences you hadn’t imagined. If you have the courage and the faith to take calculated risks and pursue alternate routes, the roads to service and success are wide open.
GEN (R) Daniel R. Hokanson ’86 (ARNG) served as the 29th Chief of the National Guard Bureau and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He served previously as the director of the Army National Guard, and earlier as the 11th Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau. He retired in August after a 38-year active duty and National Guard career.
“I encourage cadets and those who decide to leave the active Army to be flexible in their career plans and open to new possibilities. Opportunities can arise in unexpected places—leading to experiences you hadn’t imagined. ”
—GEN (R) Daniel Hokanson ’86 (ARNG)
WPAOG Military Retiree Recognition Program
WPAOG’s Military Retiree Recognition Program honors our military retirees for their service and sacrifice. If you retired on October 1, 2018 or later, you and three guests are eligible for a free Grad Insider Tour, as well as a free night at The Thayer Hotel, subject to restrictions. We will also publish your name in West Point magazine, with your permission. If you wish to participate, please contact retiree@wpaog.org to learn more.
COL Pierre E. Massar 1985
LTC Jason E. Marquith 1991
COL Scott A. Tikalsky 1994
LTC Juan B. Tirona 1994
COL James M. Halloran 1996
COL Carolyn J. Carden 1998
COL Elizabeth E. Weiss 2000
LTC Russell B. Thomas 2003
Staying Committed: LTC (P) Tom Nelson ’04
During his time as a cadet at West Point, Lieutenant Colonel (Promotable) Tom Nelson’s commitment to a military career began to solidify. “The challenges and purpose-driven environment fueled my determination,” he says; “however, it was when the Army offered me the opportunity to attend graduate school and teach in the USMA Department of Math that I knew I’d be in for a career.”
Prior to his decision, Nelson had several significant moments as a young Army officer. He commissioned in the Infantry upon graduation and deployed in 2005 to Afghanistan, where he served as a rifle platoon leader assigned to the brigade reserve platoon for Task Force Bayonet, supporting the Afghan parliamentary elections. After that he deployed to Iraq with Task Force Falcon in support of the Joint Special Operations Command during the Iraqi Troop Surge (2006-08), which Nelson calls the most challenging assignment he’s had in the Army. “I faced the daunting task of conducting heliborne assault operations into Al Qaeda-controlled sanctuaries,” he says. During one mission, he led a nine-man patrol to conduct a search and attack and received a high volume of machine gun fire. Nelson coordinated support by fire and took control of attack aviation, destroying the enemy and uncovering a large enemy cache of weapons and supplies. For his actions, Nelson was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor. Nelson returned to Iraq in 2010, leading Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment on more than 320 combat patrols with Iraqi Police.
After completing his USMA teaching assignment, Nelson transferred to the then-new Cyber branch (now 10 years old, as of September 2024). He says, “My decision to become a cyber officer was driven by a hunger for innovation, a commitment to technical excellence, and a belief that shaping the future of cyber operations would be not just a duty but a privilege.” His belief was confirmed while serving as the battalion operations officer (S-3) for the 782nd Military Intelligence Battalion (Cyber), leading the training effort to fully certify all 14 cyber teams to operational capacity nine months ahead of an October 2017 congressional mandate. “This was undoubtedly the most rewarding experience of my career,” he says. “I am immensely proud of the impact we made on national objectives.”
Nelson says that USMA’s character pillar has had the most profound impact on his 20-plus Army career: “The rigorous ethical training and emphasis on integrity at West Point shaped my core values and provided me with an unwavering moral compass that has guided my decisions throughout my career.” Beyond character, Nelson credits the bonds forged during the 47-month West Point experience as sustaining factors during his career. “The Long Gray Line remains a source of inspiration, reminding me that we are part of something greater than ourselves, and I encourage all those starting on this profound journey of service to consider the legacy they can leave by staying committed to their Army calling.”
—Keith J. Hamel
Scan the QR code to read about another West Point graduate who made the most recent list of graduates selected for promotion to colonel, LTC (P) Drew Chaffee ’05, who is currently serving as the HRC Signal Branch chief.
In 2005, then-2LT Tom Nelson '04, a platoon leader for Charlie Company 1-325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, conducted a patrol to provide security to local nationals in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan, a Taliban stronghold, and met with some 4- to 8-year-old children at the local Afghan National Army Outpost.
New Captains Lead with Vision
On June 13, 2020, members of the Class of 2020, sitting six feet apart due to the COVID-19 pandemic, graduated on the Plain, without any friends or family present. President Donald J. Trump, that year’s graduation speaker, called them “the strongest of the strong, bravest of the brave.” John Connors ’70, and other 50-year affiliates, gripped hands virtually, encouraging them to “build upon their distinction to handle any challenge.” For four years they have done that and now pinned on the double-silver bars. Captains Emma Powless and Amy Ziccarello are representative of the strength of this class. Both are Rangers exemplifying their class motto: “With Vision We Lead.”
Powless is using her Ranger and Sapper skills in the historic 911th Technical Rescue Engineer Company, DoD’s only search and rescue unit. On 9/11, after Flight AA77 crashed into the Pentagon, the company commander, then-Captain Aaron Barta ’95, didn’t wait for orders, he began search and rescue operations to save lives. Three members of the Long Gray Line now continue that legacy: Powless, Captain Hannah Palladino ’20 and Captain Terry Lee ’17, the current company commander. During May 6-9, 2024, Powless, who trains her soldiers to save lives, was the officer in charge on a four-day exercise in the greater DC area. “We participated with fire department and search and rescue teams from across the region, [learning] from others in the first responder community and network,” she said. They faced eight different scenarios, ranging from vehicle extrication and rope rescue to breaching and breaking. Then, on June 25-27, her platoon executed a scenario resembling a large-scale earthquake
in a local city. “Our two rescue platoons…[rescued] 17 victims over the course of the three-day exercise.”
