The WPPC
of Oregon & SW Washington Newsletter

SHORT SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS

Supe         Com         Dean
Military Program       Athletics
West Point Report       Pointer View

 West Point Parents' Club of Oregon
& SW Washington Newsletter -- March 2000

Looking forward to seeing you all on Thurssday, June 8th
6:30 p.m.meeting.  4500 Kruse Way, Lake Oswego.

From I-5, take the 217 exit east, which turns into Kruse Way.  Go 1 mile until you see Kruse Way Plaza on the SE corner.  The building is the one (of two light grey and dark glass "twins") closest to Kruse Way.  Our meeting room is on the third floor, near the (east) end of the hall.  
Contact Patty or Al Klascius by e-mail <klascius @teleport.com> (503)695-2824, for questions or to suggest agenda items

Articles:
Graduation Primer
Minutes Jan. 29th Meeting
Discipline at West Point/Awards for Cadets
Football 2000 schedule & highlights
Department of Physical Education
History of the West Point Coat of Arms
Ed Ruggero's Essay on Leadership

Graduatiuon  Primer

Cadets will receive 3 tickets for the graduation banquet which is held in the Mess Hall. The Mess Hall will only hold approximately 4,000 people. As it gets closer to the event your cadet can ask his/her friends if they have extra tickets for the Mess which will enable him/her to have more family members in the cadet mess.
  The overflow is held in the West Point Club not Eisenhower Hall. The cadets are the ones who need to purchase the additional tickets through the club. Make sure you let your son/daughter know in advance how many tickets they will need to purchase.
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Keep your eyes and ears open. Make a note of every little piece of info. Be ready to change plans calmly. Your Cadet will have his own agenda for Grad week so be prepared. One note on the banquet. They have special label wine for the event and you can purchase some bottles for keepsakes. Our over flow guest said that there were many empty tables in the room they were in. Have fun, enjoy it all, take pictures, go with the flow.
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We had a '99 grad, so this is what happened with our family and friends. Our son was able to get one extra ticket for the Grad Banquet from another cadet. The overflow tickets were not nearly as difficult to get or as limited in number, and weren't sold out at the first offering...so they allowed the cadets to purchase a second batch.  We had over 20 tickets to the overflow dinner before the event.
Everyone at the overflow dinner had a great time. They try to seat family groups together, but it really helps if they arrive together, too. The dinner was the same in both venues.
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Graduation week is very exhausting for everyone - especially the firsties. There is just too much to do. I would truly recommend having stadium seats for any older folks in your group -- both for the parade and for the ceremony.  Be sure to bring in some bottled water & sun screen.
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The grandparents and aunt's & uncles took that (Banquet)  night to eat out on their own, site see and get ready for the next day. They were fine with that and the ones that didn't get reserved seating for the ceremony the next day brought their binoculars and still enjoyed the graduation.
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What I did was made copies of the schedule and maps and gave them to
each family. Told them good things to see and where they might see us
at and basically they were on their own.

