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How Can I Help WP-ORG?
- Donate to one of WP-ORG's semi-annual fund drives.
- Buy anything at Amazon.com through our Gradstore affilate program.
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- Send a message to
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to inquire about advertising rates on WP-ORG.
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SAM MEYER '62, his wife Loretta, and Sam Price (center)
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I have stood in the area between the barracks of West Point and in the
sallyports. I have heard the rumblings of cadets going to and fro as
the sun rises over the Hudson, just as they have for over 200 years. I
am not a graduate of West Point, but I have seen into the heart of the
Academy through their eyes and their words. I have touched the bricks in
the attic of the 1st Division and read a thousand names and class years
on those bricks. I have searched for crawlspaces in closet panels, used
for spirit missions. I've held a map to the steam tunnels in my hand
that has been used by cadets on a mission (called moles), and I have
read the words and poems of old graduates, and graduates long dead. I
have gone through boxes of photos, poems, and letters in the library
archives. I thumbed through a textbook that Patton wrote notes in. I
have slept in homes on Professor's row, and in other homes on post. I
have had coffee in the kitchen of the Superintendent, and attended a
meeting with every Professor who could attend, in the Commandant's
office. I have had the honor of speaking with Generals and diplomats. I
had the great honor of being a guest at the 50th reunion of the class of
'51. I have known many of the people whose names are now etched in
stone in the cemetery. I visit them sometimes. Yes, I have experienced
the handshake that comes from the shadows as I explored secret places
within West Point. All of this, because of WP-ORG.
WP-ORG is near the completion of its fund drive. The first person to
donate to the WP-ORG fund drive following this message will receive a
complimentary signed copy of the book "Memories and Traditions, The Real
West Point Story", written and published by the late LTC Richard C.
Breakiron, USMA 1951 and me.
http://www.west-point.org/donate/
Published in 2002, this book is no longer in print, and while there are
a few for sale online, there are only 25 new books in existence. It is a
hardbound book with an embossed image of the cadet chapel on the cover.
The work we did on the book is a memory I will always have to cherish.
The stories that appeared in the book came from graduates, and came
about because of a website hosted by WP-ORG. They are the stories of
cadet life through the years. Pranks, memories, tributes, and history.
WP-ORG (http://www.west-point.org) hosts lists and forums you are
subscribed to. We host class lists, parent lists (USMA and USNA), lists
for societies, reunions, ring recovery, military related job contacts,
academy sports, politics, finances, special interests, health, class
widows, and many more. While you may not realize it, WP-ORG is working
in the background to provide you with information and services. We
provide email addresses to graduates at no charge. We host websites for
graduates, societies, and parent clubs at no charge. Quietly in the
background, our servers are busy working for you. Twice each year we
have a fund drive to pay for the servers and employees that keep WP-ORG
working.
What Academy related organization answers your calls personally early in
the day and late at night, week days and weekends, and doesn't hang a
"closed" sign? What Academy related organization does everything
possible to provide you with so many services at no charge? Only one
that I know of: WP-ORG.
To cadet and midshipmen parents who are reading this: I am, and was,
nothing more than a parent such as yourself. In the days before
Facebook, WP-ORG gave parents a place to ask questions and share the
experience of having a cadet at USMA. Those WP-ORG lists exist today,
which is most likely how you are receiving this note. They are quieter
now, but I was very glad when my child was serving in Iraq and
Afghanistan, that our names and any association with West Point was
safely on private servers, and not on an open social media page for
anyone to see. Information on the WP-ORG parent lists are always
timely, accurate and secure. I hope you find value in that. As the
parent of a graduate, I was blessed more than I could ever express,
because of WP-ORG. It was through WP-ORG that circumstances led to a
book. A book that took years to compile, and changed my life in ways I
can't express. Why I was given that gift, I will never know, but I will
be forever grateful.
As I said in the beginning, to the first person to donate after this
email is sent, I will send a copy of the book (I will contact you via
your email address), and in memory of LTC Richard C. Breakiron, I will
also send a second book to the person whose donation brings this fund
drive to a close. We are at _____% as of this writing. We end the fund
drive at 100% of our goal. Please donate today, so that we may get down
to the business of just serving you.