Similarly, Ziccarello, an Armor officer, says USMA prepared her to lead in the combat arms by pushing her and giving her valuable connections: “As a woman going into a combat arms job, I knew I not only had to train to be on par with the men… but exceed their expectations and outperform them,” she said. “I had so many incredible mentors who helped me to push my limits,” including both of her parents: Jess ’81 and Kelly ’84 (Lieutenant Colonel, Retired). Ziccarello has “passed on” that mentorship to other women in combat arms, especially women preparing to go to Ranger School: “I’ve been a guest speaker on a panel for ROTC programs and often meet or have phone calls with women who are preparing to go,” she said. “I love writing them letters in Ranger [School] and watching them succeed and graduate...” Ziccarello is preparing to lead with vision in the 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. She’ll serve with highly trained soldiers, among the top tactical leaders in the Army, strengthening the nation’s allies and partners.
Congratulations to all the members from the Class of 2020, more than 1,100 strong, who were promoted to captain during the last year. The Long Gray Line is proud of your accomplishment and hopes that you will continue to lead with vision for years to come.
—Desrae Gibby ’91
At the May 8, 2024 Rescue Challenge at Arlington County Fire Department’s Training Center, CPT Emma Powless ’20 led her platoon to face eight different rescue scenarios.
Then-2LT Amy Ziccarello ’20 at Ranger School Graduation in August 2021 at Victory Pond, Fort Moore, Georgia.
FORWARD MARCH
West Point Reunion Yields Unexpected Return
The Classes of 1949, 1954, and 1969 were honored during Graduation Week this past May. They were celebrating their 75th, 70th, and 55th reunions. My mother, my two sisters, and I attended the festivities in honor of my late father, Lieutenant Colonel James R. Henry ’54 (Retired). My grandfather also served as the Army Football Team’s defensive line coach under famed Coach Earl “Red” Blaik from 1952 to 1957, providing us another familial connection to the Academy (and I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that my mother, Mary Lou Laslie Henry, who was 16 years old when her father came to coach at West Point, was also celebrating her 70th reunion from Highland Falls High School, Class of 1954, as well).
Many have personal and poignant connections to this beautiful and historic institution that has served our country so proudly for over 222 years. There are no shortages of amazing recollections and memories shared among those who attend West Point reunions. But new memories, new connections are also made. One noteworthy connection was experienced last May by John Holder Marcus ’54. Marcus, a young 95-year-old, attended his alumni celebration this year not only to reconnect with 12 classmates in attendance but to meet, for the first time, his halfbrother Jerry Manning.
At the age of 88, Marcus learned he had two half-brothers and a half-sister, triplets born in 1940, which was 10 years after Marcus was put up for adoption at the age of 18 months. That all three babies survived was miraculous given the times. For
By Carey Henry Keefe, Guest Author
the Marcus and Manning families, the discovery of their relations and then their subsequent meeting in May, given the siblings advanced ages of 95 and 85, was nothing short of miraculous as well.
“We always thought we were of Swedish heritage,” Marcus’s two daughters, Mary and Katie, told me over dinner at the Thayer Hotel. “I submitted the test kit from ancestry.com on a whim,” said Mary, “and when I received the results, I was more than a little surprised to learn we were 80 percent Irish, with no trace of Swedish descent.” This was altogether a shock to her father, whose only response was, “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Prior to learning about his Irish ancestry, Marcus had no curiosity at all about his genealogy. He had grown up happy and loved, with aspirations to attend West Point. After graduating he embarked upon a successful career in business. He had five children, he said, and that was family enough for him. Little could he have imagined how his world would exponentially expand.
Five years ago, after Marcus gave in to his daughter’s persistent requests to be tested, Marcus was notified by the DNA testing service he used that he had a first cousin. That connection provided the link to his birth mother, Elizabeth Johnston Manning, which subsequently led to him locating his halfbrother, Jerry Manning. Manning, a probate attorney in New York who was familiar with DNA testing, didn’t need convincing, and the two struck up a friendship. Weekly conversations over the phone between Marcus and Manning helped to bridge the gap of almost 90 years of unknown family history. When the Class of 1954’s 70th reunion presented itself, requiring a flight from Georgia for Marcus and a mere 90-minute drive for Manning (and with both being in good health and able to make the trip), they knew they needed to make the most of the opportunity.
Marcus and Manning met in the lobby of the Thayer Hotel on a beautiful, clear blue-sky day (their respective families also met
Benny Havens “ Our ”
During the Class of 1954 Reunion last May, LTC (R) John Marcus '54 (right) met his half-brother Jerry Manning for the first time.
LTC (R) John Marcus ’54 (left) and Jerry Manning (right), both when they were approximately 30 years old.
“We'll sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, Oh!”
each other for the very first time). When asked how the reunion went, Manning commented: “It was a wonderful meeting. That John’s family was so close was beautiful to see. A delightful family.” Manning then continued, “I’ve been able to share with John how incredible our mother was, a woman ahead of her time,” describing their mother as a farm girl who went to business school before starting her own market research company in Albany, New York.
Just as incredible was the birth of the triplets, a rare occurrence in the world of obstetrics at that time. Multiple pregnancies were so unfamiliar to Elizabeth Johnston Manning’s doctor that he left the room after he delivered the first baby, only to be hurriedly called back in to deliver the second baby. Believing all was well, he left the mother and babies in good hands and went home. The next morning at his office, as he prepared to see his first patient, his staff rushed in to tell him the nuns at the hospital had just called to inform them that a third Manning baby had been successfully delivered during the night and that mother and babies were all doing well. The doctor, initially stunned, rushed out into the waiting room full of patients, cranked up the Victrola, turned up the volume, and proceeded to do a jig with each and every one.
