Efaw Daughters Featured in NYT Magazine

Alexandra ’14, Anastasia ’16, and Arianna Efaw ’17 are 3 of the 6 featured women cadets in a great photo essay in the NYT Magazine titled “The Women of West Point”.  Fantastic job by the NYT and also by Amy Blanchard Efaw (H3) ’89 and Andy Efaw (H4) ’89 for raising such great kids.  The journalist followed the women throughout the past year. Check it out in today’s print version or online at http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/09/04/magazine/women-of-west-point.html.

Wreath-Laying Ceremony A Huge Success

We started off our 25th reunion year with a great event in Washington, DC — a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Saturday, 24 May 2014.  The Fife & Drum Corps and the US Army Drill Team performed prior to the ceremonANC 2014 Wreath-Layingy.

COL James Markert (H2 ’89) was the Regimental Commander, 3d US Infantry Regt, “The Old Guard”, at the time and he coordinated with Dave Kammen (F1, ’89), Director of Operations & Plans at Arlington National Cemetery, to schedule this event.

Over 50 classmates aANC 2014 Groupnd even more family members attended the day’s events, ending up at the O-Club for a few drinks. Make sure to join us next time!  There’s no place like Arlington on Memorial Day Weekend.

Paul Finken’s (H1) Family Featured in NYT Article

The New York Times featured the Finken’s in a recent article about how families carry on in the years after a loss.

The moment capsulized one family’s self-guided journey through loss. Over six years, Mrs. Finken and her daughters, ages 14, 12 and 10, have struggled through different phases of mourning, sometimes together, sometimes on individual calendars. But the one constant has been their determination to remember, without letting memory become a millstone.

“I don’t want to squeeze the life out of the memories, because I want them to still be precious and mean something,” Mrs. Finken said. “I also don’t want the memories to drag us down. Because memories can do that sometimes.”

Read the full article online.

Current Class Gift Giving Stats

The most current stats for giving toward the 25th-Year Class Gift can be found in the Class Gift Giving Stats by CDT CO document in the Document Links section.  B1 leads the way, followed by F1, H3, and B4.  H3 leapfrogged several companies to take 3rd place — way to go!  We still have a long way to go to reach the goal — please use the 25th-Year Class Gift Pledge Card to make your next donation.

Tim Seitz (D4) Passes

With great sadness we report the passing of our classmate, Tim Seitz (D4). He is survived by his wife, Wendy Beth and their three children, Kaleigh (12), Jason (9) and Gabrielle (7). The Richmond VA Times reports that his remains rest at Bliley’s-Staples Mill (8510 Staples Mill, Richmond VA) where the family will receive friends on Thursday, December 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. A Celebration of Tim’s Life will be held on Friday December 7, at 10 a.m. at Three Chopt Rd. Church of Christ at 9500 Three Chopt Rd. Interment will be at Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia at 2 p.m.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesdispatch/obituary.aspx?pid=161495752

If you have some stories or thoughts about Tim, please take a moment to leave a eulogy on his page at http://defender.west-point.org/service/eulogies.mhtml?u=46733 so that his family and friends can see the impact that Tim’s life had on us. Tim’s friends may also enjoy reading some thoughts that his fellow board-gamers have posted in the past few days at http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/892577/tim-seitz-out4blood-r-i-p/page/1 , where they talk about his love of gaming and his intelligence, patience, and leadership in that community.

Well done, Tim. Be thou at peace.

Tom Maiwald (H2) Loses Battle With Cancer

It is great sadness that I send this message. Tom Maiwald (H2) lost his courageous 16-year battle with colon cancer on Thursday, April 12th. He leaves behind his wife, Amy, and their two children, Abby and Nate, so please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. But he also leaves us with a truly inspiring story of courage, determination, hope and faith that he carried with him throughout his journey, and that inspiration will live on in those he touched.

Tom’s wife Amy posted the following on their CaringBridge site [http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tommaiwald]:

My head and heart are trying to wrap around the idea that Tom is really gone from my sight. Meanwhile life continues and there are decisions to be made and services to plan. So, I am trying to keep up with it all.
Services:
Sunday April 15th, 7pm Memorial visitation with the family at Perimeter Church Chapel, 9500 Medlock Bridge Rd. Johns Creek, GA 30097. At 7:30pm time of sharing/story telling will begin.
Monday April 16th, 10:30am Memorial Service at Perimeter Church main sanctuary. Reception to follow.
Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words. God is providing peace. 

Class Gift Giving Stats as of March 2012

The most current stats for giving toward the 25th-Year Class Gift can be found in the Class Gift Giving Stats by CDT CO document in the Document Links section.  B1 leads the way, followed by F1, B4, and A3.  We still have a long way to go to reach the goal — please use the 25th-Year Class Gift Pledge Card to make your next donation.

Mike Sullivan (B4) Named Bucs Offensive Coordinator

Mike Sullivan (B4) ’89 followed up the NY Giants second Super Bowl victory during his coaching tenure by becoming the new Offensive Coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“We are very fortunate to add someone like Mike Sullivan to lead our offensive coaching staff,” Bucs coach Greg Schiano said. “He is a man of character and a complete football coach who fits the kind of football team we’re building here.  His work with the Giants over the past eight seasons speaks for itself. Mike was an integral part of that team winning two Super Bowls in the last five years, and we look forward to him bringing that experience and expertise to our club.”

Now we all have a reason to cheer for the Bucs!  Read more online in this local article, or do a search on Google News for lots more.

 

Dr. Hon Pak (H3) Named CEO of Diversinet

Dr. Hon Pak (H3) ’89 was formally named CEO of Diversinet, a leader in secure mobile health.

After a distinguished 28 year career with the U.S. Army, Pak, now 48, brings to Diversinet accomplishments including appointments as the first physician Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Army Medical Department as well as the Army’s first Chief Medical Information Officer. In addition he has held prestigious positions outside the Army such as president and board member of the American Telemedicine Association.

Great job, Hon! Read more in this press release.

COL Jeffrey Hutchinson (B4) Receives Award

COL Jeffrey Hutchinson (B4) ’89, Chief of Adolescent Medicine at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, M.D., will receive the Medical Leadership Award during the 26th annual Black Engineer of the Year Award STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Conference Technology Career Fair and Expo.

Hutchinson oversees the direct care of more than 2,000 patients, mostly between the ages of 13 and 25, in his current post at Walter Reed. And without his strong science background, Hutchinson wouldn’t be able to do what he thoroughly enjoys doing.

“Walter Reed is a Department of Defense facility, where we treat those that are retired, about to be retired and their children,” Hutchinson said. “But people don’t realize that almost half of those currently enlisted are under 35, and that’s the group that I consult on.

“That’s the reason I even got into adolescent medicine,” Hutchinson continued. “To reach kids that are right on the cusp of becoming adults — and I also deal with kids that may have made some bad decisions — but a bad decision at 14 is much different than a lifetime of bad decisions at 45.”

Way to go, Jeff.  Read more details in the Philly Tribune’s article.