This is an annotated, edited diary account re: Graduation, interspersed with good advice submitted by our own club's Sheri Matson (Jeff '99)
-----Sat. May 22, 1999 Arrived
-----Tues. May 25, 1999 Drove up to West Point with the grandparents for picnic lunch on the river with Jeff. Then drove up the river to Hyde Park. The ticket is $10.00, but it is interesting, if you are into history of the area. We dropped off Jeff and headed back to CT.
-----Wed. May 26, 1999 Met Jeff at 1pm went to gift shop, ran into the Stone's (Heather '99). Then headed across the Hudson River by way of Bear Mt. Bridge, to Henry's on the Hudson restaurant for late lunch. Very good, but a long drive, about 45 minutes.
     West Coast grandparents due in at 6:30pm at Stewart, delayed until 11:30 pm. We went to the Choir concert at the Chapel. But we left early because Jeff wasn't sure of the uniform and saw his TAC up front and didn't want to deal with him (he was in civilian clothes)! We made it out the back door!
-----Thurs. May 27, 1999 I have to say the Thayer Hotel did as best they could under the construction circumstances! And I would recommend that anyone who can stay there for the graduation week do it. The location is ideal. After the remodel it will be wonderful. We grabbed the continental breakfast set up in the hallway, and headed for the Parade field by 9:30am. The parade didn't start until 10:30 so we had plenty of time, we used the handicapped parking, good locations
     The drill teams were first up, then the Supe's review, and it ended with the skydivers. A great way to start the day. We met Jeff at 1pm. His room was right across from the Supe's garden so it was easy to wait for him on the corner, across from the gym. We went to the firsty club but found it too crowed so we went to IKE hall for some fast food in their cafeteria. Don't forget about this place it is fast and easy.
     Back at the Hotel we changed for the Supe's reception at 3pm in his garden. Very nice. We met Jeff's room mate and family and actually stayed quite long.           From there we checked out the officer's club for dinner reservations, and got them for 5:30 pm. We all had a drink then went to dinner. The buffet was average, but the view beautiful. Jeff had to rush off to change uniforms. We went to Baccalaureate at 7pm. Got there at 6:45 sat in the back and used the handicapped parking. Went back to Hotel to change for the "A" dance. Supposed to be less formal than grad Hop but you see everything! Band was really great, and not loud! Not many danced, at least while we were there. Saw Gene Stone, and Pat and Jim Johnson(Rick '99) from the Washington Club. We stayed until 10:30. The kids took off for the firsty club, which closed early!
-----Fri. May 28, 1999 Up early for breakfast in the hallway, bumped into Sawsers (Brian '99) and the Millers (Jake '99). Drove over to handicapped parking. Met the rest of the group over there. We were only allotted 4 tickets in the stands. Bummer! So the rest of the group picked out a spot at the end of the bleachers. But they were the second row. They had their lawn chairs for the grandparents who couldn't stand. And wouldn't you know it, the folks in the front row with the blankets stood the whole time and our group was essentially aced out of a view! Check it out, if you can't be in the stands, then have someone out early and snag a front row spot.Find out where your cadet's company will be and try to sit in the stands close. Jeff's D company way right in front of us! It was quite a change of command ceremony, and then the cadets passing in review for the seniors!   Jeff had plans right after the parade, we knew it but hoped that he would show up. We had a big picnic. And when he finally showed up we walked over to the stadium to check out our seats. Good idea. Jeff showed us approximately where he would be and then he knew where to come after the ceremony to meet us
     Dinner that night - we were supposed to meet at Mac statue, bad idea. The whole street in front of the mess hall was closed even for handicapped!  That should have been reconned! Allow more time, and research. Our group split for dinner and we (the overflow) had dinner in the officers club. It was crowded, and the TV's small, but OK because we had had dinner in the mess hall before. Just be sure to do it at least once!
     We met up after dinner and found a handicapped parking spot below Ike Hall, perfect! This dance was considerably more crowded. The grandparents called it a night very early and we hung on for a while, but soon faded. We got to see most of Jeff's buddies all duded up in India Whites, they really are a bunch of gorgeous guys and girls!
-----Sat. May 29, 1999 We headed over to the stadium early.  We found the seats easily.  It was hot, be prepared with water, sunscreen, umbrella, etc.
     But the actual ceremony - what else can you say but awesome. Be prepared to make some noise for your cadet when he goes up on the podium! I bought a cow bell, that they use at track meets, and Jeff said he never even heard it!  But our section sure did! After Jeff found his way to us in the stands, (which was the easiest way to go, it's way too crowded down below) he got his hugs and kisses all around then headed out to change uniforms again (for the last time out of cadet gray) and pack, etc.
     We were left to make our way to where we would pin Jeff's bars on. There were many options but he chose the grounds at the Chapel. So again with picnic in hand we headed in that direction. There was no way to get to the car and even if we had we would have been in a super traffic jam the whole time.  There is no way to get a car close to the stadium at that time with all the crowds.
     When Jeff showed up he was in his greens! We pinned his bars on with family beaming, and then he presented his parents with a saber. (nice touch kid)!
     After picnic lunch, the cars were rounded up, Jeff headed back for final check out, and we headed back to the Hotel to check out. Correction: We had to check out that morning because they would have charged us an extra day for staying past noon!
     Points to remember:
---Checkout handicap parking. Ask about street closures
---Check with your cadet where to meet and what time, know HIS schedule
---Picnics work! The restaurants are crowded, take snacks, and water
---Rental car - van was fantastic
---Stay at the Thayer if possible, can't beat the location!
---Order the graduation video, it sounds cheesy, but it's fun to watch and try to find your cadet!
     Well, that about does it. I hope this helps make some families' trip a little easier. Don't ever even think about missing this experience!