Although Marcus and Manning didn’t kick up their heels at their meeting in the Thayer lobby, it did have everyone giddy at the occasion, just one of countless special stories that a West Point reunion can yield.
Carey Henry Keefe is the author of the 2022 book A Tide of Dreams: The Untold Backstory of Coaches Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant, Carney Laslie, and Frank Moseley.
The F-4 ’85 Frog Book Club
I never thought at age 61 I would be in a weekly history book club—let alone leading one! The F-4 “Frogs” from the Class of 1985 started an online book club during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is now in its fourth year and includes 14 classmates. The club began studying the Revolutionary War, and it’s currently on the doorstep of the 20th century, studying the Spanish-American War (book No. 19).
The F-4 ’85 Frog Book Club all started with an offhand comment on a boat trip after our 30th class reunion. Our 30th reunion, held in September 2015, really pulled the ’85 Frogs back together. Like most companies and classes, we had lost track of each other as we focused on our Army careers, family, and, later, civilian careers. Staying at the Thayer Hotel and taking day trips around the Hudson Valley for our 30th, we caught up on our lives to date: promotions, marriages (a few divorces), children raised, friends, family members lost, opportunities realized and opportunities missed. During that weekend, we toured Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s estate and the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, New York, not knowing then that our shared affection for history would bring us together five years later for a book club.
After the 30th Reunion, we started planning annual activities to keep us connected, one of which involved spending a week
Benny Havens “ Our ”
By BG (R) Rich Gross ’85, Guest Author
The Manning triplets being doted on by their mother, Elizabeth Johnston Manning.
The F-4 “Frogs” from the Class of 1985 reunited on the steps of Scott Barracks during their 30th Reunion, held in October 2015.
together on fellow ’85 Frog Mike Cero’s boat touring the Inside Passage of the Pacific Northwest. During this trip, we started a discussion about the Revolutionary War, and I recommended the book Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the American Revolution (by Benson Bobrick) to my companymates. Somehow, that morphed into a suggestion about meeting online to discuss the book. This was right about the time the pandemic started and Zoom became a thing, so the conditions were ripe for a weekly online meetup. I volunteered to host it “temporarily,” but the F-4 ’85 Frog Book Club has fallen into a comfortable rhythm, and no one has yet volunteered to replace “The Professor.”
Since none of us had ever hosted or attended a book club, we initially had no idea how to run one. Most book clubs are social events, where the participants read an entire book and then get together sporadically, maybe once a month, to discuss it. Instead, we decided to approach each book with academic rigor, reading a few chapters at a time and meeting weekly to discuss them. We agreed to follow American history chronologically, starting with the Revolution and moving forward. The F-4 ’85 Frog Book Club isn’t only focused on conflict, however. Some of our best discussions centered on the Transcontinental Railroad, the Industrial Revolution, and the Gilded Age.
One of the most exciting aspects of the F-4 ’85 Frog Book Club is that we’ve had several authors join us on Zoom for a questionand-answer session regarding their respective books. In fact, every living author that we have invited has attended a Zoom session with us—five authors and counting! One of those, Peter Cozzens later asked us to read a draft of his current book and then joined us on a Civil War battlefield tour in the Northern Virginia area. Cozzens paid us the greatest of compliments by
acknowledging the F-4 ’85 Frog Book Club in his book Reckoning, published in 2023!
My fellow Frogs and I discovered we initially knew tragically little about American history, despite the Academy’s best efforts, but we’ve more than made up for that. The F-4 ’85 Frog Book Club has been a great experience for us all. One of the lessons we’ve learned is that there’s “nothing new under the sun.” Many of the challenges that face us today were dealt with in some fashion by previous generations, whether those are political conflict, warfare, technological change, or societal upheavals. More importantly, the F-4 ’85 Frog Book Club has brought us closer together as friends, and we’re looking forward to exploring the 20th century together next!
BG (R) Rich Gross ’85 served over 30 years in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer and judge advocate, advising senior military commanders and deploying multiple times to combat zones. In his final military assignment, he served as the legal counsel to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. After his military service, he practiced law as a partner at a veteran-owned DC-based law firm and served as the general counsel and chief compliance officer for a mid-sized global company. He currently serves as a senior advisor and faculty member for Thayer Leadership, coaching and training executive leaders.
The author credits his classmate Degas Wright for inspiring this article and providing background input on the previous F-4 Frog trips and get-togethers, as well as the 30th reunion, where the F-4 ’85 Frogs “re-energized their connections.”
If you have a first-person account that is ‘singing sentimentally’ about the connections between members of the Long Gray Line, send it to editor@wpaog.org.
Benny Havens “ Our ”
The ’85 Frogs gathered in February 2014 at the Army Sustainment Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois to celebrate Dan Mitchell’s promotion to brigadier general.
2024 WPAOG Leaders Conference
The 29th annual West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) Leaders Conference, sponsored by the Class of 1967, was held at West Point from August 14 through August 16. The theme of the 2024 Leaders Conference was “How We All Fit Together,” and dozens of Class, Society, and Parents Club leaders converged on Eisenhower Hall to hear from USMA leaders, learn from WPAOG educational sessions, and have group discussions on engagement and best practices.
Addressing the nearly 300 leaders in attendance, LTG (R) Guy Swan ’76, the Chair of the 2024 Leaders Conference, said, “Every event at this year’s Leaders Conference has been designed to showcase the ways in which we can work together, come together, and grow together through our volunteer roles so that we can better serve and connect West Point and the Long Gray Line.”
View the Leaders Conference video, entitled “Your Association Serving with Impact.”
“Every event at this year’s Leaders Conference has been designed to showcase the ways in which we can work together, come together, and grow together through our volunteer roles so that we can better serve and connect West Point and the Long Gray Line.”
