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The Official Newsletter of the West Point Parents Club of Mississippi
Volume 2003 • Issue 1 January / February
 
••• Some Thoughts... •••
     

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Some Thoughts by Milton Waldoff, President

New or Prospective Cadet and Parent Link

Editorial by Douglas Belk, Ph.D., Webmaster & President-elect

Guest Author (Jere Forbus' moving article"Upon Fields of Friendly Strife ..." about the state of Army football)

Cadet Perspective (Interesting indeed!)

Cadet Features (Birthdays, Recognitions, etc.)

Special Points of Interest

Miscellany

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Milton Waldoff, President

Much has happened since our last newsletter, not all of it good. So, let's deal with the sad news first. Mrs. Edith Leone Belk, Doug Belk's Mom, was diagnosed with cancer last spring and told she would not live long. Soon thereafter, her Mom, Doug's Grandmother, Evie Ruth Huffman Bean, became ill. His Mom died first, followed within weeks by the death of Mrs. Bean. Doug is an only child and his Mom lived in Columbus, MS and his Grandmother in West Point, MS. For months Doug and Connie drove to Columbus and West Point from Pascagoula weekends, and later as his Mom's condition got worse, Doug spent weeks on end in Columbus. Later, he had to deal with his Grandmother's passing. Since Doug is the Editor and Publisher of this Newsletter, (along with serving as Vice-president, President Elect of our West Point Parents Club of Mississippi) no Newsletter was published, although, he wanted to see that issues come out as planned. During this time, I encouraged him to spend his time with his Mom and Grandmother and take care of his real job as Director of Technology with the Pascagoula school system. I know each of you join me in extending our heartfelt sympathy to Doug, Connie and Meagan, Class of 2005. I know it was especially difficult for Meagan who was in her Plebe year at the time she found out about her Grandmother, who she adored and was close to, and her Great Grandmother.

After much discussion you are looking at our first web-based Newsletter. We noted that some of the other WPPC's had gone to a web-based Newsletter, in looking at the thought behind such a move, we saw the great savings of time, energy and money, besides it could be more timely. We also took into consideration the fact that Doug really gets very little assistance with the Newsletter. Doug is the Editor, Publisher, Major Contributor, Circulation Manager, Copywriter, Feature Writer, Composing Foreman, etc. Connie helps. Jere Forbus, Class of 1960, writes an article, articles that are always very interesting, often with a touch of humor, and very well written. Jere returned to West Point the first time to be a Professor of English. The next time he was stationed at West Point he was the Public Affairs Officer. We are fortunate and pleased to have Jere as a regular contributor. There are also a couple of surprise writers in this edition. We think you'll be quite pleased with their contributions.

You'll enjoy the Newsletter, and Doug has incorporated some direct links in the Newsletter that will allow you to click right to a web site. This makes this Newsletter right up to date, a very Twenty-first Century communication! Now it will be easy to update it almost on a monthly basis: changing articles, archiving some articles, and most important, it will allow you to submit information about your cadet, including a photograph, and article about your visit to West Point, something interesting you did, some good food, your thoughts on your accommodations and any information you feel parents, cadets, recent graduates, graduates no longer in the Army, our Senators and Congressman along with their staffs, High School Principles, Counselors, ROTC Directors.

I especially urge you to share some information about your cadet, along with a photo. You can simply e-mail Doug. We would like very much to hear your comments about this first web based WPPC of MS Newsletter. E-mail Doug or should you wish to e-mail me, send an e-mail to Milton Waldoff. (Repeat portion of article) We'd love to talk about and brag on your cadet, or you as a cadet. To help us do just that, we have provided two forms: one that will inform us of what is happening in your or your cadet's life as you or s/he goes through West Point; the other is a cadet profile form that we'd like to use to create your or your cadet's profile as your or s/he nears the end of their cadet tenure and soon-to-become graduates. For all cadets or their parents who would like to inform us of their cadet experiences, please use our online Cadet Information form. For those of you who are into your second semester of your Cow (junior) or into your Firstie (senior) year, please help us tell about you or your cadet by using the Cadet Profile Information & Picture form. At last count, we have six (6) firsties and four (4) cows just waiting to be told about, and time is running out to profile our firsties! Please get us your information, soon. We'll publish the profiles in classification order (firsties, cows) and in the order received. There are only two (2) more issues of our newsletter scheduled for release prior to graduation!

I write this as our cadets are less than five months away from completing their academic year, some of our cadets are preparing for their graduation, others are looking forward to becoming Firsties, others to becoming Cows, and Plebes to becoming Yearlings. Congratulations to ALL! Especially to the Firsties! We wish you the best! We're proud of you!

One last thought: we owe a great deal to Doug Belk! Besides all that I mentioned earlier, he is the person that conceived, created and maintains our very professional web site. Doug, thank you! We appreciate you!

 

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