West-Point.ORG, The West Point Connection

Author Bill Murphy, Jr., writes:

Several years ago, I first learned the story of the U.S. Military Academy's class of 2002, the first cadets in a generation to graduate from West Point in wartime.  Theirs is a story of service and sacrifice, inspiration and honor, heroism and heartbreak---and it is a story I absolutely had to tell.

After 42 months of work, more than 600 interviews, and reporting that took me across the United States and to Iraq, my new book---"In a Time of War: the Proud & Perilous Journey of West Point's Class of 2002"---is set for release on September 16.

A video is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWtnPIcLmns.  The website is at http://www.inatimeofwar.com.  There, you'll be able to read more about the book, and even download the first chapter for free. 

You may also buy the book directly from Amazon.com (the preceding link generates a commission for WP-ORG, so please use that if you're purchasing from Amazon!).

Both Sides of the Wall - Reflections of the West Point Class of 1968 [Hardbound - 327 pages]:  This extraordinary anthology allows you to pass through the sally port with the young men of the West Point Class of 1968 and emerge with them four years later as they assume their responsibilities as young leaders in an Army at war and a nation divided.   Over 120 members of the Class share reflections and recollections ranging from Cadet hijinks (including the appropriation of Navy's goat, the dunking of the reveille cannon, the disappearance of the Sugar Bowls and more) to service in a Cold War and some warm ones in the jungles and highlands of Southeast Asia and the deserts and mountains of Southwest Asia as they strove to answer the motto of their alma mater:  "Duty, Honor, Country" and the motto of their class: "No Task Too Great for '68".  A limited number of copies of this very special and insightful book prepared in connection with the Class of 1968's 40th reunion are available at: https://secure.west-point.org/usma1968/reflections.

An interesting article appeared in US News & World Report referencing a book, One Bullet Away:  The Making of a Marine Officer, by a Nathaniel Fick:

Dynan's experience is typical of junior officers throughout the U.S. military. They have been called upon to serve in bloody and complicated wars on two fronts, many for more than half of their short careers. As a result, lieutenants and captains often have more combat experience than the generals who command them. "They are wise beyond their years," Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said about junior officers in an address this year to the Army War College. "We owe them our attention and our time." He urged their superiors to listen to them and called upon junior officers to question their superiors as well.

The Rhodes Scholarship Trust has announced U.S Military Academy Cadet Josh Lospinoso of Sparta, N.J., as one of the 32 American recipients for this year’s prestigious Rhodes Scholarship.

Joshua A. Lospinoso, Sparta, is a senior at the United States Military Academy, with a double major in economics and operations research. He has done pioneering theoretical and applied research on social network analysis, has done top secret-level signals intelligence work at the National Security Agency, and has many publications in network analysis. He is a Regimental Operations Officer at West Point, and has competed three years in the Sandhurst competition. Joshua plans to do the M.Sc. by research in applied statistics at Oxford.

West Point, through OSJA has started cracking down on the use of trademark images, sending threatening cease and desist letters to graduates and parent clubs across the country, even for websites that clearly support West Point, Cadets, and/or our deceased graduates.   The USMA trademark images, words, and colors can be found by clicking here .   Permission must be obtained for use of the images.  The guidelines for obtaining permission can be found by clicking on this link .   OSJA is also requiring that all related sites include this disclaimer:  “DISCLAIMER: This organization is privately owned and operated. This private organization is not endorsed by the United States Military Academy, United States Army, or Department of Defense.”
 

For more information, please feel free to read the WP-ORG CEO’s blog here: http://wporg.wordpress.com/

LTC Arnold Tucker, USMA 1947, and former UM and Army star, was recently inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame. He played at Miami High and was a legend there. He won the Sullivan Award as the nation's best amateur athlete in 1947. He is at home in South Dade holding the football they sent him.

Read More...

Volunteers participate in drills — and have instructors bark at them

By Michael Hill
Associated Press

The senior spent hours with the civilian volunteers polishing his form for reception day, or "R-Day," for the Class of 2012. At mock R-Day on June 27, he practiced the finer points of leaning close to mock plebes and pouncing on people who smirked.

"THIS IS FUNNY?" Davies screamed at one volunteer. "YOU ARE WASTING MY TIME!"

 Read More...

2 June, 2008

Fellow members of the Long Gray Line,

I’m writing to let you know that I have in fact decided to update the lyrics to our Alma Mater and  The Corps. The realization that these songs explicitly exclude our women graduates–two of whom have given their lives in battle–was the driving force behind the changes, and it's simply the right thing to do. I have received unanimous support for this decision from the Board of Visitors and the Executive Steering Group, whose members are the Secretary of the Army, the Army Chief of Staff, and the Army Vice Chief of Staff.

Read More.. .