1. The meeting was called to order at 1000 hours by Class President Dick Secord. In attendance were VP/Secretary Bob Wray, Historian Dan Ludwig, Assistant ISO and Webmaster Tom SIms, Past President Tom Horst, Reunion Coordinator Jim Bergen, and guest Dave Wheeler.
2. Dave Wheeler briefed the group on coaches' housing at West Point, a major project of the Class. There are 17 houses in the project: 11 named for members of our Class, 2 for other West Point graduates, and 4 for friends of West Point. The current plan is to honor the effort by inviting the Superintendent, Athletic Director, and coaches to our 66th reunion dinner, where they will be presented with booklets describing the Class project to replace government housing for coaches with private housing on the Post. The booklets, published by the AOG, will honor the person for whom the house is named and will remain with the house.
More information on the Class project is available at https://www.west-point.org/class/usma1955/D/Hist/Coach.htm and https://www.west-point.org/class/usma1955/D/Hist/Hist_HP.htm.
3. The current Class roster is password protected. Assistant ISO Sims proposed removal of the password protection to enhance its accessibility and usefulness to classmates, and to enable access to families of deceased classmates. Unanimously approved.
4. Webmaster Sims reported on the various Class nets. The Locker net and Football net have been closed. The Business and Quiet nets have been combined with access only to the ISO and Webmaster,
unless they grant permission to others. The Leader Net is unused. The Forum is an open net for Class announcements, birthdays, commentary, etc.
5. Every year WP-ORG has a fund drive to maintain internet access and use by graduates. Sims suggested the Class donate $555 to help meet this year's goal of $45,000. Unanimously approved.
(Donation was accomplished with assistance from Secord and SIms and gratefully accepted by WP-ORG.)
6. Some West Point graduates have expressed difficulties with USAA and have suggested their and other classes join in a group protest to that organization. After discussion, it was unanimously agreed that our Class would not participate.
7. An effort is underway to resubmit Rich Cardillo for the Distinguished Graduate Award. Past President Horst said that this has been a repeated effort and is not sure whether it can be made more than 3 times. However, it was unanimously agreed that the resubmission be supported
8. 66th Reunion Coordinator Jim Bergen reported that so far there have been 34 reservations for an estimated 80 to 90 people at the Hotel Thayer. (The Class has 187 graduates living of 470 entering in 1955.) Bergen reported that the Superintendent will make a decision as to whether Spring 2021 reunions will be held. His announcement is scheduled for 22 January 2021. Historian Ludwig is preparing brochures for the reunion.
9. The Class has been without a Treasurer since Norm Blahuta retired from that post. The Secretary was tasked with advertising on the Class Business-Quiet net for a volunteer replacement. In response, Jim Howard volunteered for and was accepted for the position. Blahuta will coordinate with him on the transfer of accounts. (Subsequent to Howard's volunteering, Roy Lynn also volunteered and was thanked and informed that the position was filled.)
10. The teleconference was closed at 1100 hours.
Respectfully submitted by:
Bob Wray
Secretary
USMA Class of 1955
|
