West Point Parents' Club of Oregon
& SW Washington Newsletter - July '01

Directions for Saturday, Aug. 18th Meeting, West Linn, Oregon
McLean House --------------- Telephone (503)655-4268
5350 River Street , West Linn, OR 97068
Exit the I-205 at EXIT 8, West Linn/Lake Oswego.
At the traffic light at the end of the off ramp,
TURN TOWARDS LAKE OSWEGO.
Go about a block, TURN RIGHT ON HOLLY STREET.
(A small residential street just past the yellow Astro Gas Station.)
TURN RIGHT ON RIVER STREET (Holly ends at River Street "T").
McLean house is on the right, at the end of River Street.
This is very easy to find and freeway close.
This Meeting is our annual Summer BBQ & Ice Cream Social --1:00p.m.
Please bring your own item to BBQ, and potluck salad and/or chips.
The club will provide paper goods ice cream  and toppings.
Bring-or send with someone-your Boodle for Boodle making: 32 like items.
As promised, we will be making boodle for every club member's cadet. Please join us!
*If you have an unavoidable conflict with our meeting on Aug. 18th, but would like to contribute in  some way (items are preferred),  please send your donation   (sugg. approx $1.00/cadet=$32)
before Aug. 18th to our treasurer,  check made out to WPPC-Oregon & SW WA,
c/0 Lou Fox, 14103 Edenberry Dr., Lake Oswego, OR 97035

List of Newsletter Articles:
Notice of Aug. 18th Meeting (above)
All Service Academies Ball Invitation & Registration Form
How to Recognize Rank Primer
Minutes of June 16th Meeting (Welcoming New Candidates' Families)
'01's Graduation
(Sorry, no news from the '02's; they're all off doing individual things this summer)
'03's Commitment Ceremony
'04's Buckner
'05's R-Day & Beast
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You will want to come to this event!  Mark your calendar and star talking it up with your cadet and close relatives (grandparents, etc.).  It's an outstanding opportunity for us to see our nations' future military leaders from all our area's academy clubs.  Our club is sponsoring;  it's the first, and may be the only, ball like this you will have the opportunity to attend while your son/daughter is a cadet.  To hold your spot, we need you to send in your reservations starting now!  I know that it seems early, but we have an attendance cap, and want to make sure our members have first chance to reserve their spot!  Reservations will be open to all Academies in just a few weeks.  Please secure yours by sending your reservation in now. Thanks.  Al & Patty Klascius, co-chairpersons ASAB 2001

All Service Academies Ball
Sounds like fun, huh? 
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How To Recognize Rank Primer

2LT (Second Lieutenant) -- one gold bar                  COL (Colonel) -- silver eagle
1LT (First Lieutenant) -- one silver bar                     BG (Brigadier General) -- one silver star
CPT (Captain) -- two gold bars                                   MG (Major General) -- two silver stars
MAJ (Major) -- gold oak leaf                                     LTG (Lieutenant General) -- three silver stars
LTC (Lieutenant Colonel) -- silver oak leaf             General -- four silver stars
Mamie Eisenhower arrived to join her new husband, Dwight, who had a friend with him who was providing the transportation. Dwight was wearing a silver bar and his friend was wearing a gold bar. Later, Mamie said "I know we don't have much money, but if you would prefer to have a gold bar, we can save the money to buy one."  :->

When I was a 2LT's wife (23 years ago!), I attended a coffee and learned an easy way to tell who outranks whom. The recent talk on the net has brought back this memory that I would like to share. Imagine everything in relation to the Earth and more of one thing outranks a lesser number:
Gold is found deepest in the earth. (Only 1 gold Bar for a 2LT)
Silver is closer to the surface. (A Silver bar for a 1LT)
Railroads run on the ground (2 Silver ('railroad') Bars for a Captain)
Oak Leaves grow on tall trees (A gold oak leaf for a Major, a silver oak
leaf for a LTC)
Eagles soar through the sky (COL)
And the stars shine above all. (The more stars, the higher rank.)

