West-Point.ORG, The West Point Connection

Many, many thanks to all who have contributed to Fund Drive 35.  Donations now exceed 60% of the FD35 goal of $99,462.  You may donate to FD35 by credit card, PayPal, or check: http://www.west-point.org/donate/  ... and there's a new and exciting way that you can donate - detailed below!

Within the past decade, the concept of networking via the internet expanded exponentially ... but long, long before LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc ... West-Point.Org existed to connect grads, parents and friends of West Point (and parents of USNA). Back in the very early days of the internet, West-Point.Org was there - and remains still - quietly doing the job of connecting grads, parents and friends.

Utilizing an army of volunteers and a very small (2.5-person) paid workforce, West-Point.Org accomplishes it's mission on a daily basis - providing the online communication infrastructure that enables graduates, parents and friends of the military academy to maintain and strengthen the associations that bind us together. West-Point.Org will provide this wonderful community with any requested support, consistent with this purpose, as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Connections - such as the ability to reach out and easily disseminate information about upcoming reunions and Class or Society events; to update Class members of activities of their fellow Classmates and families; to reconnect grads who had lost touch for upwards of 40 years; to update, inform, amuse and entertain parents during the long, lonely summer of CBT and throughout the 47 month roller coaster ride; to help parents of young graduates understand how to support during deployments .... and so much more.

Support - such as a Class listserve, a website, a credit card site ... all accomplished in record time.... and never with a grumble, even when the requester is outrageous (that would have been me) and requests a credit card site to support reunion activities as soon as possible (the site was built within half-hour by Megan Klein). Support - such as driving in to "the office" in the middle of the night to kickstart a reluctant server to ensure that communications are on-going. Support - such as building the eulogy sites so that families and friends can provide solace and comfort to the bereaved. Support - such as answering that question that you think is silly, but oh, so many others had that same question and didn't ask, so are forever indebted that someone did ....

And yes, there are costs associated with West-Point.Org. While largely a volunteer organization, "someone" has to be able and willing to kickstart that reluctant server at all hours of the day or night, to build those listserves, websites and credit card sites ... to build those eulogy pages .. and to keep us, the West-Point.Org community in touch with each other 24/7. 

West-Point.Org operates on a six month budget cycle. If we don't meet our budgetary requirements during each fund drive, we cease to exist. It's as simple as that. Your donation affirms the value of the organization - affirms that while so many other methods of communication now exist, we still provide answers to questions during the dark, lonely nights and keep you in touch ....

In the past, donations to West-Point.Org during the fund drive could be made by credit card or check ... and they still can.

Now, however, there is another way that some may choose to donate - a gift of appreciated stock. If you were fortunate to purchase stock at a low price (and yes, a friend reported that he purchased some IBM at $10) you know that if you were to cash that stock in today, you could face a significant tax / capital gains .......  However, if you were to donate that share of stock, you would get the benefit of the current day price as your charitable contribution, the organization would receive that wonderful gift and there would be no tax implications. What a cost effective way to donate - a true win - win!

You may donate to FD35 by credit card, check, PayPal and now, by stock donation:

- by credit card: https://secure.west-point.org/donate

- by PayPal: http://www.west-point.org/donate/

- by check made payable to WP-ORG and sent to:

WP-ORG
3800 Buffalo Mountain Road SW
Willis, Virginia 24380-5082

- or by stock donation - contact Jack Price at < This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it >

Please be sure to indicate your affiliation and/or year group on your donation.

Please help keep the communications flowing ...

Thank you,

Megan Hostler

Col. Dane D. Rideout, commander of the USAG-WP, and Frederick H. Osborn III, chairman of the executive committee of the Constitution Island Association (CIA), jointly executed a memorandum of understanding last week. The memorandum replaces an arrangement that had expired in 2012 and had not been renewed during a period of transition. “This is another firm step forward in our renewing a healthy relationship with West Point,” said Osborn, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War. “I am glad to have the CIA working with us,” Rideout said. “We’re all anxious to improve access to beautiful Constitution Island, and to restore the Warner House, a place steeped in history and meaning.”