Donation page for all payment methods (credit card, check or PayPal):
http://www.west-point.org/donate
If donating by check, please indicate class year and affiliation:
WP-ORG
3800 Buffalo Mountain Road SW
Willis, VA 24380-5082
FD41 Donation Report, sorted by WP-ORG member group, etc.:
https://secure.west-point.org/donate/report/
WP-ORG Budget April 1, 2017 - September 31, 2017:
http://www.west-point.org/budget
What is WP-ORG?:
http://www.west-point.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=66&Itemid=73
With affection,
Dian Welle
WP-ORG, Inc.
------------------ UPDATE ------------------
The recipient of the first book was J.D. Leamon, USMA '96 |
If you are receiving this
message you are a beneficiary of one of the earliest networking groups
on the Internet, going back 1995. Over 20 years ago. Long before
Facebook, Skype, and other social networking gateways.
Reflecting
on preparing this message, I was mulling over the unbelievable good
fortune that opened life's opportunities when I qualified to walk
through Thayer Gate back in 1960. I was an Army brat and had been
baptized in Army green, had admired older grads, and wanted the toughest
challenges life could bring. I went from being a big fish in a small
pond to just the opposite. Now, pick whatever standard, and there was
someone out there who could stomp me. And, we were told, a third of us
would be gone by graduation. (True)
But, the
biggest shock was the loss of family and friend networking. I had
entered another World. The Army Navy game got us off post, but Christmas
(before it became Winter Holiday) did not. Everyone went home except
the plebes. Letters were cheap, but phone calls were horrendously
expensive.
As much as West Point has changed,
the connectivity has changed more. WP-ORG was a big part of this.
When AOG deferred going onto the internet in '95, a group of graduates
and cadet parents started what became WP-ORG. The protocol was to have a
volunteer moderator for each list. We currently have 221 moderators
who have accepted the challenge. Those groups have received immense
benefits over the years. My own class has innumerable social events
that have held the class together and continue to bind us to West
Point. My only regret is for those groups who never stood up
moderators.
Today, our domain includes cadet
families, West Point classes, eulogy pages, parent clubs, discussion
forums, and credit card sites in support of all those. Additionally, we
also support Navy parents, war orphans from WWII, and families of
Japanese POWs.
Our primary user groups are
Army/Navy parents and USMA graduates. I hope you know how special you
are. The parents for producing such marvelous kids, the cadets for
having risen to the top, and the graduates for having served their
Nation so well, in peace and war. Many people go through life, never
being challenged nor realizing their potential. However you may have
answered the question "What is the purpose of life?", those of us in
this group have been blessed with ample tools to pursue that purpose.
To
the extent that WP-ORG has helped to expand your horizons, bonding you
with other members of our community, and helped you help others, please
donate to support WP-ORG operations through September 30:
"Beeman Buffalo Jack" Price '64 CFO WP-ORG INC on Buffalo Mountain _______________________________________________________________
FD41 Donation Report, sorted by WP-ORG member group:
WP-ORG Budget April 1, 2017 - September 30, 2017: |
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Donation link to contribute to FD41: http://www.west-point.org/donate
Earlier this week, a video flashed across my Twitter feed of CDT
Evan Collier '18 setting a new Indoor Obstacle Course Test
(IOCT) record with a time of 1:57! Check out this link to see this
young man fly through all of those obstacles -- https://twitter.com/WestPoint_USMA/status/858087234720993281.
Amazing effort and work!
For those of us who have experienced the IOCT, it needs no
introduction -- and I'm sure that there are many who would like to
forget it. But for the parents and friends of West Point who use
WP-ORG's services and are getting this fund drive message, a
little background is in order. The IOCT has been run in that same
West Point gym since 1944 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indoor_Obstacle_Course_Test],
and the test has changed very little since 1948. It consists of 11
events, testing each cadet's fitness, agility, and balance. When I
would run it back in the '80s, I remember coming off of the ladder
rungs (event #9) and starting up the rope climb (#10) feeling both
relief that the last event was coming up -- the exhausting 3
sprinted laps around the upper track -- but also some apprehension
because this is where you could make or break your final grade. As
they say, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. 
How does this tie into my fund-raising message for WP-ORG? This
week, we're at 2/3's of our fund-raising goal to provide
services to grads, parents, and friends of West Point for the
next six months. In IOCT terms, we're climbing that rope and
getting ready to find out what we have left in the tank for
those final three laps. Let's see what we can do to finish out
strong!