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Minutes of June 16th Meeting
(Welcoming New Candidates' Families)

The West Point Parent's Club Meeting and New Candidates Picnic was called to order by
Club President Susan Adams at 1:00 p.m.on June 16, 2001 at the Historic McLean House
in West Linn. We were fortunate to have warm, dry, sunny weather for this outdoor event.

We welcomed the attendance of the following Candidates and Families:
Kristen Bumcrot of Vancouver
Parents Jeanne & Dan attended, Kristen unable to attend
Christopher Campbell of Salem
Mom Barbara attended
Christine Devany of Battleground
Parents attended
Heather Doyle of Newberg
Parents attended
Gregory Ishlam of Bend attended
Parents attended
Paul Lushenko of Salem attended
Parents attended
Marianne Walsh of Sherwood * * USMAPS Graduate
Parents Patrick & Theresa attended

     Two Cadets in the Class of 2004, Morgan Cox and Jordan Hoffman, were home for summer break and attended, providing information to the New Candidates.
     We were very honored that Representative Darlene Hooley was able to attend. She
spent time with the Candidates and Cadets and also visited with parents. We greatly appreciate the time she spent at our picnic.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     President Susan Adams opened the meeting with a discussion on the purpose of the Club and an introduction of Officers.
     We were reminded of the upcoming meetings. They are scheduled as follows:
August 18 - Ice Cream Social at McLean House in West Linn
October 6 - Ft. Vancouver, Washington - details to be announced
January - South location, probably Salem - details to be announced

     The West Point Parents Club of Oregon & SW Washington is hosting the First Ever Oregon and SW Washington All Services Academy Ball on December 29, 2001. We will keep you posted as information becomes available on this very significant event.
Be sure to check our web site newsletter for updates.
     Patty Klascius requested a checking account to deal with financial matters related to the All Service Academies' Ball. Susan Adams moved to request that Patty work out the details with Lou Fox to establish a checking account for her to use for business related to the ASAB. Carole Cox seconded and the vote to establish the checking account was unanimous.
     To support our ASAB effort, we held a raffle for a West Point poster which was won by the Knudsens. Congratulations to Charles and Maria. We were glad to see you at the meeting, quite a long drive from Noti.
     The attendance was good at this meeting. The current members enjoyed meeting the New Candidates joining the Class of 2005 and their families. We look forward to their participation in the Club.

Meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted:
Carole Cox, Secretary

01's -- Graduation

02's -- FIRSTIES

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03's --The Cow Commitment Ceremony 
I do not have a picture of the Cow's Commitment Oath (takes place in Robinson Auditorium,Thayer Hall),
but it is virtually the same words (if not identical) as the commissioning oath taken here (at graduation),
and the oath taken by new candidates on Reception Day admitting them into the Army. 
However, I know the forehead (3rd row, right behind the blonde girl in front) well. :-> -ed

   The Cow Commitment Ceremony at USMA that takes place on the Sunday evening before the first day of classes in Junior year. This year that will be Sunday evening 19 August.
     I believe that this ceremony is unique to West Point.    This ceremony was started by BG John Abizaid three years ago when he was the Commandant of Cadets at USMA. I think that the first class that actually went through this ceremony may have been the Class of 2000. It's that recent.
     This ceremony is held because when a cadet enters class on the first day of Junior year academics he/she is automatically incurring their Active Duty Service Obligation upon graduation, or another alternative should they drop out of the Corps and not graduate.  If they graduate and are commissioned there is a follow on five year active duty service obligation.
     If the cadet resigns before graduation there is either a service obligation as an enlisted person in the United States Army (as an E-4) or a repayment of tuition required. This is an either/or situation. Right now should a Firstie (senior) resign at the beginning of senior year the obligation would be three years active duty as an enlisted person or repayment of tuition at the rate of approximately $70,000 for each year the cadet was at USMA or approximately $210,000.  This could lengthen the longer the cadet stays at the academy.
     The Commitment Ceremony reminds all the new Cows that they are entering a new phase of their cadet career and offers them one last opportunity to resign from the Corps of Cadets if they are not willing to make that commitment. The Cows gather in Robinson Auditorium in Thayer Hall on Sunday night and again recite the Oath that they took the day they entered on R-Day. The actual legal event that triggers the committment, however, is attending the first class the next day.
      At USMA a unique coin, presented to the cow cadets by the Association of Graduates (AOG), is delivered to all who take the oath  Also, at USMA the exchange cadets from Air Force and Navy attend the Committment Ceremony but, when the time comes for the Oath, do not stand up and take the oath. It appears to be unique to Army.
--from Larry D. Smith, '62,  Sacramento