          West Point Parent’s Club of Oregon and Southwest Washington
                           GENERAL MEETING MINUTES --January 30, 2000

-In attendance: Carol & Wayne Hatton, Lance & Mardie Jensen, Patty & Al Klascius, Dick & Neila Maunu, George & Evelyn Mears, Wink & Anne Miller, Lou & Marilyn Fox, and Al Lake.
-President Al Klascius opened the meeting at 1:30 PM with a welcome and introductions. Patty will attend the President’s Conference, April 13-15, and would welcome any parent to go along.
-Treasurer, Wayne Hatton, passed out the financial statement and reported the bank balance of $1275.04 ($835.74 in checking, $439.30 in savings).
-Secretary, George Mears’ minutes of the last meeting were approved. The club dues structure was approved for the next year without change.
-Correspondence--Anne Miller thanked the club for the plant and card she received after her accident.

Agenda Items:
1. Officer election results—Carol Hatton announced results of the elections for club officers: Al & PattyKlascius, President and Newsletter; Richard & Susan Adams, Vice-president; Evelyn & George Mears,Treasurer. Secretary will rotate until the office is filled. Historian still open.
2. Founder’s Day Dinner, March 26th at the MAC club, will be attended by Lou and Marilyn Fox. The club willcover their dinner expenses. Greenspan (not Alan), the new WP athletic director, will speak. This is achance for club members to meet potential candidates and their parents, and tell them about our club.
3. Class rings discussion included ordering information provided by Klascius’, along with personalexperiences of Hatton’s and Maunu’s from last year.
4. Klascius’ attended Army-Navy, and spoke about their experiences and activities while there.
5. Telephone fundraiser is tabled for now.

New Business:
1. Al Lake announced the sudden death of Ray Cox, a member of our club. A card was passed around and signed, which Col. Lake took to the “Celebration of Life” that afternoon. Col. Lake discussed the current files open, stating it is almost triple the number of past years. He will be at the college fair in April, to answer student’s questions and represent WP. Col. Lake announced a Summer Invitational Workshop, open to high school juniors, and has applications available. Student’s spend a week at WP taking academic classes and learning about the WP experience. Portland has a new MALO, Spence Williams.
2. Future Meetings will be the Executive Board Planning Meeting, held Saturday, Feb. 5, at noon, at Klascius’ Sunriver house. The next general meeting will be held April 22 (12:00 PM executive board, 12:30 general meeting) at Lou Fox’s office complex in Lake Oswego.
3. Cadet News followed, with club members sharing news of their cadets. Patty Klascius additionally read news she’d received from members not in attendance.
4. Boodle was collected, and Evelyn Mears showed a sample of the bags that will be sent to cadets. Thankswere expressed to everyone who contributed boodle and checks toward purchasing boodle. Tags will be puton the bags with each cadet’s name and company, and sent to Central Guard. This has become a yearly event.
5. Patty Klascius adjourned the meeting and members looked through the reading corner, which containeddozens of WP and related books.
6. Lou and Marilyn Fox were awarded the “door prize” for hosting the meeting.