If you've found value in our services -- from hosting class/parent/society
web sites to providing email discussion forums to
helping collect money for reunions, society events,
class pistols, or bus tickets to get your cadets to the
airport or home on leave, etc. -- please
consider a tax-deductible donation to our 501(c)(3)
organization. Please see the block below my
signature for ways to do so.
Sincerely,
Warren Hearnes '89
Donate to FD41
Donation page linking to all payment methods (credit
card, check or PayPal): http://www.west-point.org/donate
WP-ORG
3800 Buffalo Mountain Road SW
Willis, VA 24380-5082
After entering Donation Amount, login to PayPal account. On
next screen, please click on "Add special instructions to the
seller"; enter class year and affiliation, and comment if you
wish.
Other links:
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We typically use our fund drive messages to tell you who we are, inform you about our services, and introduce you to new projects. We are always working on ideas for something new to benefit the greater West Point community. It came to our attention that there is no organization which has the cadet photos of every deceased class member online. We have been working with a few of our older classes to place a photo on the WP-ORG eulogy page and personal home page of every deceased member of the class. I'm very excited about this. The class of '51 and '55 are complete. I already have a number of classes preparing to send us photos of their entire class so that we may get that work done for them. It is daunting work, but it's a true labor of love.
Did you know that WP-ORG will never charge you or your family to add photographs to the web pages of deceased graduates? Classmates and/or family may send us any image(s) they wish to have included on the home page. We are more than happy to do this as a service to our graduates.
When I came to WP-ORG as a plebe mother in 1998, I knew nothing of West Point and only a spattering about those who were educated there. To say my life has become richer is an understatement. As one of the 2.5 employees, my day often starts at or before 7 AM. I have no regular office hours, therefore, I can often be found writing or speaking to someone late in the evening or early morning with a call from a graduate trying to establish an on-line connection with family and friends through email accounts, email lists, blogs, or web sites. Working from home allows for, and requires, a great deal of flexibility, but the benefit, is that I am always available, or, in the rare event I am not, I can quickly respond, no matter the day of the week. I establish the eulogy page for every West Point graduate who dies. It is my honor to do so. You can find them here:
What is my function at WP-ORG? The best way to sum it up, is that we try to provide you with what you need from an online communications organization. Our mission is to have a "can-do" attitude to what you ask of us. I have met many of you through our email exchanges and phone calls. I enjoy working with and speaking with a community that has the focus of "Duty, Honor, Country." I answer the emails and I answer the phones for WP-ORG. There is no telephone tree to go through and no operator. When you call or write to WP-ORG, you get me. We have a variety of ways you may contact us, but one thing we promise, is that a real person will respond. Typically that person is me, and I will put you in contact with another person in the event I am unable to assist you.
The best way to contact us is via email @
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
If you need to speak to us (Pacific time, please): 208-263-8063 (office) 661-917-2441 (Dian's cell)
Donations keep WP-ORG doing what it does, so twice a year we reach out through a fund drive to ask you for donations to keep us going. To donate via credit card or PayPal, learn more about the budget and see the donation report:
To donate via check: WP-ORG INC 3800 Buffalo Mountain Road SW Willis, VA 24380
Thank you for your coninued support, and for being a part of WP-ORG.
With affection and respect, Dian Welle IT Manager, WP-ORG, Inc. |
Bottom Line Up Front: It's that time of year again - the twice annual justification for the existence of WP-ORG through your continued support. Donation Link: http://www.west-point.org/donate/
WP-ORG was created when the internet was in its infancy. It was, for many years, the only internet based resource connecting grads, and subsequently parents. There are obviously many internet modes of communication now - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Message Boards ... and the list goes on and on.
How does WP-ORG continue to exist and what does it provide that other avenues do not? Simply put - real people. WP-ORG is unique in that the majority of "work" is done by scores of wonderful volunteer moderators, who manage their various listserves. Our volunteers are backed up by other "real people" - real people who provide customer service and ensure that your privacy is maintained while using the services of WP-ORG. Real people - dedicated people who are immediately responsive to requests, who are innovative problem solvers, who are do-ers.