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04's Buckner

    The sign outside of the main headquarters at Camp Buckner reads "For Country and Corps," meaning the Class of 2004 is present for summer training. Cadet Field Training, or CFT, is the summer training program for the Yearlings or Third Class Cadets.  The seven weeks at Camp Buckner, where CFT is held, build on the Army skills the cadets learned during Cadet Basic Training (CBT) last year and further prepare the cadets for their future job as platoon leaders in the Army.
     This year's CFT started on Friday, 22 June 2001, allowing the Yearlings about twenty days off since graduation.  (Though the yearlings who attended STAP, or Summer Term Academic Program, only got one day off!) For the upperclass cadets from '02 and '03 who will lead the Yearlings at Camp Buckner, leave time was limited to one week. Train the Trainer (T3) started for the upperclass on 11 June 2001. T3 allows the upperclass time to prepare for the arrival of the Yearlings. Preparing training schedules, rehearsing classes, drawing equipment and prepping
barracks were the orders of the day. There were also soldiers from various Army posts who needed to be coordinated with on different events. These soldiers, who come from posts like Ft. Drum and Ft. Polk, live next to Camp Buckner at Camp Natural Bridge; they support the cadet activities at both CFT and CBT, bringing a taste of the Army to the cadets at West Point.
     For the Yearlings, CFT will train them on the remaining pre-commissioning tasks they started learning during Cadet Basic Training. They will be trained and tested on everything from Land Navigation (Day and Night) to Close Quarters Combat, Fire Support and Bayonet skills. The Leadership Reaction Course will challenge the cadets to work as a team, thinking creatively, while the Confidence Obstacle Course will test the cadets on an individual level. Cadets will also compete for the Recondo Badge, which cadets can wear on their uniforms if they complete all the Recondo requirements during CFT.
    Two of the highlights for the Yearlings this summer will be Operation Highland Warrior and Mounted Maneuver Training (MMT). Operation Highland Warrior is a week long field exercise which teaches the cadets how to work and react as a light infantry unit on the combined arms battlefield.  MMT occurs at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, where cadets spend a week experiencing first hand the capabilities of the mechanized world.   They will be able to drive tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles (BFV), as well as fire M105 Howitzers. They will witness several live fire displays as well as spend time maneuvering platoons of tanks and BFVs in the computer simulation centers at Ft. Knox.
     CFT ends with Camp Illumination and a promotion ceremony to the rank of Cadet Corporal for those yearlings who have passed all the CFT requirements. The Yearlings will return to West Point via a morning run from Camp Buckner on Monday, August 13th; that day also marks the start of Reorganization Week. As the Yearlings are headed to new academic year companies as part of the scramble, they will have much to adjust to as the academic semester starts for their second year at the Academy.
     Despite the rigors of the field during CFT, the summer is a welcome change for cadets from the academic year. The Yearling class will have many fond memories to draw on after CFT - swimming in Lake Popolopen, hanging out at Barth Hall during free time, getting lost during land navigation or taking a turn full speed in a tank... Hopefully these memories will sustain them when Yearling academics kick in this fall, including such cadet favorites as Physics, Economics and various languages!
--from Jackie (Kalata) Whiteside's ('93), "Gray-Matter"
    'The day land navigation test was about four hours and they had to get eight out of ten markers and the night one was a couple hours and they had to get three out of four markers.  They had the honor respect class and close quarters combat which he said was a lot of judo type stuff.  There's a place at Buckner that looks kinda like a barn where they have a big T.V. with cable and pool tables. They can hang out there when they have free time. He also said he went fly fishing with a
friend for awhile one day at the lake. He sounded a little tired (probably from a hard day of fly
fishing and playing pool J/K) but it does sound like there is considerable less pressure this summer compared to last!  On Monday he has small unit weapons and machine guns.'
--From a yearling Mom
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05's R-Day (Eisenhower Hall) & Beast
Welcome USMA Class of '05