Discipline at West Point

     Although West Point continues to modernize, some things will never change. In life you have death and taxes; at West Point you have demerits and walking the area. Sylvanus Thayer, the "Father of the Academy," instituted both the demerit system and punishment tours when he was superintendent.  Originally cadets were punished with extra guard duty, but that was changed to walking back and forth on the area because guard was not supposed to be a punishment.
     When I was a cadet in the 80's, if we got caught breaking the rules we were "written up" on a form called a 2-1 or quill. For punishment, we could receive demerits, loss of privileges, room tours, or area tours. Room tours meant being restricted to your room all weekend long. You had to stay in a complete uniform and couldn't have visitors. These weren't so bad unless you had a lot of hours. For the ones who did, it was awful. Some cadets lost their weekend privileges for months. Area tours meant walking back and forth in Central Area in the uniform of the season carrying an M14 at right shoulder arms. Cadets serving area tours also lost weekend privileges. We sarcastically called the 2-1 system of discipline "leadership by penmanship" and "quill will".
     Major Maria Drew, the West Point Regulations and Discipline Officer, says that West Point made an improvement when it replaced the 2-1 with the Article 10 in 1998. According to Drew, the old system had automatic and prescribed punishments. The Art. 10, which is modeled after the Army's Article 15, gives the chain of command leeway to look at extenuating circumstances and to make a determination of punishment based on the whole cadet. Non-punitive and administrative actions such as counseling and extra training are a major component of the system. The Art. 10 process includes an investigation, notification to cadet of intent to initiate proceedings, a hearing, imposition of punishment, and the opportunity to appeal. There are two types of Art. 10. Summarized Art. 10's are administered by the cadet chain of command for minor infractions. Major infractions are referred to the officer chain of command as Formal Art. 10's. They can be adjudicated by the company tactical officer all the way to the Commandant, depending on the seriousness of the offense. Article 10's do not cover violations punishable by the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
     In addition to room and area tours, cadets today have another punishment to look forward to when they get "slugged." They're called fatigue tours. They consist of work details such as cleaning the day room, painting, and raking leaves. Furthermore, room tours now aren't as easy as they were in my day. Cadets have to pack up their books and go to the drafting rooms in Washington Hall, kind of like detention in high school. Cadets on profile, academic probation, and athletes who can't walk the area on Saturday perform room tours.
     Major Drew reports that there is a high degree of satisfaction with the new system. This was affirmed by Cadet Liz Young, the Brigade S-1, who stated, "In the Article 10 process you stand face to face with your subordinate. It makes it more serious." Cadet Mel Helgeson, the Assistant S-1 for Regulations and Discipline concurred, "It places the responsibility on the cadets. It is more effective. It allows for platoon leaders to decide the punishment."
     The Article 10 may be similar to the Army's Article 15 but the punishment is very different from the Army. On quiet weekends you can still hear the shuffling footsteps of the "area birds" echoing in Central Area. It's a tradition.
Karen (Haddock) Fralen '87

AWARDS FOR CADETS

Dean's Office--DISTINGUISHED CADETS

Recognition occurs in the privilege of wearing gold stars to reflect distinguished academic achievement. Cadets must earn a Quality Point Average (QPA) of 3.67 or better, either for the year or cumulatively.  Additional criteria include: full academic load, no failures, and good citizenship in military and physical development.

SUPERINTENDENT'S INDIVIDUAL AWARD

The Superintendent's Individual Award is a prestigious award given to cadets who prove themselves to be outstanding in Academics, Military  Development, and Physical Development. The Superintendent's Award is a pin described as a wreath centered on the left breast pocket of most cadet uniforms. The specific criteria for the Superintendent's Award is as follows:
Academic Program: Earn an Academic Program Score (Year), APS (Y), equal to or greater than 3.00, carry a full academic load (minimum of five courses each semester), and have received no I, F, or NC grades (except for NC in PE due to medical excusal).
Military Program: Earn a Military Program Score (Year), MPS (Y), equal to or greater than 3.00 and not have received an I, F or NC on graded Physical Program activities during the year.

STAR AND WREATH

To signify their status as both Distinguished Cadets and Superintendent's Individual Award recipients, cadets are awarded a five-pointed gold star within a gold wreath.

SILVER STAR

Academic Program: Dean's List for the AY. The cadet must carry an APS Y  greater than 3.0, carry a full academic load (minimum of five courses each semester), and have received no I,F or NC grades.

BRONZE STAR

The Bronze Star recognizes excellence in military achievement. The  Commandant publishes the names of those candidates who qualify for the  Commandant's List at the conclusion of each academy year. The criteria for inclusion on this list are: chain of command approval to compete for the award; top 5 percent of the class based upon the Military Program Score, Cumulative (MPSC); qualify on their basic weapon during CBT or CFT; proficiency in conduct; 2.5 in APSC and PPSC. To be eligible to continue to wear the award after the year in which it was given, the recipient must remain in the top 5 percent of their class in MPSC; remain proficient in conduct, sustain a 2.5 or better in both APSC and PPSC, and receive chain of command approval. These cadets are authorized to wear a five-pointed Bronze Star in the same manner as prescribed for the Silver Star.
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2000 Army Football Schedule      
9/2 @ University of Cincinnati
9/9 * Boston College
9/16 @ University of Houston
9/23 * University of Memphis
10/7 @ New Mexico State University
10/14 @ East Carolina University
10/21 * Tulane University (Homecoming)
11/4 * United States Air Force Academy
11/11 @ University of Louisville
11/18 * University of Alabama at Birmingham
12/2 Navy (at Baltimore, MD)
@ Away games
* Home games
* All Times are TBA

