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Some Thoughts by Milton Waldoff, President
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by Douglas Belk, Ph.D., Webmaster & President-elect
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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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