*indicates new members & attendance at our Welcome to New Candidates' 6/16 meeting From Oregon:

Christopher Campbell of Salem*
Jonathan Cotta of Medford
Heather Doyle of Newberg*
Gregory Isham of Bend*
Shawn Lonergan of Woodburn
George Long of Grants Pass
Paul Lushenko of Salem*
(whose twin brother John accepted Navy!)
Richard Sohler of Hillsboro
Marianne Walsh of Sherwood * (USMAPS Graduate)

From SW Washington
Kristen Bumcrot of Vancouver*
Christine Devany of Battleground*

     Getting there (to R-Day) on time proved a challenge this year, as most New York airports closed on Sunday, July 1, because of a prolonged severe storm.  Think of the juxtaposition: 
I want to be there (I think); I better be there on time; now my flight is cancelled and NOTHING's going into News York!   July 2nd proved to be picture-perfect weather, and on the cool side.                                              From an '02 parent who was there:
     You couldn't have asked for a better day at West Point.   When I arrived this morning to set up in Ike Hall, it was about 54 degrees and bright and sunny.  The view of the Hudson from the room where all of the vendors and parents clubs were set up in Ike Hall was, I think, the bestever. West Point was spit-shined and looking magnificent with its Bicentennial banners flying proudly from every light standard for its newest cadets and their families. Of course, these are all things that a
parent of a Firstie will remember about the day. Ask any parent of a cadet of the Class of '05
and I am sure they won't remember a thing other than saying good-bye and waiting, waiting, waiting for the parade to possibly catch that one last glimpse of their son or daughter in uniform.
   There were 14 parents clubs present in Ike Hall along with USAA, AOG, Department of
Athletics (with plenty of parents trying for those Army-Navy tickets!), the printer booth and the booth with the hottest item - those bags - you all know  them - Class of 2005 with the name of every cadet in the class.  There were "R-Day Survivor" T-shirts, and luckily, sweatshirts, and jackets because with the low temperatures, there were a lot of parents having to buy something to wear to keep warm.
     I got to see the first group of new cadets reporting to Ike Hall - some with that "deer in the headlights" look, others walking with their heads down not saying much, and still others holding hands with girlfriends, mothers, fathers and siblings waiting to go inside a civilian only to come out a door 15 minutes later on their way to taking one of the biggest steps of their lives.
    The rest of the day, I saw the result of the phrase, "You have 90 seconds to say good-bye to your son or daughter."  Some teary-eyed, some sobbing, some just wanting to talk and get a quick word of reassurance that everything was going to be OK. And, not unlike the proud parents of
new cadets, they bought anything and everything. With what I saw them buying, I hope they had
extra bags to take it all home. I reminded one couple that there would be more at Plebe-Parent Weekend and they might want to pace themselves. But the husband told me not to worry - they will buy then too!  And then I remembered; yes, they will. Because I did too and every other opportunity that I had when I was at West Point!
     There were groups of people scattered all over writing that first letter to their "new" cadet - there was a mini-post office set upon the ground floor of Ike to take that very first piece of mail that their son or daughter will receive, sell stamps, etc. What a great idea!
     As things wrapped up in Ike, I went down and had a bite to eat and saw many parents curled up on the chairs and couches trying to catch up on some of that sleep that they didn't get last night! Others were at tables making new friends and comparing notes on their experiences of the day! Others were taking the bus tours, and others were sitting outside taking in the magnificence of West Point.
     So, to the parents of the Class of '05 - well done!  Enjoy each and every moment because they do go quickly!