Photos: Erika Norton, Justin Conti/WPAOG
—LTG (R) Guy Swan ’76 2024 Leaders Conference Chairman
WPAOG Interviews 2024 Summer Olympics
Bronze-Medal Winner
The WPAOG Broadcast Network, a strategic initiative focused on tailored audible communications that inform graduates on current WPAOG projects and USMA updates, is continually adding fresh and engaging episodes. In June, the team interviewed CPT Sammy Sullivan ’20, a member of the USA Women’s Olympic Rugby Sevens Team, which then won the bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Sullivan shares her unexpected journey to West Point, where she discovered a passion for rugby after being introduced to the sport during Cadet Basic Training’s “Athletic Day” and eventually earned the 2019 Prusmack Award as one of the top
rugby sevens athletes in the nation. Sullivan also discusses the rigorous training regimen of the Army’s World Class Athlete Program, which requires her to balance between her intense athletic pursuits and her military duties. With stories of resilience and with anticipation of returning to West Point as an Olympic medal-winner, this podcast is a testament to the power of perseverance and the impact of a strong support system.
Scan the QR code to listen to the podcast:
West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) Annual Meeting and Election
All USMA graduates are encouraged to vote in the WPAOG 2024 Annual Election. No later than October 17, 2024, proxies will be emailed or mailed to each graduate. Graduates whose email address is on file at WPAOG will receive an email that contains a personalized link, which will take them to the confidential online voting site maintained by Amplitude Research, Inc. Other graduates will receive paper proxies via the U.S. Postal Service. Voting closes at 5pm ET on Monday, November 18, 2024, the evening before the WPAOG Annual Meeting and Election, which will take place at 5pm ET on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. This year the Annual Meeting will take place at the Herbert Alumni Center.
Deaths reported from June 16, 2023 – September 15, 2023
Q: What’s your most memorable moment from an Army Football game that you attended as a cadet?
A: “A still fresh plebe in the fall of 1972, I drew the short straw for duty as a stadium usher during a home football game, which was against Nebraska, a nationally dominant team that year, led by standout running back Johnny Rogers. Making an otherwise beautiful fall day even more unpleasant, I was posted on the visitors’ side of Michie Stadium, where the Nebraska faithful had descended in solid red and full force. As the score climbed, Nebraska fans grew increasingly boisterous, and I (and my fellow ushers, I'm sure) began absorbing growing abuse—most in good humor but some downright nasty. What rescued the situation and made it memorable for me to this day is the appearance of the Sergeant of the Guard, a Third Class cadet whose name I forget but whose example stayed with me. Seeing the upperclassmen, a drunk hollered at him directly, asking rather rudely why Army had such a lousy football team (or similar words). Without rising to the bait, this young man forthrightly stated, ‘Because, despite all...this [he gestured toward the field], West Point is here for one reason: to produce officers worthy of leading the citizens of this country in battle.’
This silenced the loudmouth and actually drew some applause from folks within earshot.”
Says LTC (R) Mark Daniels ’76, who deployed to Germany with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, returned to Fort Bliss, Texas, got posted to Korea, and eventually transitioned to the Army National Guard and the United States Army Reserve for the remainder of his military career. In 1985, he joined the CIA (still there!). He hasn’t had the opportunity to hang out with his friends in I-2 as much as he has wished, but he gives a shoutout to the gang.
A:“As a cow, I was part of a small group of cadets who signed up for the trip section to College Station, Texas for a night game against Texas A&M at Kyle Field. Both teams had already lost to Nebraska that year, but Army had lost 77-7 at Michie Stadium and the odds-makers heavily favored A&M. As we walked around the campus before the game we got an earful from the Aggie faithful, especially their cadets, who were obnoxiously confident of victory. The halftime score was a crowd-quieting 14-14, and in the second half Army’s defense made repeated drive-killing stops while the offense added another touchdown and a field goal. Up 24-14 with time running out, we began singing ‘Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye’ at the top of our lungs—which may not have been great sportsmanship but was warranted given the pre-game abuse we had endured. As the game clock ran out, I remember deliriously running onto the field to congratulate the team and especially to find and hug my classmate, companymate, and lifelong friend Ernie Chachere, who had been so much a part of the stellar defensive effort.”
Says LTC (R) Bob Bell ’74, who came back to West Point in August for the Class of 1974’s 50th Reunion, where he was also able to reunite with his son Daniel, a lieutenant colonel serving as the regimental tactical officer for the First Regiment. Interestingly, Bell says Daniel seriously considered applying to Texas A&M and even participated in a “spend a weekend with the A&M Corps of Cadets” program, but he ultimately accepted an appointment to USMA and graduated with the Class of 2005.
A:“In 1991, I was a plebe and Army went to the Meadowlands to play Rutgers. At the game, the upperclassmen in my company, I-4, ordered me to sneak over to the Rutgers sideline and steal their cheerleaders’ flag. In my mind I had a choice: face the wrath of the upperclassmen or face the wrath of the tactical officers. Determining that the upperclassmen were just as fearful of the tactical officers to a young plebe, I oh-so-casually strolled toward the Rutgers sideline (as only a bald cadet in conspicuous gray can do), snagged the flag, ran back to our sideline, waved the flag a couple of times, dropped it and then scampered back to my company. I didn’t expect it when the upperclassmen opened and closed the space around me, allowing me to disappear into the rows of cadets—the Long Gray Line. My everobservant tactical officer seemed to somehow, just this once in his entire military career, miss the entire spectacle. I was still delivering mail and laundry that night back at the barracks, but it was clear to me that I had made the choice to join a pretty special kind of organization.”
Says Eric Weber ’95, who branched Field Artillery and served in Germany before obtaining a master’s degree at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and taking a position as a business HR manager with International Paper.
