WPS Tennessee Valley

The Class of 96 in Huntsville has agreed to sponsor the Army Navy Game this year.  Thanks to

Mike Cowperthwait
Freddie Ledfors
Kevin Jefferson

They will be getting out information via the Website and emails.

Remember the Army Air Force Game on 3 November comes first – Come to the Big Spring Lounge, at the ROCC.

Art Meier '63
BEAT AIR FORCE – then NAVY!

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Rodney P. Rempt has selected Naval Flight Officer and academy graduate, Capt. Margaret D. Klein to serve as the 82^nd Commandant of Midshipmen.

Klein, 49, a native of Weymouth, Mass. will relieve current Commandant of Midshipmen Capt. Bruce E. Grooms in December. Capt. Grooms has been selected for promotion to Rear Admiral and assignment as deputy director, Submarine Warfare Division, N87B, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C..

Klein, a 1981 graduate of the Naval Academy is currently serving as Chief of Staff to Commander, Carrier Strike Group Eight, embarked in the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group. She was designated a Naval Flight Officer in 1983 and served three operational tours in Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three (the “Ironmen”) flying in the EC-130Q and the E-6A “TACAMO” aircraft. Klein had command of the Ironmen in her final tour, during which the squadron won the Battle E and Maintenance Excellence Award.

Klein’s extensive operational experience includes service on the USS Kitty Hawk Battle Group Staff during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Her major command was Wing Commander of Joint Service Task Force 124 and Strategic Communications Wing One in Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

Klein previously served in the Presidential Contingency Plans Directorate of the White House Military Office, as a Brookings Legislative Fellow in 1997 and on the staff of Senator Olympia Snowe, briefing defense issues. She holds a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Maine.

Vice Adm. Rempt selected Capt. Klein from a group of distinguished and highly qualified candidates. “Capt. Klein is superbly qualified to lead the Brigade of Midshipmen and brings a substantial amount of operational, academic and leadership experience to the position,” said Rempt. “Capt. Grooms has done a magnificent job as Commandant, and has contributed significantly to the moral, mental and physical development of the next generation of naval officers. We are thankful for his superb leadership while he has been at the Academy.”

The Commandant of Midshipmen is responsible for training, discipline and character development of the Academy’s 4,200 midshipmen into combat leaders of character for the Navy and Marine Corps.

After CEO Dick Breakiron '51's funeral ceremony at West Point, the WP-ORG Advisors Nominating Committee selected three candidates from among our advisors

    http://www.west-point.org/service/advisor/

for election as our CEO.  We have elected Dempsey Darrow '75 as our new CEO for a three year term, and present him now to our West Point Community.

To our West Point Community,

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our beloved CEO, Dick Breakiron, '51, last night at 1930 HRS, at his daughter's home in Webster NC.  Dick had long fought cancer with great resolve, and this was the cause of his death.  Dick will be buried at West Point beside his wife, Joyce, who predeceased him in 2000.  Funeral service details to be announced.  Dick's Eulogy Page is located here: http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1951/18197/

Grip hands..

The WP-ORG Advisors

The group that attended the August Rally I believe had a good time.  In the future however, rather than purchasing a Keg, I recommend that we arrange with the Bar downstairs to establish a tab, the attendance numbers do not warrent the Keg.   Also, I did not find out until the day before that the Small Business Awards were to be held that night.  I am sure a lot of folks were present at that event.

The group decided that we would try and go to Wings on Airport Road for the Football games.  The first game is not televised (3 September at Arkansas), so I will send out a reminder later.

On the 19th of September, we will have the monthly luncheon at the Veteran's Museum.  The Museum will give us a briefing on their programs and we will have a chance to see the exhibits.  For lunch we have a couple of options.  The ROCC can provide lunch (either cold cuts or BBQ pork with all the fixings to include soft drinks) or we can just order a pizzas from Papa Johns or Pizza Hut or ?  In either case I will need a head count of folks planning on attending, so we can make sure we have enough.  The Society will pick up the tab.  Mike Lyman will establish a poll on the website (see the polls to the right on this page) that you can indicate if you are coming and which lunch you would like (we will only have either, based upon interest.)

