Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2001 11:00:47 -0400
From: Dick Breakiron <dbreakon@sccoast.net>
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To: Corps@West-Point.Org
Subject: WP-ORG Announcement: Fund Drive 9 - A Professional Library
Reply-To: feedback@West-Point.Org

Fellow graduates and parents,

As was mentioned in the Corps wide announcement kicking off the start of
our ninth Fund raising drive for WP-ORG, we wanted to avail you of some
of the new services that WP-ORG is honored to provide. Two of our
advisors prepared the recent addition to the WP-ORG web site "Books
recommended as graduation gifts to First Class Cadets" web page. This
web page was added due to discussions that arose on the WP-Forum, a
closed list server for West Point graduates. What follows is a
description of how this project came into being.

Bill Schwartz '59 sent out a call for assistance from all graduates on
an appropriate gift for a First Class cadet he is mentoring. This
cadet will graduate in May of this year and Bill wanted to get the best
possible gift that would have the most lasting value over a career. 
Many of the graduates suggested gifts such as a Randall made knife, an
engraved colt .45 automatic, a competition class orienteering compass, a
palm pilot, and other modern electronic items. When asked by the rank
and file of the Long Gray Line which gifts would have the most enduring
value over a career, the professional library was the hands down winner 
in recommendations from a group of graduates whose graduation dates
span 45 years.

The majority of these books are considered classics for the profession
of arms. Most of the books on the list have received a minimum Amazon
feedback rating of four out of five, with many of the books receiving a
five star rating. The results of this informal polling were converted
into an easy to use web based interface for ordering the "essential Army
officer library". We hope you take the opportunity to read about what
inspired this web page, and the books which the participating graduates
recommended. This web page can be viewed here:

        http://gradstore.west-point.org/booksrecommendedbygrads.html

Additionally, you will find that many of these books are also on the
Chief of Staff of the Army's reading list, which can be found here:

        http://gradstore.west-point.org/shinsekilist.html

We hope you see the value of what WP-ORG is trying to provide to you. 
Please take the opportunity if you have not already done so, to read
about all of the services that WP-ORG provides, and why funding is
needed for this fund drive by viewing this page:

        https://www-secure.west-point.org/wporg/why_donate

There is a convenient blue button at the top of the page to facilitate
donations using our secure credit card interface. If you prefer to make
your donation using a check, please make it payable to WP-ORG and mail
to:

        WP-ORG 
        PO Box 2108 
        Abingdon, VA 24212-2108

On behalf of the Advisors and volunteer moderators, please accept our
thanks for your enduring support. You make WP-ORG possible. 

Dick Breakiron 
Chairman 
WP-ORG, Inc.
_________________________________
WP-ORG Inc. gratefully recognizes Armed Forces Insurance 
(http://www.afi.org) as the sponsor of their fourth consecutive WP-ORG
Fund Drive.

*** CORPS post by: BREAKIRON Richard 1951 18197 A1 <dbreakon@sccoast.net>