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If Douglas MacArthur or Ulysses S. Grant went to the U.S. Military Academy today, they might test their defensive skills hunched in front of a computer screen. Teams of caffeine-fueled cadets from five U.S. military academies spent long days in computer labs last week trying to fend off threats cooked up by experts at the National Security Agency (NSA). In the end, the West Point team won the annual Cyber Defense Exercise, beating out the Air Force, Naval, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine academies in creating the best computer networks to withstand the four-day barrage. The 14-year-old exercise lacks the lore of Army-Navy football, but not the intensity. Not only does the exercise practice the military’s broader strategy of staying ahead of the curve in cyberoperations, but the cadets also relish the chance to test their computer skills against their peers.

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Superintendents, deans of faculty, athletic directors and admission directors from all U.S. service academies gathered here for the annual Conference of Service Academy Superintendents April 9-11 to discuss issues of concern and share best practices. During the plenary session, representatives from the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Air Force Academy and Naval Academy (via video teleconference) discussed similar challenges the academies are facing, from budget cuts to sexual assault elimination and character development. "This is a historic inflection point, our academies are extremely similar," said Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson. "USAFA's essence easily translates across land, sea, and air."

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The U.S. Military Academy was awarded top honors in the Smith & Wesson hosted 2014 Joint Service Academy Combat Weapons Competition. The event took place at the Smith & Wesson Employee Shooting Sports Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, and pitted cadets from top ranking military academies from around the country in a head-to-head competition of shooting skills. But at the end of the day it was the West Point cadets that came in with the highest score. Cadets competed individually and in four-man teams and used a combination of pistols, rifles and shotguns to shoot their way through nine stages, including low-light and no-light scenarios and various physical challenges. While the West Points cadets won overall, it was Andrew Zecha who received the highest individual score.

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Once again, a graduate of the United States Military Academy graduating near the bottom of his class, proved to be one of the better Civil War generals and leader of cavalry forces facing numerous Indian enemies in our Western Frontier. As you may remember, General U.S. Grant also graduated at the bottom of his class. George Crook was commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduation in 1852, long before the beginning of the Civil War. Therefore, his first assignment was to serve in California, fighting against several Native American tribes. At the beginning of the Civil War, President Lincoln brought Crook back from his duties in the West to fight for the Union. By this time, Crook had advanced to Colonel and took command of Ohio’s 36th Regiment.

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WEST POINT, N.Y. — Col. Jeff Lieb, the deputy commandant of the United States Military Academy and a veteran of the war in Iraq, paced before a group of cadets standing in formation and shouted at them about their lives after graduation. “I took a thousand kids to war, and I brought a thousand back,” Colonel Lieb told the eager, soon-to-be second lieutenants on a recent day. “Every time I deployed, I got out there and talked to my soldiers about safety. You’re going to have to do the same thing.” Except these cadets probably will not — or at least not anytime soon. For the first time in 13 years, the best and the brightest of West Point’s graduating class will leave this peaceful Hudson River campus bound for what are likely to be equally peaceful tours of duty in the United States Army.

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WAYNE Twp. — After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Ryan Noble spent five years at Fort Hood, Texas, as a logistics officer. His duties included transport, supply and maintenance. In 2003, he was deployed to Iraq for one year in the same capacity. He describes Iraq as very third world, and outside Baghdad it was a very poor nation. “They had been under a dictatorship, so most of the people were very poor. At that time the people had a positive attitude toward Americans. There was not a lot of insurgence,” Noble said. Noble said his job was to fix everything from computers to large machines and weapons. He and his troops used diesel-powered generators and were able to repair and maintain everything that was needed.

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Former director of the National Security Agency General Keith Alexander will be Norwich University’s 2014 commencement speaker. Alexander, who completed his 39-year Army career on March 28, 2014, served as the commander of the US Cyber Command and director National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service. He was born in Syracuse, NY, and entered active duty at the US Military Academy at West Point. As commander of USCYBERCOM, Alexander planned, coordinated and conducted defense operations for US Department of Defense computer networks as directed by US Strategic Command. As the NSA director and CSS chief, he was responsible for protecting national security, foreign signals intelligence, combat support, and protecting US national security information systems.

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WEST POINT, N.Y. — President Barack Obama will give the commencement address at this year's graduation ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. White House spokesman Keith Maley made the announcement on Monday. More than 1,000 cadets are expected to graduate and be commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army after completing their 47 months at West Point.

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