    LABOR DAY WEEKEND OPENER HIGHLIGHTS 2000 ARMY SCHEDULE

  WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Army football team's earliest season opener ever and the renewal of an old Eastern rivalry highlight the Cadets' 2000 football schedule, released today by U.S. Military Academy Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan.
   In all, the schedule features five home games, an expanded Conference USA schedule and a host of potential national television dates  That last figure could grow significantly as television networks finaliz  their respective broadcast schedules in the weeks ahead. Five of Army's 2000 opponents qualified for postseason bowl berths a year ago, three of whom Army will face on the road this fall. That list is headed by Conference USA members East Carolina and Louisville.
   Fans anxiously anticipating the debut of Todd Berry as Army's head football coach and the innovative "one-back" offense he plans to install, will get an early glimpse of both as the Cadets begin their 112th year of intercollegiate competition on Saturday, Sept. 2 when they visit Conference USA foe Cincinnati. Due to scheduling parameters established by Conference USA, it will mark the earliest season opener in the Cadets' storied history and the first time Army has ever played a football game on Labor Day weekend. The earliest the Cadets have previously opened a season was on Sept. 6, 1997 when they entertained Marshall. "We are extremely excited about our 2000 football schedule," stated Greenspan. "We feel that the list of opponents provides our fans with an interesting blend of Conference USA matchups and traditional rivalries.
   Army kicks off its five-game home slate on Sept. 9, hosting longtime Eastern rival Boston College in a non-league battle. It will mark the Eagles' first visit to West Point since 1994 and the clubs' 33rd meeting overall. The Cadets will head to the Lone Star state the following week (Sept. 19) to face Houston at Robertson Stadium before closing out a busy month of September at home against Memphis in another Conference USA matchup.
   After enjoying a week of rest, the Cadets begin a mini two-game road swing on Oct. 7, venturing to the far reaches of the country to challenge Big West Conference member New Mexico State. It will stand as Army's first-ever visit to the state of New Mexico. The teams staged their initial series skirmish at Michie Stadium last October, with Army prevailing over the Aggies by a 35-18 margin.   The Black Knights return to  league play seven days later, traveling to Greenville, N.C., to square off opposite highly regarded East Carolina in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The Pirates appeared in the inaugural Mobile Alabama Bowl in December after maintaining a spot in the national polls much of the year.
   Three of Army's final five contests will take place at West Point, with a Homecoming date against Tulane on Oct. 21 beginning the stretch. Following an off week, the Cadets start their quest for the Commander in Chief's Trophy on Nov. 4 when they host Air Force in another edition of the spirited service academy rivalry.
   The Black Knights close out their third season of Conference USA competition with a road date at Louisville on Nov. 11 and a home encounter with Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) on Nov. 18. While the Cardinals and Cadets' engaged in one of the most exciting games of the 1999 college football season, a wild 59-52 double-overtime Army victory last October at Michie, the Black Knights and Blazers have never before met on the gridiron. UAB completed its first season as a member o  C-USA last season and put forth a strong fifth-place finish, winning four of its six league tilts.
   The Cadets will culminate their initial season under Berry in Baltimore, Md., on Dec. 2 when they battle arch-rival Navy at PSINet Stadium. The matchup will mark the 101st edition of the storied pairing and the first time it has been played in the city of Baltimore since 1944.
   "Our schedule is very challenging," added Berry. "I am familiar with our league opponents from the time I spent at East Carolina. Our  non-conference slate is also very attractive. I feel this is the type of schedule that our players, coaches and fans can get excited about. It will  take a great effort by our team every week if we are going to be successful in the fall." For the first time since its inception, Conference USA will increase its league schedule from six to seven games this season. All nine conference members will play seven of the other eight league schools.
   While Cincinnati returns to Army's schedule this fall following a one-year absence and UAB makes its first appearance on the Cadets' slate, defending Conference USA champion Southern Miss is not included among Army's 2000 opponents. For the fifth consecutive season, C-USA's champion will earn a berth in the AXA Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. Additionally, Conference USA retains its tie-in with the Mobile Alabama Bowl.
   Kickoff times for Army's home games will once again be scheduled for 1 p.m. Those times, though, are tentative and subject to change.