     From  a yearling, whose roommate is still trying to get rid to "trench-foot" from Beast!
You must take care of your feet during CBT!   This is how:
DO:
-Use Gold Bond powder. It reduces friction. DO NOT use baby powder instead.  It will dry out your feet and make them crack and bleed.
-Bring black Therlo socks from home and use them on ruck marches instead of the black issue cotton socks, if you can. The more pairs of clean socks you have out in the field, the better.
They issue you black wool socks, too.  Don't ruck in those.
-Ruck with your thin black dress socks on underneath your black therlo/cotton socks. Again, this reduces friction.
-Come with Ziploc- the sturdy kind. Put all of your underwear and socks in baggies when you go into the field, especially to Frederick. Put your shirts in bags if you can, too, but especially your
socks and underwear.
-When they tell you to change your socks, do it. It doesn't matter if your boots are wet and your socks will get wet again instantly. You must keep putting fresh socks on.
-Whenever you can, let your feet air out. Sleep with nothing on your feet.
- When you change your socks, physically dry off your feet with a towel, t-shirt, paper towel, something.
- Bring antiseptics, Neosporin, band aids, and moleskin. You will get some blisters regardless. If you do the above, they will be minimal. If you do not treat small blisters with Neosporin and keep them covered with moleskin, they will grow to the point that they will inhibit your
marching, and you will have to get injections to drain them. THIS IS COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE.
-Think of the pruny look your fingers and toes get when you have been swimming for a long time. If the bottoms of your feet start to look like this all the time, then you need to tell someone. This
is the beginning of trench foot. IT CAN BE STOPPED HERE. If you ignore this condition, or
simply don't check for it, your feet can essentially rot. I have friends in my class who are missing chunks of their heels because they thought they could tough it out, and that volunteering for trash
details, though admirable, was more important than taking the time to change their socks.
FEET FIRST. You are rendered combat ineffective if you cannot walk.
     Good luck this summer. Be safe, avoid injury, and take care of your feet. Everything else is just drive, motivation, and volume!   Hooah!

    From Plebe-net moderator Larry Smith:
The computer contract for the Class of 2005 computer was awarded to Dell Computers.
CPU P4 1.4 GHz                                                           400 MHz Front Side Bus
Memory 256 MB SDRAM                                           HDD 40 GB EIDE Drive
NEC DV5800A 16X speed DVD Drive                      Plextor CD Read-writable Drive
Floppy 1.44 MB Floppy                                                Ports 4 USB ports
Monitor Dell 15.0 Flat Panel                                       Mouse MS Optical Mouse
Video Card ATI 32 MB w Integrated TV Card and DVD decoding
Sound Card Sound Blaster Live! with Headphones
Network 3Com 10/100 Etherlink Card                       UPS Back-UPs 300
OS Win2K                                                                      Price $1869.00
Warranty 4 years of Next Business Day On-Site parts and labor
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http://www.usflag.org   Everything you always wanted to know about the flag. Includes history with pictures of the different looks the flag has had over the years, the rules on folding the flag and flying it at half-staff, songs, poems, and much more.

2001 Oregon/SW Washington Club Officers

President: Richard and Susan Adams (Matt '02) swadams@home.com

L.O.-WA: David & Mary Graham (Doug '01, Franchesca '04) merovin@halcyon.com

Treasurer: Lou & Marilyn Fox (David ‘03) mfox76@hotmail.com


**Please feel free to contact any of the above with questions, suggestions,  corrections, or for "free" advice.  Your  newsletter editor regrets any errors, and appreciates notification of such. Thank you.