On behalf of all West Point Parents of today and of years past, welcome to the West Point Parent Club of Maryland, DC, and Virginia.

When our sons became New Cadets, each of us experienced a tremendous feeling of joy and pride. We knew that they would make many new lifelong friends as they embarked on (and surmounted) the challenge of Cadet Basic Training, on their way to Acceptance Day, membership in the Corps of Cadets, and a place in the Long Grey Line. To be honest, we were also a bit apprehensive. Sending a child off to West Point is somehow more final and abrupt than the four year long gradual process experienced with a civilian college, especially in light of the limited contact we could have with our New Cadets during the initial period of training.

What a wonderful feeling, then, to discover that we too would become part of a community of friends who supported and encouraged on another, and shared with each other not only the joys and anxieties of West Point Parenthood, but also the tricks of the trade, lessons learned, and lore of many generations of parents. We are eager to share the experience with you too, and we think that, like us, you will find strength, solidarity, and the best kind of fellowship in your association with other West Point families!

We would like to get to know each of you and to help you to begin networking with us and with each other. In order to accomplish this, we have planned two get-togethers--a potluck in Virginia on July 23, 2006 and a potluck in Maryland on July 16, 2006. We hope that you will be able to attend one of them. Additional information, including directions, will be sent to you in the mail.

We hope to see you on one of these dates for food, fun, and friendship.

GO ARMY!

Glenn Cole, Chair, Plebe Parent Mentor Program