The campaign for our $2.5 million gift to USMA at our 25th Reunion in 2014 is underway.  We are targeting a pledge of $89 per month for the next 5 years, but a donation of any amount is appreciated. 

If you missed out on your pledge card before, another will be mailed out in conjunction with a reunion information letter.  You may also download it here:   Class Gift Pledge Card (123.29 kB). 

We'll also be holding a friendly competition by company.  As of December 2008, we have 6% of the class participating.  B1 leads the corps with $21,750 donated.  Other regimental leaders are:  F2 - $1,171.59, B3 - $3,767.00, and A4 - $11,275.00.   Gift Giving by Company - As of Dec 2008 (14.46 kB)

Dr. Kevin F. Hub (A1) '89 joins best-selling authors Dr. Warren Bennis, Jack Canfield and James Kouzes in a new book on success!  Here is the press release:

RICHMOND, KENTUCKY - Madison County Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kevin F. Hub has written a chapter in the recently released Leading the Way to Success.  In the book, Leading the Way to Success, Dr. Hub gives a logical and easy to understand explanation about the advantages of focusing on the talents and strengths of individuals.  He suggests that as leaders, we should pay more attention to what we do well.  By focusing on the areas in which we have natural talent, we can become better leaders and have a more positive influence on others.

For more information and to order your copy today, please visit www.kevinhub.com or www.leadingthewaytosuccess.com .

Excellent work, Kevin!

[Email from John Tonra (B1) '89, Chair of the 25th Reunion Class Gift Committee]  I want to thank those of you that participated in the 25th Reunion Class Gift survey. Your participation is critical to the process, and will become even more critical as we begin actively raising money for the gift.  We had a total of 249 classmates take the survey -- representing approximately 25% of our graduating class.
 
Based on the results of the survey, the Class of ’89 will be raising money for the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC).  It received 49% of the class vote allocation -- recall that on the survey people allocated points across the gifts, rather than just selecting the one that they wanted.  The CTC received broad support as well in that 78% of the survey participants gave at least some points towards its selection.  Both of these measures were significantly higher than either of the other two gift options.  It is a gift we will all be proud to present to the Academy for our 25th Reunion. 

With sadness we report the death of another classmate, LTC Troy Anthony Faber (I2) '89.  We have very few details to pass along, other than he died suddenly in the DC area either on 28 June (according to the funeral home's web site) or 1 July (according to the Washington Post obituary). 

Troy's ashes will be interned at Arlington National Cemetery with full honors later this year.  In lieu of flowers donations be made to the Wounded Warriors.

Just as we do for any fallen classmate, WP-ORG has established a eulogy page for Troy at

http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1989/46158/

Please leave some thoughts and memories for his family on that site.  It will bring some measure of comfort in their time of grief.

George Will wrote a column in the Washington Post on July 6th called "The Knock on the Door" in homage to LTC Jim Walton (G4).  Jim will be laid to rest at Arlington later this week.

Jay Folk (G3) '89 retrieved a copy of our Class Constitution from the WPAOG.  We've added this to a new section on the web site called "Class Documents", and the latest of any documents added will be listed on the web site in a section at the right.

With great sadness we report the death of LTC James J. Walton (G4) '89.  Jim was one of four soldiers killed by an IED and small arms fire on June 21, 2008, in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Please keep his wife, Sarah, in your thoughts and prayers.

ABC affiliate WJLA TV has an article and related news coverage on Jim's passing.  It tells a story of Jim's passion for his soldiers and how he was featured last month on an Albany, NY, radio station's American Heroes segment. 

You may post memories or a eulogy to Jim on his eulogy page.

Well done.  Be thou at peace.

This is interesting...USMA is rebranding itself as West Point. 

According to recent surveys, it seems people know the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy and that other place, near Highland Falls, where the Army trains its elite officers. 

The institution is promoting "West Point," which rolls a little easier off the tongue, over the U.S. Military Academy, or USMA (pronounced yoose-ma), for short.

Read the entire article online.

Crain's New York Business reports that Joe Doran (H4) '89 is preparing to launch a new company. 

Former Microsoft heavyweight Joe Doran is moving to the Big Apple to launch Media6Degrees, a startup to help companies sharpen their ad strategies.

Congratulations, Joe!  Read the entire article.

Tom Deierlein (C1) '89 and the TD Foundation, a not-for-profit named for Tom with a mission to help needy Iraqi families and children with their most basic living needs including medical care, has recently created a partnership with Soccer Moms from Fair Haven, New Jersey to donate soccer uniforms, balls and equipment to children in Baghdad.

Cip Jungberg (B3) '89 has just arrived in Iraq to work as a civilian on a reconstruction team.  Friends may communicate with him at his blog:  http://jungberg.blogspot.com/.