USMA Class of 1999 Ten Year Reunion

It looks like it’s time for the Class of 1999 blog to be put to some real use. Khanh Diep, our class secretary, sent out an email to the Class of 1999 AOG distro list with some details that I’ll repeat here.

The reunion will be October 1-4, 2009. We’ll be watching an entirely new and improved (complete with new offense) Army football team play Tulane. There’s a survey on the AOG homepage that everyone is asked to complete. You can find it by following this link:

http://www.westpointaog.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=2805&srcid=2805

..and logging in with your cullum number and password. If you have problems logging in, contact AOG and they’ll give you some help.

USMA Update

Here’s an interesting update written by Larry Smith ‘62.

1. There has just been a change of the Commandant at USMA. Robert Caslan ‘76, the former Commandant, has been promoted to Major General and has departed USMA to take command of the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. His replacement, as of 6 May 2008, is Brigadier General Mike Linnington ‘80.

General Linnington comes to West Point from his previous position as a Special Assistant to the Army Vice Chief of Staff in Washington, DC. BG Linnington is the 71st. Commandant of Cadets at USMA.

Read the rest of this entry »

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

Read the rest of this entry »

Offensive Language

The Supe, LTG Hagenbeck, has indicated that he wants to revise the lyrics to the alma mater and The Corps to remove gender-specific language. Such phrases as (stop reading now if you have a weak stomach) “Guide us, thy sons, aright“, “The men of the Corps, long dead“, and “The last man feels to his marrow” will be carefully scrubbed to remove their exclusionary language. Read here for details.

Also, as a side note, could the Army Song be in the crosshairs as well? Take a look at the lyrics and decide for yourself:

Verse:
March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free.
Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory.
We’re the Army and proud of our name!
We’re the Army and proudly proclaim:

First Chorus:
First to fight for the right,
And to build the Nation’s might,
And The Army Goes Rolling Along.
Proud of all we have done,
Fighting till the battle’s won,
And the Army Goes Rolling Along.

Refrain:
Then it’s hi! hi! hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong;
For where’er we go,
You will always know
That The Army Goes Rolling Along.

Second Chorus:
Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks,
San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks,
And the Army went rolling along.
Minute men, from the start,
Always fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along.

Refrain:
(same as above)

Third Chorus:
Men in rags, men who froze,
Still that Army met its foes,
And the Army went rolling along.
Faith in God, then we’re right,
And we’ll fight with all our might,
As the Army keeps rolling along.

Refrain:
Then it’s hi! hi! hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong; (two! three!)
For where’er we go,
You will always know
That THE ARMY GOES ROLLING ALONG! (keep it rolling!)
And THE ARMY GOES ROLLING ALONG!