Well Done?

Just got this note from AOG:

Members of the Long Gray Line:

The Superintendent announced today that he has made a decision to change the words to the Alma Mater and The Corps. Please click here to read LTG Hagenbeck’s letter to all graduates.

West Point for Thee!

Bob

Robert L. McClure ‘76
COL (USA, RET)
President & CEO
West Point Association of Graduates

To save you the trouble of following the link, here’s the letter from Supe:

2 June, 2008

Fellow members of the Long Gray Line,

I’m writing to let you know that I have in fact decided to update the lyrics to our Alma Mater and The Corps. The realization that these songs explicitly exclude our women graduates–two of whom have given their lives in battle–was the driving force behind the changes, and it’s simply the right thing to do. I have received unanimous support for this decision from the Board of Visitors and the Executive Steering Group, whose members are the Secretary of the Army, the Army Chief of Staff, and the Army Vice Chief of Staff.

Although this is America’s Academy, you, as its graduates, are critical to our continued success. Over the past five months you gave me lots of input on this issue, and I recognize that more than half of it was against this change. However, other considerations besides majority opinion–and the heartfelt support this change did receive from a good number of graduates from every era–made my decision possible.

I seriously considered, as many of you suggested, adding a verse rather than changing the current words, but that would likely underscore our differences, rather than celebrate our similarities. Many also suggested alternate word changes. Again, I considered those, but in discussions with the musicians on the staff here, particularly our Glee Club director, keeping the lyrical and metrical integrity was paramount.

The responsibility for the U.S. Corps of Cadets is mine. The decision is effective for the Corps immediately and, as Bugle Notes has already been printed, we will post an errata sheet before issuing Bugle Notes to the cadet candidates on R-Day.

Clearly the Long Gray Line has no individual leader, and as I’ve already mentioned, many of you obviously do not agree with this decision. Indeed, I expect that some of you will continue to sing these songs as you learned them years ago. In any case, I am asking for your continued support of West Point, no matter what lyrics you choose to sing. Let us shift our focus to the continuing task of producing leaders of character over a rigorous 47-month experience who will win our nation’s wars.

BEAT NAVY!

LTG F. L. Hagenbeck
Superintendent