WP-ORG operates its daily business with only 2.5 paid employees - two IT gurus and our financial officer. There have been many times - admittedly, all too many times, that I have contacted Megan Klein, asking for assistance on something I needed - yesterday. My phone calls and pleas for assistance do not roll to an answering machine - they are responded to by a live, caring, professional. All too many nights, Megan toils far in to the night, working on projects for Classes, Societies and Parent Clubs. Similarly, Dian Welle is there to answer the call when the request is in her area of expertise. Jack Price, our very under paid "half time" employee spends countless hours doing all things financial - including handling all the Federal Firearms License (FFL) issues attendant to getting the Class pistols to the many customers of the USMA Pistol Team - cadets, parents and grads alike.
Another facet of WP-ORG that distinguishes it from other internet based enterprises is emphasis on ensuring your privacy. WP-ORG is run by grads and parents and a West Point community who believe in the importance of privacy. Our servers are under the complete control of graduates. WP-ORG does not mine data or email stored on our servers. WP-ORG does not sell information to anyone. Data collected on our registration sites is passed directly to the parent or graduate organization represented for a clearly identified purpose. WP-ORG lists are run by graduates or parents who tightly control the membership on their lists - parent lists have cadet parents as members and class lists have classmates.
YOUR reason for being a member of West-Point.Org is the value you see in the various forums you participate in. Your seamless access to safe, secure communication is insured by these same real people - customer service at its best with an eye toward ensuring your privacy and internet security.
To donate via credit card or PayPal, learn more about the budget and see the donation report:
To donate via check: WP-ORG INC 3800 Buffalo Mountain Road SW Willis, VA 24380
Thank you for helping us continue to serve you.
Megan Hostler West-Point.Org Advisor Parent Forum CoModerator Plebe Net CoModerator Prospective-Net CoModerator USMAPS-Net CoModerator
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And consider the following other ways to support WP-ORG:
West Point Society and Parent Club Online Registration and Payment: Take registration for your events online. WP-ORG does the work for 2.5%. Authorize Net clears the cards for 2.5%. You have stress-free registration and the money is in your hands at the beginning of every month. Take a look at the income section of WP-ORG's budget: http://www.west-point.org/budget/ and note that the $14,600 for "CC Sites" is 0.025% of the half million dollars we collect for societies and parent clubs every six months. Using WP-ORG for your event registration is a great way to simplify your life AND support WP-ORG. Ping me to get started:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
AmazonSmile: I don't know about you but my garage is littered with Amazon boxes. If UPS and FedEx are always walking up your steps with another smiley-faced brown box, you could help WP-ORG through the AmazonSmile program. From a buying standpoint, AmazonSmile is identical to Amazon - same prices, same products. From a giving standpoint, eligible purchases at AmazonSmile result in a 0.5% donation to your selected charity. Click on this link ( http://smile.amazon.com/ch/51-0387132 ) to set WP-ORG as your selected charity and remember to shop at smile.amazon.com . |
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The FBI released an archive of photos showing the devastation at the Pentagon in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks. A total of 27 photos were uploaded to the FBI website "FBI Records: The Vault" under the page name "9/11 Attacks and Investigation Images." The photos show fragments of American Airlines flight 77, which left Dulles Airport outside Washington, D.C., around 8:51 a.m. ET that morning. While on its way to Los Angeles, the plane was hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists and crashed into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. ET. Efforts by firefighters to combat the ensuing blaze and emergency responders rushing to the scene are included in the collection. Read More... |
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The Pentagon has quietly implemented a series of changes to its awards policy for troops involved in combat, establishing new criteria for recognizing contributions both on and off the battlefield.
Commanders may now recommend their troops for 12 types of awards affixed with new "C" or "R" devices, products of an internal review focused on honoring drone operators, cyber warfare specialists and others who use emerging technology to influence the battlefield in unconventional ways. The former, which stands for "combat," signifies meritorious performance "under combat conditions" while the latter, which stands for "remote," is reserved for those “not directly exposed to hostile action or significant risk."
Equally noteworthy, the Pentagon's guidance establishes new eligibility rules for awarding medals with the coveted "V" device intended to recognize valorous combat actions taken at great risk and under duress. Service specific Achievement Medals are no longer eligible for a "V," only a "C" or "R," a decision some may call controversial. That's true now, too, for the Legion of Merit, heretofore awarded with a "V" only by the Navy and Marine Corps. However, each of the services is clear to award the Distinguished Flying Cross with "V," as the Air Force has since for heroism dating to the Korean War.