A:“The members of the Class of 1965 (‘Strength and Drive’) were a frustrated bunch. We had lost three games in a row to Navy. Especially galling was the 1963 loss, which saw Army reach Navy’s 2-yard line, only to have the referees fail to call a penalty on Navy, whose players kept falling on the Army offensive line as time ran out, preventing a score. Ah, but revenge came in 1964, when QB Rollie Stichweh ’65 led Army to a 11-8 win. It was especially joyful on the last play of the game, when the Army defense chased Navy QB Roger Staubach all over the field and forced him into an incomplete pass (or was it a sack?).”
Says Martin Resick ’65, who spent five years in the Army, including time in Vietnam during the 1968 Tet Offensive, and is likely one of the few graduates to be both a union business agent and a human resources director (“same problems, different angles”). Married to Lenore for 49 years, Martin has two daughters and four grandkids, and he has traveled to 35 countries and 44 states.
A:“I always enjoyed the third quarter ‘William Tell Overture’ and seeing a sea of white or gray hats pulsing along with the Cadet Band. Another memorable moment was singing the national anthem with the combined Glee Clubs of Army and Navy. It was an honor.”
Says Jen (Bean) Ryan ’92, who is now a high school math teacher at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, while her husband and classmate, MG Phil Ryan ’92, commands U.S. Army South.
Deaths reported from June 16, 2023 – September 15, 2023
A:“My and my husband’s favorite football memory from our time as cadets will forever be the game against Cincinnati in October 2004, a 48-29 victory. It was the first Army win we saw as members of the Corps of Cadets, as Army went 0-13 during our plebe year in 2003. When the game went final, we all rushed the field and tore down the goal post at Michie! I can only imagine the hardship this caused the football operations management team, but it will forever be our favorite game day experience as cadets. The members of the Class of 2006 still talk about this today!”
Says Lindsay Hartig ’06, who is married to Major Ben Hartig ’06, a fellow B-4 “Buffalo.” The Hartigs have three children, two of whom were born at Keller Hospital when Major Hartig was the tactical officer for Company D-2. His is now the battalion commander of the 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry Regiment at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehusrt in New Jersey.
Class “Quotes” topic for the 2025 Winter issue:
Why was your 100th Night Show the “best ever” produced at West Point?
Send your answers in an email to editor@wpaog.org. When submitting an answer, please include an informative and interesting update regarding your life that the Long Gray Line would enjoy reading. This can either be professional (e.g., new job, promotion, retirement) or personal (e.g., new child/ grandchild, marriage, hobby, etc.). You are welcome to attach pictures to your email to support your answer or your life-update.
Deaths reported from June 16, 2023 – September 15, 2023
Take the Survey!
Have you seen the QR code in the Table of Contents asking for your participation in our three-question reader survey? There is also a link to this survey on the cover of the digital edition of West Point magazine. In the summer issue, we asked the following questions:
1) How much time do you spend going through West Point magazine, on average?
2) Have you ever shared your copy of West Point magazine with someone not living in your household (relative, friend, prospective cadet)? If so, how many other people have viewed your copy?
3) When you receive a new edition of West Point magazine, which aspect of the publication do you most anticipate?
Thank you to the dozens of readers, spanning the classes of 1954 to 2028, who took the time to participate in the 2024 Summer issue’s reader survey. Here are some interesting findings from that survey: More than half of our readers spend 10 to 30 minutes going through each issue (40 percent said they read each issue cover to cover!); 45 percent of graduates have shared West Point magazine with someone outside their household (to the remaining 55 percent, share the love!); and our readers say that they most enjoy the USMA/cadet content (with feature articles close behind!).
Thanks again to all who provided feedback, and to all readers, please take the 2024 Fall issue’s reader survey using this QR code.
STRENGTHENING THE LONG GRAY LINE
Strengthening the Long Gray Line
Strengthening
the Long Gray Line
“ The Long Gray Line Fund relies on the generosity of donors to help provide career transition programs, memorial support, e-communications, West Point magazine, newsletters, reunion planning, and graduate and service awards. Donations to support WPAOG provide the means for serving the courageous men and women of the Long Gray Line. I ask for your support of the Long Gray Line Fund this year. We will continue to strengthen the bonds that unite our graduates and their families and honor the traditions and ideals of West Point.”
“Sharing time-honored traditions with you as President & CEO for the past year has been an honor. Your West Point Association of Graduates achieves its mission by serving Old Grads with impactful programs and services and the Academy with the Margin of Excellence. The Association enhances the Old Grad experience with your continued support. By including the Long Gray Line Fund in your philanthropic portfolio, you invest in the West Point family and uphold our proud traditions and resources for every graduate past, present, and future.”
—Mark D. Bieger '91 Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired) President & CEO
A position generously endowed by the Honorable & Mrs. Robert A. McDonald ’75
—Mark D. Bieger ’91, Parent ’16, ’18, ’23 Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired) President & CEO* West Point Association of Graduates
*A position generously supported by the Honorable & Mrs. Robert A. McDonald ’75
Deaths
reported from June 16, 2023 – September 15, 2023
A
West Point magazine supplement featuring books by West Point graduates and faculty.
The Invitation Come as You Are! (366 Daily Devotions)
By Dennis Bilter ’74
This daily devotional is an invitation from God that is offered to every person. It is a call to follow Jesus Christ and become a part of the family of God. Each day, you will be encouraged with a short story and a Bible verse pointing you to the Good News of God’s promises. Discover how much he loves you as he transforms you into a new and beautiful person. Available at Amazon.com
MacArthur and West Point
By Sherman L. Fleek
Few figures loom larger in the story of the United States Military Academy at West Point—or in US military history in general—than Douglas MacArthur. In this wide-ranging book, acclaimed military historian Sherman L. Fleek explores the mutual influence between the United States Military Academy and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur. In MacArthur and West Point, Fleek offers readers a new perspective on the truly reciprocal nature of the longstanding relationship between one of the US military’s most significant historical figures and one of its most venerated institutions.
