West-Point.ORG, The West Point Connection

“In Iraq when people would meet me for the first time at first they’d say, ‘You’re so small!’ but as you work with them they begin to realize that character, confidence, and courage have no size or gender,” said Candor native Becky Halstead. As a barely 5-foot-tall female, Halstead, who recently published “24/7: The First Person You Must Lead is You,” doesn’t look like your typical army general. Not only is she a general, though, but she’s also the first female to graduate West Point and become a general.

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Longtime Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, often referred to as Coach K, will go down in history as one of the game’s greats. After playing for Bob Knight at the United States Military Academy, Krzyzewski went on to coach, eventually breaking his former coach’s record to become the winningest men’s basketball coach in NCAA Division I history. At Duke, where he has coached since 1980, Krzyzewski has led the team to four NCAA championships, thirteen ACC championships, and eleven Final Fours.

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Author and Boston University professor of international relations and history Andrew J. Bacevich will deliver a lecture titled “The New American Militarism” as part of the University of Montana President’s Lecture Series at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Dennison Theater. Bacevich is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and received his doctorate in American diplomatic history from Princeton University. Before joining Boston University, he taught at West Point and Johns Hopkins University. He currently teaches courses on American military experience and foreign policy.

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A sergeant responsible for advising students at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., has pleaded guilty in a case that included accusations that he secretly videotaped female cadets, some as they undressed in the locker room, and will serve a 33-month sentence, the Army said Thursday. Sgt. First Class Michael McClendon will be reduced in rank to private before being thrown out of the Army with a bad-conduct discharge after serving out his sentence, officials said. Those punishments were handed down after a general court-martial was convened at Fort Drum, N.Y., on Wednesday. In accordance with a pretrial agreement and a guilty plea to one charge with eight specifications of committing indecent acts, Sergeant McClendon’s confinement for five years was reduced to 33 months.

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For a place renowned for its monochromatic palette, the United States Military Academy at West Point is a remarkably vibrant establishment. From a distance, its striking Gothic architecture cuts an impressive if not formidable figure against the backdrop of the snow-capped Catskills, instilling a sense of awe and trepidation in all who approach its hallowed halls for the first time. This past weekend, a whole new group of people were inaugurated into the West Point experience as the Academy hosted its fourth West Point Model United Nations Invitational (formerly known as WPSC, now WPMUNI), giving delegates the unique opportunity to develop a more colorful view of the Long Gray Line.

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The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Wednesday promoted its Aviation Division's interim director, a former Army helicopter pilot with nearly 30 years' tenure, to the post permanently, officials said. Thomas L. Bosco, a U.S. Military Academy graduate, previously was LaGuardia Airport's general manager. He became interim director of the Port Authority's aviation division in July 2013, when Susan Baer left. Bosco, who received a Bronze Star Medal for his service in Operation Desert Storm/Shield, in an interview said his new post was a "dream job," despite criticism that the authority's airports -- among the world's busiest -- are substandard.

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For the first two and a half rounds of his February 12 bout against veteran Donald "Bulldog" Ward, rising junior middleweight Captain Boyd "Rainmaker" Melson appeared en-route to another impressive victory. In the second, Melson nearly stopped Ward and was seeking to score a knockout in the Roseland Ballroom's final fight. This was until an unexpected injury completely debilitated the 2003 West Point Graduate. In the third round with the fight in his control, Melson's entire right arm was temporarily paralyzed after throwing a hook. Shockingly, Melson was diagnosed after the fight with a stretched brachial plexus, which controls all of the movement and feeling from his collar bone down to his fingertips. From that moment forward, he was unable to throw jabs or his trademark check-hooks, as his right arm literally dangled at his side. Realizing his foe was at a major disadvantage, Ward looked to turn the tides.

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When oldest brother, Capt. Charles “Charlie” Thomson, went to the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in summer 2003, no one would have imagined the closest distance between all three Thomson brothers, including 1st Lt. William “Billy” Thomson and 2nd Lt. Joseph “Joe” Thomson, in the next 10 years would be from Kuwait to Afghanistan. The brothers, all graduates of Waukesha West High School, are the three children of Jeff and Judy Thomson from Waukesha, Wis. Although the family is geographically separated, both parents are honored by their sons’ selfless service. Judy, a middle-school teacher, and her husband, Jeff, participate in numerous military events throughout the year to express their appreciation for the men and women in uniform. Fast-forward to early 2014 and the active-duty junior officers are all currently deployed in Southwest Asia supporting the war on terror.

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Sixteen-year Federal market veteran Kyle Scott has joined Telos Identity Management Solutions, LLC, as vice president for strategy and business development. "Kyle has an impressive track record winning and executing business in our industry," said Telos ID President and General Manager Mark Griffin. "His strong understanding of the federal market and his proven ability to position technologies and services to drive business and increase value for the customer will propel our future growth." A former Army officer and graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Scott joins Telos ID from QinetiQ North America, where he was director of business development, and he led business development efforts supporting the Department of Homeland Security.

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Jovan Dewitt, the defensive coordinator at Florida Atlantic last season and Bob Bodine, who most recently served as offensive coordinator at The Citadel, have joined the Army coaching staff, head coach Jeff Monken announced. Dewitt joins the Army staff with an array of experience. Last year, Florida Atlantic posted a four-game winning streak and ended the season 6-6 with victories over Southern Mississippi, South Florida, Tulane and New Mexico State among others. The Owls allowed just 161 passing yards per contest and 185 yards per game on the ground.

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