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Soldiers will soon be wearing a helmet that’s up to 24 percent lighter than the current 15-year-old model, according to the Army.
The Advanced Combat Helmet Generation II looks the same as the legacy ACH, but the new helmet is made from polyethylene instead of Kevlar, PEO Soldier experts told reporters during a media roundtable Thursday at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. “The goal is to achieve a lighter-weight helmet with equal to or greater protection [than the legacy ACH],” said Maj. Brandon Motte, assistant project manager at Soldier Protective Equipment.
An extra-large legacy helmet weighs 3.88 pounds, he said, but an extra-large Gen II helmet weighs 2.94 pounds, which equals a 24 percent reduction in weight. The small and medium helmets see a 21 percent reduction in weight. |
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Recent Fallen Grads
- MAJ William R. Lamdin USA (Retired), USMA1950: 19 Jul 1925 - 26 Nov 2017
- COL Anthony G. Pokorny Jr. USA (Retired), USMA1959: 03 Jun 1937 - 21 Jun 2017
- GEN Robert M. Shoemaker USA (Retired), USMA1946: 18 Feb 1924 - 21 Jun 2017
- COL Edward B. Howard USA (Retired), USMA1949: 13 Sep 1925 - 20 Jun 2017
- Dr. David L. Dickey USAR(Retired), USMA1976: 12 Aug 1954 - 19 Jun 2017
- BG Frank E. Blazey USA (Retired), USMA1946: 03 Oct 1924 - 19 Jun 2017
- COL Gerald L. Jagrowski USAF (Retired), USMA1957: 19 May 1933 - 17 Jun 2017
- COL Harlan W. Tucker USA (Retired), USMA1946: 15 Apr 1923 - 17 Jun 2017
- Mr. Bruce F. Erion, USMA1968: 10 Jun 1946 - 15 Jun 2017
- Mr. Daniel E. Carter, USMA1958: 31 Dec 1932 - 15 Jun 2017
- Mr. Robert W. Buckner, USMA1957: 28 Jan 1935 - 13 Jun 2017
- Mr. Charles H. Bell, USMA1950: 24 Mar 1927 - 13 Jun 2017
- Mr. Alex G. Sung, USMA1982: 14 Apr 1960 - 12 Jun 2017
- Mr. Gordon M. Hahn, USMA1952: 31 Aug 1928 - 12 Jun 2017
- COL Harry P. Ball USA (Retired), USMA1947: 13 Aug 1925 - 11 Jun 2017
- Joseph W. Hutchinson, Jr. USA(Medically Retired), USMA1951: 11 Feb 1928 - 11 Jun 2017
- Dr. Richard R. Garay, USMA1969: 15 Jan 1947 - 10 Jun 2017
- COL Heath Twichell Jr. USA (Retired), USMA1956: 13 Oct 1934 - 10 Jun 2017
- COL Thomas P. Martin USAF (Retired), USMA1954: 12 Jun 1930 - 10 Jun 2017
- Mr. Charles P. Skouras Jr., USMA1948: 18 Nov 1925 - 09 Jun 2017
- LTC Leslie H. Hendrickson Jr. USAF(Retired), USMA1944: 13 Jun 1922 - 09 Jun 2017
- COL George A. Gardes Jr. USA (Retired), USMA1968: 07 Apr 1946 - 07 Jun 2017
- Mr. Ollin K. Dozier, USMA1953: 15 May 1929 - 06 Jun 2017
- Mr. Franklin D. Canterbury Jr., USMA1981: 23 Mar 1959 - 05 Jun 2017
- LTC Carl W. Sullinger USA (Retired), USMA1958: 15 Aug 1934 - 05 Jun 2017
- COL Robert E. Baden USA(Retired), USMA1943JAN: 03 Sep 1920 - 05 Jun 2017
- Mr. Jeffrey C. Burg, USMA1994: 19 Jul 1968 - 04 Jun 2017
- LTC Jeb S. Downing USA (Retired), USMA1990: 30 Jun 1968 - 03 Jun 2017
- COL Arnim L. Brantley USAF (Retired), USMA1951: 03 Apr 1928 - 02 Jun 2017
- COL Joseph W. House USA (Retired), USMA1957: 31 Oct 1931 - 02 Jun 2017
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