The Firstie Brunch was held on May 4th at the Thayer Hotel. Seven cadets and several family members were present to enjoy the brunch and to listen to our guest speaker, Col (Dr.) Dallas Homas. Col Homas charged the cadets with taking care of their soldiers and to let the values of West Point guide them as they begin their careers in service to our nation. Flags were either presented to the cadets and in some cases were mailed directly to the cadet's home. The flags were provided by Congressional offices and are unique in that they had been flown over the U.S. Capitol. Firsties attending the brunch were: Nate Bastian, Zach Miller, Christian Snook, Jerimiah Sasala, Mike Yuengert, Matt Ercolani and Korey Cook

The graduation parade for the Class of 2008 took place under sunny skies and warm temperatures on Friday morning, 30 May, but the same could not be assured for the graduation ceremony scheduled for Michie Stadium the following morning.  A cold front moved into the area, and rain fell Friday night, with a 70% chance of thunderstorms predicted for graduation morning. This brought to mind inclement graduations past.

Following the graduation of the Class of 1987, the superintendent terminated the time-consuming practice of preparing the Field House as the inclement weather site for graduation each year-especially as it was far too small for the expanded corps and invited guests.  The ceremony would proceed at Michie Stadium, rain or shine.  As luck would have it, the skies opened for the very next graduation.  The Class of 1988 gamely marched to the stadium in raincoats but discarded them as they marched onto the field.  Vice President Bush was seated on the dais, under partial cover, but Mrs. Bush was seated on the field, with the cadets, in the pouring rain.

The following year, the weather was equally uncooperative.  As soon as the Class of 1989 was seated, it rained buckets.  Vice President Dan Quayle was the speaker, and some media erroneously reported that he was booed.  Every time the rain intensified, there was an audible exclamation from the cadets, but it was directed at Odin, the Norse god, not at the vice president. Presumably, the tradition of prayers to Odin for rain (to cancel a parade) was initiated by the Class of 1961 while
Yearlings at Camp Buckner.  The 1958 adventure film "The Vikings" was shown that summer and included a scene in which the warriors repeatedly chanted to "Odin." Evidently the Class of 1989 believed that it might work in reverse as well.

At 7:20 on Graduation Day, the USMA Band filed in to join about 600 parents and friends already seated in Michie Stadium for the 10 am ceremony.  The skies were blue, but there were a few ominous dark clouds and a somewhat chilly breeze was in the air.  By 8:25, the lower classes began to arrive, and a number of brand new Yearlings were posted as ushers around the periphery of the playing field.  Ten minutes later, the Glee Club rendered The Corps and the Alma Mater, followed by several band numbers.

At 8:55, the skies were fully overcast, but shortly after the Adjutant General made his welcoming and administrative remarks at 9:30, the sun reappeared even though the breeze increased in intensity.  At 9:40 the graduating class entered the stadium, the representatives of the 50-Year Affiliation Class of 1958 were introduced (they would present second lieutenant bars engraved '58 - '08 to each graduate), the faculty marched on in either Army Blues or colorful academic robes, the Superintendent, MG Buster Hagenbeck '71, and Secretary of the Army Pete Geren arrived, honors were rendered, and the national anthem was played. The invocation noted that these were times of "unprecedented danger" and the Superintendent spoke of "one of the most turbulent times in our nation's history."

The Secretary of the Army then spoke, granting amnesty and later stating, "I stand before you as a grateful citizen."  Pete Geren was in the Pentagon at the time it was attacked on 9/11.  He then thanked the parents for molding their sons and daughters into individuals of "courage, confidence and accomplishment."  He noted that Thomas Jefferson, the president who created the military academy on 16 March
1802, insisted that only three accomplishments be carved on his tomb stone: that he wrote the Declaration of Independence, founded the University of Virginia, and authored the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom.  Now we are faced with the "butchery of the Taliban and Al Qaeda," seeking to spread a "tyranny of religion" and replace our new world order with a repressive old world order.  But the graduates of 2008 are entering "the best led, best trained, best equipped army on the
face of the earth" and have the mission of "making the world safer for democracy and more dangerous for terrorists."  He also added that the Soldiers of our Army now have 700,000 children and serving Army families must be a priority.  Most of all, however, "the well-being of Soldiers will be in your hands." He ended his oration as he had begun, with a quotation from scripture: "Whom shall I send?  Here I am, send me."

At 10:35, the Secretary of the Army received a saber from Class
President Adrian Perkins, and The Corps was sung. At 10:40 the Dean, BG Patrick Finnegan '71, announced that the cadets assembled were fully qualified to receive their degrees, and diplomas were distributed to the top graduates academically and to those who excelled in intercollegiate athletics (by the Secretary of the Army), followed by the remainder of the 972 members of the Class of 2008 (by LTG Hagenbeck and the new Commandant, BG Michael S. Linnington '80).  By 11:10, the 1st and 3rd Regiment graduates had received their diplomas, but by 11:20 the first few raindrops fell, and umbrellas and rain ponchos of various hues appeared in the stands.  By 11:25 the rain became a heavy drizzle, but at 11:30 the last diploma had been presented. The graduating class rose to take the oath of office as second lieutenants, the Alma Mater was sung, and a benediction was offered.  At 1135, as larger rain drops began to fall, the Class of 2008 was dismissed and threw their hats into
the air. Hundreds of youngsters ignored the rain to scramble for a unique souvenir for five minutes until the public address system announced a severe weather warning and cautioned all to leave Michie Stadium as soon as possible.  The enthusiasm of the new graduates, families and friends was not diminished one iota by mere weather. Congratulations to the new graduates and Godspeed.

Your humble servant, J. Phoenix, Esquire

Facts about the Class of 2008
The Class motto is "No Mission to Great."
Of the 972 graduates, 956 will be commissioned in the U.S. Army
One will be commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps and one in the U.S.
Navy.
Fourteen are International Cadets from Albania, Cameroon, Colombia, El Salvador, Republic of Korea, Lithuania, Philippines (2), Romania (2), Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Tunisia.

The class includes 148 women;
69 Asian/Pacific Islanders; 57 African Americans; 56 Hispanics; and 12 Native Americans.  U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School attendees number 114 men and 24 women.