Remember, the luncheons are opened to spouses.  It will still be at 1130 hours.

On the Website, Mike has established a link to the Class and Society Leaders Meeting notes.

AOG has posted the Leaders' Conference Proceedings on the AOG website at http://www.aogusma.org/as/Leaders/2006/ProceedingsCoverSheet.htm

An additional summary is posted on the USMA 87 website at:
http://www.west-point.org/class/usma1987/content/view/64/59/

Art Meier provided this summary of a lunch time session missed on the 87 website:

"COL Douglas Boone, who discussed the Simon Center for Professional Military Ethics.  The center provides information on "The 7 Army Values"- Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, Personal Courage- and the "Cadet Honor Code".   GEN (R ) Freddy Franks is the visiting scholar (or chair).  The Center is located in the old Division 1 of Central Barracks."

Attached to this message are three items.  The first is a press release announcing the names of those who are being inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame for 2006.  The second is a schedule of events for the induction weekend, 29 September-1 October.  The third is an invitation purchase tickets for the induction banquet on the evening of the 29th . 

Please spread the word among your classmates.

Sincerely,

John

John A. Calabro
Vice President for Alumni Support
Association of Graduates, USMA

Next Week I will be going up to West Point for the Society and Class Leadership meetings. I thought I would poll the Society to see if there are any questions about the AOG or West Point that I could bring up at the various sessions.
Part of the Agenda:

0900-0915 Welcome by Chairman, Alumni Support Committee MG (R) Bob St. Onge '69 (Thayer Hall, Room 144)
0915-1015 Remarks by AOG Chairman LTG (R) Ted Stroup '62 (Thayer Hall, Room 144)
1015-1030 Break
1030-1200 Academy Update presented by the Superintendent LTG Franklin Hagenbeck '71 (Thayer Hall, Room 144)
1200-1330 Luncheon & Guest Speaker: LTC John Nagl '88 (West Point Club)
1330-1430 Panel of Recent Battalion Commanders (Thayer Hall, Room 144)
1430-1500 Support for Cadet Activities LTC Craig Flowers (Thayer Hall, Room 144)

0900-1000 Discussion of Development Operations LTC (R) Mike Mahan '70 (Thayer Hall, Room 144)
1000-1100 Discussion of AOG Finances COL (R) Geoff Louis '64 (Thayer Hall, Room 144)
1100-1200 Discussion of AOG Governance & Elections Ms Ellen Houlihan '82 & (Thayer Hall, Room 144) COL (R) John Calabro '68
1200-1330 Luncheon& Guest Speaker: COL Douglas Boone. (West Point Club) Distinguished Society Awards
1330-1430 Issues of Concern to the Military Community VADM Norb Ryan (Thayer Hall, Room 144)

Coach Bobby Ross will be the speaker at the Dinner on Friday.

If anyone has a question, you would like presented, please let me know.

Other topics:

The normal Third Tuesday Society Luncheon will NOT be held in August. This is because we have scheduled an "August Rally" on the 24th of August at the Firehouse Pub. The Society will furnish the drinks and the Club will provide the hamburgers and hot dogs. Bring your spouses or best friend! The main topic of discussion will be the football season! (I will try and pay attention to whatever Bobby Ross says.) The Rally begins at 1730 hours and will last until the keg runs out. (Last year we had to leave a good portion for the folks downstairs, hopefully this will not be the case this year.)

Mike Lyman and I were looking at the numbers the other day and we have just under 500 names on the Society Roster and the AOG has email address for 73% of them. Those that attend our functions know the numbers that show up -but these messages are getting to a lot more.

The September Luncheon will NOT be at the Officers Club, but will be at the Veteran's Museum. More on this latter.