Available at Amazon.com
The Gospel of You Start Telling Your Story
By Thomas Roberts ‘04
Being able to tell your own story in different scenarios, situations, under pressure, under any circumstance, and in any setting can be the difference between a life of advancement and opportunity or a life mired in mediocrity and regret. Preaching your own Gospel is a wonderful way to not only give people insight to what makes you tick but it also allows you to confidently connect with people professionally and personally. Often, we fall into the trap of only telling people a one-sided story of accomplishments and numbers without giving them any context to who, what, when, where, why, or how.
Available at amazon.com, a.co/d/agCIqbQ and kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-gospel-of-you-1
The Guardian A Space-Based Neutral Particle Beam
By Michael Toole ‘68
The Guardian explores the development and potential of Neutral Particle Beam (NPB) Technology. The book covers the evolution of the NPB technology up to the mid-1990s, emphasizing key milestones and the contribution of national laboratories. It highlights the Cold War-era conceptualization of NPBs, advancements in the 1980s and 1990s, and advocates for renewed international collaboration, particularly with NATO allies. The Book also suggests reinitiating the NPB technology, making a case for its role in future space security.
Available at barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com
Son of the Heartland
By Dave Hatcher ’68
The author traces his life story from Iowa to his West Point graduation (1968) and active military duty in Vietnam. For almost ten years after 1975, he reported for CBS News, the BBC, and Newsweek magazine from strategic borders between China and Vietnam; Pakistan, India and Afghanistan; and from Taiwan (Quemoy) near the Chinese mainland. He also witnessed the Killing Fields inside Cambodia, the assassination of Indira Gandhi, and the turmoil in Manila in the latter Marcos years. From the Heartland, on the way to the Promised Land.
Available at Amazon.com
Determined to Persist:
General Earle Wheeler, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Military’s Foiled Pursuit of Victory in Vietnam
By Mark A. Viney ‘91
Groundbreaking, relevant, timely reassessment described as “well researched,”“thoughtful and balanced,” and “must read,” Determined to Persist overturns popular misconceptions of civilian-military relations during Vietnam. Revealing the Chiefs’ persistent, active role to guide two U.S. presidents and their civilian advisors toward more doctrinal warfighting strategy to win in Vietnam, this is the most important contribution to Vietnam War history in over a decade.
Available at Amazon.com
By Donald Hicks ’90
They say that lightning never strikes twice. But on this strange and spooky night, lightning struck not once...not twice...but THRICE! Join Frankenwalnut and a cast of nutty characters on a journey through Walnuttia as they learn about the power of bravery and being a good friend.
Crack open Frankenwalnut today!
Available at Amazon.com
Delete The Adjective: A Soldier’s Adventures in Ranger School
By LTC Lisa Jaster, ’00
Most people limit themselves to their labels embracing barriers based on the box that society puts them in. But your adjectives aren’t your destiny. In Delete the Adjective: A Soldier’s Adventures in Ranger School, Lisa Jaster proves your merit should always trump your labels. Lisa didn’t confine herself to the adjectives of “middleaged” or “female.” Instead, she became one of the first three women to graduate from the United States Army Ranger program.
Available at Amazon.com
Iraq
and the Politics of Oil: An Insider’s Perspective
By Gary Vogler ’73
By Mark A. Viney ‘91
Groundbreaking biography of the longest-serving senior military advisor to Presidents Johnson and Nixon and his equally exceptional wife. Wheeler shredded his autobiography in disgust with Vietnam. Now, through family documents, official records, and interviews, the Wheeler family’s service experience and rise to the U.S. military pinnacle is revealed against the backdrop of JCS skepticism over increasing U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia after WW2.
Available at Amazon.com
Vogler spent 5 months in prewar oil planning at the Pentagon. This was followed with 75 months in Iraq executing oil reconstruction under DOD between 2003 and 2011. During all this time and through 2014, he denied that our government had a hidden oil agenda in Iraq. While researching his book, Gary discovered something of significance: an oil agenda that will surprise most Americans. The book attempts to correct history and set the record straight.
Available at Thayer Hall Bookstore & Amazon.com
Number Your Stories and Lead Like a Legend
By MAJ Logan Phillips ’09
Come closer to the warmth of the fire and let MAJ Logan Phillips captivate you with his incredible thought-provoking faith-led tales as an Army officer, former Basic Training Commander, and assistant Professor at USMA. Through his gift of incredible storytelling, he teaches you to understand your own unique journey and pave the way to number your stories and lead like a legend.
“A blueprint for leadership that achieves success and significance.”
–LTG(R) Robert Caslen, Former USMA Superintendent Available at Amazon.com & on Audible.com
Israel, Winner of the 2003 Iraq Oil War:
Undue influence, deceptions, and the neocon energy agenda
By Gary Vogler ’73
After more than 20 years, Gary Vogler identifies the winner of the 2003 Iraq war for oil. As a sequel to his first book, Vogler highlights the influence of the Israel Lobby to place an Israeli intelligence asset in a key Pentagon position to direct the oil policy of the US Forces in Iraq. He highlights how the agenda to fix Israel’s energy security problem was kept secret from the military by political appointees placed in their positions by the powerful Israel Lobby. He points out that US Forces currently in Iraq and Syria are supporting Israel’s energy security.