         The Department of Physical Education: "The Department with a Heart"

     Did you ever wonder why the head of the Department of Physical Education(DPE) is called the "Master of the Sword"? In 1814, Pierre Thomas was appointed as the "sword master." He instructed cadets in the use of either the mounted saber or dismounted sword. When West Point's first required athletic instruction became fencing, the name stuck.
     Although fencing is no longer a required course, cadets have many challenging athletic opportunities in which to excel. Cadets are offered a wide variety of courses which are intended "to inspire, motivate, and develop cadets through a progressive and sequential program, to be leaders of character who are physically and mentally prepared for a career in the Army and a lifetime of fitness and well-being." Fourth class cadets must take survival swimming, gymnastics, and a combatives class, which is self-defense for women and boxing for men. The former two are the toughest core courses taught by DPE. Third class year, women take self defense II, men take wrestling, and all 3rd class cadets take close quarters combat and a wellness course which is part of the Army Master Fitness Trainer Program. West Point started teaching this program in 1987. During the 2nd and 1st class year, cadets get to pick their own courses. The most popular are golf, skiing, and SCUBA. They also complete their Master Fitness Training with courses on personal and unit fitness. DPE teaches a total of 30 courses including volleyball, basketball, tennis, cross-country skiing, ice skating, mountaineering and aerobic fitness.     
     An article on DPE wouldn't be complete without mentioning the test that most cadets dread: the Indoor Obstacle Course Test (IOCT). I remember feeling nervous for several days before. Just a few of the formidable obstacles are low crawling; climbing up a shelf, a rope, and over a wall; and running around the track with a medicine ball. When I was a cadet, by the time I got to the medicine ball, my arms were totally cramped and I could hardly hold the ball. When we finished, many were rewarded with the opportunity to use a bucket to quickly vacate the contents of their stomachs and just about everyone suffered from the "OC hack," upper-respiratory pain and congestion caused by running the course in the dusty old gym. LTC Joseph Doty, the Executive Officer for DPE told me that, although Arvin Gym is going through extensive renovations, Hayes Gym, where the course is conducted, and the IOCT will remain the same, including the dust. In addition to the IOCT, cadets take the Army Physical Readiness Test (pushups, sit-ups, 2-mile run) twice a year. First class cadets administer the test to the 3rd and 4th class, while DPE administers it to  Master Fitness Trainer curriculum including dips, chin-ups, flexibility tests, and cardio respiratory activity tests.
     From its modest beginnings of fencing to a state of the art facility scheduled to be completed in 2004, DPE has an ambitious vision for the future to serve "as the leader for physical development for the Corps of Cadets, the Army, and the Nation."

The Coat of Arms

     Thomas Jefferson established the Academy in 1802 with his signature, but it was not until 1898 that it had an escutcheon.  Sometime prior to 1897, a board was appointed to design an official coat of arms for Academy documents, insignia, etc.,   There were several tentative designs drawn up.  Stanford White, a noted architect and artist, enhanced and refined the one selected by the board labeled "Original Basic Design".   West Point used the final design, entitled"Coat of Arms Adopted in 1898", for many years until the War Department altered it in 1923.
     In accordance with regulations, the Academy submitted it's Coat of Arms to the War Department in 1922 for approval.  It was then that an officer knowledgeable in heraldry noticed that the eagle and the helmet faced to the sinister side, implying something ominous or evil, rather than to the dexter, as it should be.   Furthermore, the sword might be taken by some as a bar sinister, indicating illegitimacy in the 'family' line.  In time the Academy implemented the changes in the Coat of Arms, although you can still see the original version on some of the older buildings.
     The Coat of Arms consists of the Academy Emblem (the helmet of Pallas Athene, the symbol of wisdom and learning) superimposed on a Greek sword (the symbol of the military profession) on a shield bearing the arms of the United States, surmounted by the crest (the American eagle carrying laurel and oak leaves, arrows, and a scroll bearing the Academy motto).  The colors of the color version are from the U. S. Coat of Arms, and the black, gray and gold version worn by West Point teams in intercollegiate athletics is a tradition that goes back to 1899.
     A point of clarification in terminology:  The Academy Seal is different than the Coat of Arms.  The Seal consists of the emblem mounted on an oval Greek Shield.  Around the edge of the shield is a ribbon with the words Duty,Honor, Country, U.S.M.A. on it, and in smaller letters on one side of the shield are the words West Point, MDCCCII.  The Academy uses this seal on many official documents.
From March 1995 edition of our club's (WPPC-Oregon & SW Wa.) newsletter.

An Essay on Leadership    by Ed Ruggero

[Terry Hensel sent the attached essay, and it says such important things about the nature of leadership that I thought it would be appropriate for the newsletter. For those who don't know, Ed Ruggero is a West Point grad and author, some of his works being The Academy, Breaking Rank, and Inside West Point.]

     We crowded round like greedy children, leaving the perimeter and the ring of security we were supposed to create there, to watch the Ranger digging up the cache. It was supposed to be weapons and ammunition, but that part was notional, scripted into the last phase of our miserable tour as students at the U. S. Army Ranger School. There would be ammo cans down there, we knew, buried a foot or two under the loose sand of the Florida panhandle. The test had been finding the spot--unmarked on the surface--out of the thousands of acres we traversed on every patrol. The reward, we hoped, might be food, an extra ration, something we could eat immediately. Part of Ranger training was practicing how to be miserable: cold and wet, sleep-deprived and tired as I'd never been tired before, hungry, sick, bruised and longing for the end of the last long patrols and the reward at graduation: the black and gold tab we would wear on our left shoulders, so that everyone in the Army would know what we'd been through. A few, including many of us out there humping sixty pound rucks--would not know for a long time why we'd gone through it.
     The man digging was crouched, throwing shovels full of sand with his entrenching tool. I saw the top of an ammo can, just one, reveal itself in the dun-colored hiding place. I must have stepped back, or looked behind me, because I didn't see what happened next. But I heard it. There was a pop, followed by a shoosing sound as the air filled with a bright green cloud. It was a booby trap, only a smoke grenade. But the point was that real grenades, the kind that kill, work the same way.
     "You losers are all dead," one of the sergeants shouted, pointing to the five or six men closest to the hole. I slunk back to the perimeter, trying to look like I had stayed by my post. The young Ranger Instructors, or RI's, raged for a few minutes, flexing their near-complete control over us.
     "Dig a grave," one of them said, smirking at his cleverness. "Big enough for those five." The glum-looking casualties sat cross legged on the ground while we dug. Finished, we climbed out, waiting to be told to fill the hole. Then the senior RI stepped in.  He had been in the background, off by himself outside the perimeter, probably smoking, certainly watching. He was a Viet Nam veteran, a Master Sergeant with a full head of brush cat hair, sun-baked skin and an impressive scowl; his face was a war novel.
      "All you people get in here," he said, motioning us into a tight circle. We hesitated. One grenade can get you all. "Come here, I said." Amazingly we found some hustle left in our tired bodies. The young NCO's faded into the background, a little cowed. They weren't smiling now. "You five, down there." The five "dead" Rangers obeyed instantly, with none of the scuffling, mute resistance that might have greeted an order from the young buck sergeants. They slopped into the hole, curling around each other in the tight space, a frieze of dirty uniforms. Their eyes were open, looking up; they didn't move. I remembered a story about Marine Corps basic training in the sixties, when some Drill Instructors at Parris Island got drunk one night and took a bunch of recruits on a road march, drowning several in the dismal swamps.
     "Cover 'em up," the Master Sergeant said, reaching over and snatching the rolled poncho from a Ranger's rucksack, then throwing it into the hole. we pulled out two or three more and tossed them into the grave where the corpses covered themselves.
      "Get out your handbook," the RI said, gesturing to me--the closest student. I scrambled to my rucksack for my mud-splattered Ranger Handbook, our bible for everything from planning airborne operations and recon patrols to blowing up bridges. There were prayers in the back. Prayers over the dead. I read the Rite of Protestant Burial. As I read, the big sergeant kicked some dirt into the hole: it splattered bright orange on the slick green ponchos. When I finished, we stood in awkward silence.
     "You men are going to be leaders," the old man said, "responsible for other people. When leaders make mistakes, when you get sloppy or lazy, when you forget that you're in charge, when you back off a decision-- people are going to get killed. Sometimes, for some of you unlucky bastards, you'll make the best decision you can--a good decision, even--and people are still going to die. And that's bad." He paused; I found I was holding my breath. "But if you've been screwing off instead of paying attention, it'll be worse. You'll wish you'd never freakin' been born." He turned and walked out of the perimeter, shuffling a bit, too old for what he was doing. Like many of the veterans one saw around the Army in those days, he was probably already old at nineteen, instantly aged on some no-name battlefield, on a day when the young men under the ponchos didn't get up after the training was over.