Available at Amazon.com
Frankenwalnut
General & Mrs. Earle Wheeler: Their Rise to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Amid America’s Descent into Vietnam
Deaths reported from June 16 – September 15, 2024
Dr. Leonard A. Humphreys 1945
Maj Gen James E. Paschall USAF, Retired 1946
COL George A. Maloney USA, Retired 1947
Maj Gen George W. Rutter USAF, Retired 1948
Dr. Charles R. Kemble 1949
COL Amos C. Mathews USA, Retired 1949
LTC John H. Vanston Jr. USA, Retired 1950
Mr. William T. Barnett 1951
LTC George A. Meighen USA, Retired 1951
GEN William R. Richardson USA, Retired 1951
COL Thomas E. Courant USA, Retired 1952
LTC William L. Horn USA, Retired 1952
Mr. David F. Piske 1952
Lt Col Charles J. McGinn USAF, Retired 1953
LTC Paul E. Suplizio USA, Retired 1953
COL John B. Tanzer USA, Retired 1953
Col William E. Albright Jr. USAF, Retired 1954
Gen James E. Dalton USAF, Retired 1954
Mr. Marvin D. Danford 1954
Mr. Louis Gross 1954
Mr. Peter W. Johnson 1954
COL Glenn K. Matsumoto USA, Retired 1954
Mr. William D. Nelson Jr. 1954
Brig Gen William A. Orth USAF, Retired 1954
COL Mark L. Reese Jr. USA, Retired 1954
COL Melvyn D. Remus USA, Retired 1954
LTC Alan V. Richard USA, Retired 1954
LTC Robert H. Tawes USA, Retired 1954
Mr. Yale D. Weatherby 1954
Mr. James A. Devereaux 1955
Mr. Neil L. Dorward 1955
Dr. George A. Dulk 1955
COL Willard A. Holbrook III USA, Retired 1955
COL Daniel K. Malone USA, Retired 1955
COL George W. Page USA, Retired 1955
Col Kenneth V. Wilson USAF, Retired 1955
Mr. Richard C. Malin 1956
LTC George J. Martin USA, Retired 1956
LTC John S. Polickoski USA, Retired 1956
Mr. Joseph Cygler 1957
Mr. Franklyn W. Gross 1957
Mr. Thomas S. Gruhn 1957
Lt Col Robert F. Markham USAF, Retired 1957
Lt Col Hugh D. Kevin USAF, Retired 1958
Mr. Thomas C. Looney 1958
COL Samuel L. Myers Jr. USA, Retired 1958
LTC Lawrence F. Perreault USA, Retired 1958
LTC John A. Schaffer USA, Retired 1958
LTC John H. Shimerda USA, Retired 1958
Maj Gen William A. Cohen USAF, Retired 1959
Mr. John R. Harrell 1959
COL Kevin J. O'Neill USA, Retired 1959
Mr. Robert F. Clancy 1960
COL Richard S. Daum USA, Retired 1960
Mr. Elmer R. Hapeman 1960
BG Jack A. Pellicci USA, Retired 1960
Mr. James A. Powers 1960
LTC James S. Blesse USA, Retired 1961
Mr. Gail P. Burchell 1961
Mr. Richard H. Fanning 1961
COL Thomas R. Gordon USA, Retired 1961
LTC Donald L. McBee USA, Retired 1961
Mr. Robert L. Ellis 1962
BG Timothy J. Grogan USA, Retired 1963
Chaplain Roland B. Hudson III 1963
Mr. James T. Nolan 1963
Mr. Michael D. White 1963
Mr. Clifford M. Beasley Jr. 1964
Mr. Louis A. Jerge 1964
Dr. David C. Bangert 1965
Mr. Paul W. Bucha 1965
Mr. Edward A. Foehl Jr. 1965
COL Robert F. Radcliffe USA, Retired 1965
Mr. Eugene D. Atkinson 1966
Be Thou at Peace
CPT Robert A. Guerriero Sr. USA, Retired 1966
MAJ Jack A. Ziemke USA, Retired 1967
LTC Antonio W. Medici II USA, Retired 1968
Mr. Peter C. Miles 1969
Mr. Michael D. Modeen
Mr. James M. Wright
Mr. Alan L. Brace
Mr. John B. King 1970
LTG James J. Lovelace Jr. USA, Retired
LTC Dan E. Schilling Jr. USA, Retired 1970
Mr. Gerald C. Babayan
Mr. William C. Quinlan
COL Charles M. Coleman ARNG, Retired
Dr. Kenneth J. Ratajczak
LTC William G. Welch USA, Retired
MAJ Ronald F. Danhof USA, Retired
R.
MAJ Arthur W. Robinson III USA,
LTC John L. Otte USA, Retired
LTG Thomas R. Turner II USA, Retired
Mr. Robert J. Coleman Jr.
LTC John V.R. Redington USA, Retired 1975
Mr. Kevin N. Wardlow 1975
Mr. Geary L. Leathers 1978
Mr. Scott D. Myers 1978
LTC Joseph M. Rose Jr. USA, Retired 1978
MAJ Kermit P. Henninger USAR 1981
COL Robert L. Massie Sr. AUS, Retired 1983
Mr. Paul C. Britton 1987
Mr. Dale J. Malzi
Mr. Robert D. Butler 1988
Mr. Kevin L. Smith 1988
LTC Mark J. Camarena USA, Retired 1990
Mr. Damon M. Vrabel 1992
Mr. Andrew J. Muench 1993
Mr. Benjamin M. Celver 2000
CPT Samuel G. Davila USA 2012
The Backstory of the Game that Stopped a War Past in Review
By Rich Cacioppe ’62 , Guest Author
There were many clandestine operations in World War II. One of the strangest and least known operations occurred 80 years ago and involved secretly taking the Corps of Cadets by troopship to the 1944 Army-Navy Game. At the end of the 1944 college football season, Army was ranked No. 1 and Navy was No. 2. It was fitting that the two service academies, representing the 16 million American servicemen then locked in battle across the globe, would be playing to determine the national championship.