     I recalled that day graveside after four Ranger students died of hypothermia this past winter in that same Florida camp. A friend of mine, and educated woman, asked why the training had to be so difficult. She asked if perhaps it was a rite of passage--implying that a rite of passage wasn't worth dying for. I gave her stock answers. It's a dangerous business.  Hard training makes easier battles. Good steel comes from a hot furnace. Blah, blah, blah.
     Later I thought I hadn't been completely truthful with her. For me, Ranger training was a rite of passage. My first attempt had been unsuccessful. I went back two years later--older, better prepared, knowing what to expect--and did well. There is no doubt that I subjected myself to those nine hellish weeks a second time, at least in part, to prove that I could make it. I also went back because young infantry officers think it's important to wear that Ranger tab. Napoleon said he could get men to die for a piece of ribbon. But I accomplished more than that. I explored the full range of my humanity: all my unused strengths, all the dark corners of my weakness. I got as close as I could--in peacetime--to seeing if I had the stuff to be a leader in combat. Some soldiers volunteer for Ranger training expecting to learn that. In my case, such a reasoned look didn't come until later, when I had a chance to reflect from a comfortable position, well-fed, rested, rational.
     "We are made to persist, to complete the whole tour," Tobias Wolff writes in his memoir, In Pharaoh's Army. "That's how we find out who we are." Soldiers test themselves in physical and mental adversity, in training that takes brains and guts.
     The men who died in that Florida swamp no doubt had a host of their own reasons for seeking their challenges, some of which they apprehended, some they might have learned had they enjoyed the luxury of growing older. They didn't live because, just as I'd been warned by the side of that yawning grave fifteen years ago, when leaders make bad calls, people die.
     A month before my Florida experience I was pulled off a patrol in the mountain Ranger camp--medevac'd in military parlance--for hypothermia. I had spent the long afternoon lying behind my rifle as the sun went down, soaking in a cold rain that fell steadily all day. I remember putting my head down, pressing my cheek against the stock of my weapon to stop the violent clanging of my teeth. My Ranger buddy (we did everything in pairs--and I was about to find out why) found the instructor, who pulled me to the center of the perimeter and propped me in a sitting position; I fell over. They pulled me upright; I fell over again. The RI yanked a radio handset from his fat rucksack and called for help.
     Unlike the Rangers in Florida, we were near a road. In a few minutes I was turned over to the medics. Dry clothes, hot cocoa and a few hours of rest put me back on the perimeter before dawn. The difference between what happened to me and what happened to those other Rangers is a patchwork of chance. I was stricken at a patrol base near a road. There were vehicles in the area, the radio worked, the weather cooperated. The sergeant made a good decision. The past February, other leaders in a Florida swamp made decisions that turned out to be the wrong ones. They weren't drunk or insubordinate, they weren't' sloppy or evil or mean-spirited. They were leaders, sadly fallible, as we all are.
     The graybeard Master Sergeant had warned us, and he'd been right. Make a bad call and there'll be new graves. Yet someone has to make the call. On the day The New York Times carried pictures of those four young men, I thought of that chill morning fourteen years ago and the sound of sand falling onto a poncho. I continued the prayer I'd begun standing beside that mock grave, this time for comrades I'd never met. And I said another prayer for those leaders out there, still facing those tough calls, day after day, constant as duty.

                     2000 Oregon/SW Washington Club Officers

President: Al & Patty Klascius (Chad ‘01, Craig '02) klascius@teleport.com
V-President: Richard and Susan Adams (Matt '02) adams@proaxis.com
Secretary:
Treasurer: George & Evelyn Mears (Dwight ‘01) egmears@casco.net
Historian:
Newsletter: Al & Patty Klascius (Chad ‘01, Craig '02) as above
**Please feel free to contact any of the above with questions, suggestions, corrections or for "free" advice.  Your  newsletter editors regret any errors, and appreciate notification of such. Thank you. **

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