President Roosevelt again decreed that the annual Army-Navy Game would be the scaled-back affair it had been for the preceding two years. The game was scheduled to return to Annapolis, Maryland, where it had been played in 1942. For that contest, attendees were limited to the Brigade of Midshipmen, as well as fans and reporters who lived within a 10-mile radius. These restrictions resulted in a sparse crowd of 11,000 (instead of the normal attendance of 100,000 of previous Army-Navy games). The Corps of Cadets was not allowed to travel to the game, so Third and Fourth Class midshipmen were ordered to sit behind the Army bench and root for the “Black Knights of the Hudson.” Reports indicated that some of these less-than-enthusiastic fans sang “On Brave Old Army Team” with fingers crossed. Even Army’s mascot was prohibited from traveling, so a mule from a local dairy farm was recruited to fill in. Likewise, the following year, when the game was played at West Point, half the Corps of Cadets was assigned to be Navy rooters. These faux Navy fans sported white caps to aid in the facade. For the 1943 game, the Army authorities recruited a goat from a nearby farm to fill in for the quarantined Navy mascot. Since wartime restrictions were still in effect in 1944, it was once again the Middies turn to host the annual classic. Both Chief of Staff George Marshall and Secretary of War Henry Stimson were not enthusiastic about allowing the game to be played at
all. They both felt that the game negatively distracted the public from the deadly business being undertaken by the country’s Armed Forces. James Forrestal, the newly appointed Secretary of the Navy, was also ambivalent about the game. Enthusiasm for a greatly expanded meeting of the country’s two top teams came instead from a groundswell of war weary American football fans who were seeking relief from the grim war news.
Fortunately for these fans, there were some other members of the President’s Cabinet who were more creative and imaginative than the top military brass; they suggested a way that would allow the game to have a bigger stage and yet keep a focus on the war effort. Henry Morgenthau, Secretary of the Treasury, came up with a unique scheme to use the game as a vehicle to raise money to help finance the war, proposing that the game be linked to a war bond drive. Less than two weeks before the game, Morgenthau’s plan was adopted. President Roosevelt ordered the game to be moved from Annapolis to Baltimore, Maryland, allowing the number of fans attending the game to increase from 20,000 to 70,000.
Attendees were strongly encouraged to buy war bonds. Three quarters of the eager fans purchased a series EE 25-dollar bond that enabled them to purchase a ticket for four dollars and 80 cents. Those desiring better seats were required to purchase more expensive bonds. Six box seats sold for one million dollars each. More than 1,400 other prime seats sold for between 100,000 and one million dollars. As the crowd settled into their seats, a banner was unfurled on the field indicating that $58,637,000 had been raised as a result of the drive. It was the single most successful bond event of the war. To add to the pageantry and drama, it was decided that both the full Corps of Cadets and Brigade of Midshipmen would attend. Enthusiasm at both schools was raised to a fever pitch by the announcement. The midshipmen were only 30 miles away, so their transportation did not present much of a problem;
however, getting 2,400 cadets to Baltimore, which was more than 230 miles from West Point, was a more daunting task, especially with the wartime travel restrictions still in place.
The Corps was moved secretly by troopship. There was a complete blackout of information concerning travel arrangements since wartime secrecy about troop movements was closely guarded. Nazi U-boats off the East Coast were still a threat. It would’ve been a devastating loss to the United States and a significant propaganda coup for the Nazis if they had been able to sink an American troopship loaded with 2,400 future officers. Now, 80 years later, the secrecy of how the cadets traveled to and from Baltimore has become storied.
It turned out to be an unusual odyssey for the aspiring officers, never before or since duplicated. The troopship, the USS Uruguay, a converted passenger liner, docked at West Point’s South Dock on the Thursday before the game. The ocean-going vessel required some minor alterations to enable it to get up the Hudson River. Its mast had been shortened to allow it to pass under the Bear Mountain Bridge and much of the ballast had been removed so it could negotiate the shallower areas of the river (the removal of the stabilizing ballast would have negative repercussions for the cadets before the voyage was completed).
The Uruguay sailed uneventfully down the Hudson with its enthusiastic passengers and met up with a convoy of five destroyers in the Atlantic Ocean with anti-submarine blimps
overhead. After a day of sailing, the ship docked in Baltimore at 9:00pm on Friday evening. The following morning the cadets marched 5 miles to the stadium in the bitter cold. When they finally were settled in the stands, they saw a terrific football game, with Army securing its first win over the Middies in five years, 23 to 7. In defeating Navy, Army finished with a perfect 9-0 record, its first undefeated season since 1916, and won the 1944 college football National Championship.
There was no question that this was a special Army team. Soldiers all over the world on distant battlefields celebrated the achievement of the 1944 team. From his headquarters in the Pacific, General Douglas MacArthur cabled Coach Red Blaik with his congratulations: “The greatest of all Army teams— STOP—We have stopped the war to celebrate your magnificent success. MacArthur.”
When the game was over, the cadets had hoped for some time to enjoy Baltimore before returning to the Academy. That was not to be. The cadets retraced their steps back to the Uruguay and reboarded. They were at least looking forward to a promised victory dinner aboard the ship once it got underway, but even that was denied to them. A freak storm hit the Chesapeake Bay as the vessel began its return trip to West Point. Hardly any of the cadets were interested in food as the storm violently tossed around the ship and its land-loving passengers.
When the ship again docked at West Point there was hardly a cadet who wasn’t grateful that he had chosen the Army instead of the Navy!
Richard Cacioppe commisioned as an Infantry officer in 1962. After his Army service, which included two tours of duty in Vietnam, he worked in private business as the president and CEO of several small and mid-sized companies, retiring in 2012. He is the author of three books, including his latest, Black Knights and Fighting Irish: A Rivalry, a Game, and America One Year After the End of World War II.
Glenn Davis ’47 scores Army's third touchdown of the 1944 Army-Navy Game.
