Susan I. Spieth has published the Award winning book Gray Girl: Honor isn’t always black and white, 2014 Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award! 2014 Eric Hoffer e-book fiction winner!

Years before the Army’s Zero-tolerance policy on sexual assault and shortly after the United States Military Academy allowed women cadets, Jan Wishart must defend herself at a West Point Honor Trial. When a friend is raped during the Army/Navy football weekend, Jan suspects the predator is also her accuser. Jan is determined to prove her innocence and, if possible, reveal his guilt. Yet, two hundred years of fraternal bonds stand in the way.

The worst is yet to come when Jan and her roommate sneak out after Taps one night. Their discovery in an unauthorized area is more likely to get them kicked out—or killed.

Jan realizes the grayness of West Point is not only in its buildings and uniforms. Even honor isn’t always black and white. Relying on her wits and a few friends in the hostile environment of the U.S. Military Academy, Jan discovers the value of friendship, the genuine marks of leadership and her own inner warrior.

Gray Girl II, Area Bird—Duty doesn’t always follow the rules. Jan Wishart is back in her second year at West Point. Triggered by her former roommate’s sudden resignation, Jan's mission becomes finding out what's happening to women at the academy. She discovers a systemic problem that has been ignored and perhaps cultivated at the highest levels. In order to fulfill her duty, Jan must break with tradition and the longstanding culture of the United States Military Academy. Her coming-of-age year is thrown into further chaos by the death of a classmate. Yet not everything is as it seems. Once again Jan's worldview is about to be upended by the secrets of West Point.

Bryan Babb is the chair of the firm's Appellate Services Group, and a member of the Litigation Group. He is a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee. Before joining the firm, Babb served as a judicial law clerk for Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan, Jr. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point (B.S., 1989), Boston University (M.S., 1994), and Indiana University Maurer School of Law – Bloomington (J.D. cum laude, 1999). Babb has been named in the Top 50 Indiana Super Lawyers since 2012 and has been included in the Best Lawyers in America® 2008-2015 for appellate law. In 2014, he was named the Best Lawyers 2014® Indianapolis Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year.

PaySpan, Inc., the leading provider of health care reimbursement and payment automation, today announced the appointment of Rex Adams as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Kevin Arner. Mr. Adams' extensive operational experience and senior leadership roles in organizations including Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, CareCentrix, WellCare Health Plans, AT&T and BellSouth are well suited to continue PaySpan's rapid growth and expansion. Mr. Adams' breadth of experience crosses operations, information technology, product development and management, and strategy and corporate planning. Mr. Adams is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and Harvard Business School. PaySpan's leading health care payment and financial services solutions are utilized by over 950 health plans and over 700,000 health care provider payees, representing the largest health care payment connectivity network in the nation. Read More

Although he got a C in his language class when he was in school at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Searcy resident Scott Follett’s first book has created a stir since it was released in December. Fusing his knowledge of airplanes with some investigating and a little speculation, in his book IGARI: Where MH-370 and the World Changed Course Forever, Follett explores a possible scenario that could account for the disappearance of Malaysian Flight 370.

Follett grew up in Michigan, and when he graduated from high school in 1979, he joined the military. He went to West Point, where he studied engineering.

“West Point was the hardest school,” he said. “It’s very prestigious. There were opportunities there, and it was challenging.”

As news started to break on the plane’s mysterious circumstances, Follett was examining the evidence through the lens of his experience with aircraft and engineering. Some of the speculations out there simply did not add up, Follett said, and he started forming his own theories.

“The biggest theory was that the pilots did it,” he said. “In order for the pilots to do it, I knew that from my experience in aviation, it would have to be the entire flight crew, not just the pilots.”

Follett said the theory he has developed started with the passengers, not the pilots. Two passengers in particular captured his attention, and he believes they tie the plane’s disappearance to the Middle East. Read More

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ANAHEIM, Calif., Penhall Company, the market leader in concrete cutting, coring and removal services, announced the appointment of Mr. Jeff Long as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Long will succeed Mr. C. George Bush, who is retiring from active leadership in the Company and will transition to serving as Senior Advisor to the Company.

Mr. Long brings a wealth of experience to this role and a deep knowledge of Penhall and its industry, after having served on the Board of Directors of the Company and worked closely with the senior leadership team of the Company since 2010. Mr. Long was most recently Senior Managing Director at Centerbridge Partners, L.P. from 2010 until 2015, where he focused on improving portfolio company operations. Prior to joining Centerbridge, Mr. Long was a Managing Director at Vestar Capital Partners, where he was similarly responsible for portfolio companies across a variety of sectors. Before that, Mr. Long was a Principal at McKinsey and Company, Inc. where he consulted for CEOs in the aerospace and defense, energy, engineering and construction and diversified industries. Mr. Long served on active duty for fourteen years as a Cavalry Officer of the U.S. Army and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

"I am excited to join Penhall, which has a great brand, a rich history, a nationwide footprint and highly skilled operators, and customer-focused management," said Mr. Long. "Penhall is the market leader in concrete cutting and grooving and grinding services, and I look forward to working with our exceptional employees on further strengthening and growing the business." Read More

Arthur Wielkoszewski, who have extensive business management and consulting experience, were added to the Board. Scott Wroblewski was designated to be the Chairman of the Board. Charles Yawn, the AMLH CEO and Director prior to the sale, retained his seat on the Board and became the Chief Operating Officer (COO) reporting to Eric Wroblewski, CEO.

Skip Wheeler, a large AMLH shareholder before the transition, and John Driver, an aviation expert knowledgeable about air cargo operations, were designated as Advisors to the Board of Directors. Read More

[Washington Post Excerpt] WASILLA, Alaska — Out here Steve Watkins is alone — alone with a past that haunts him and a future that drives him. But otherwise, as the frigid, muted morning slowly stirs to life and the layers of gray begin to separate, he’s alone. His dogs are especially eager to get going, leaping and barking and begging to be among the eight harnessed together to Watkins’s sled, the one outfitted in camouflage. Soon, they all pull away from the kennel and disappear into the snowy Alaskan wilderness. Watkins, 38, has spent the past year training for two perilous pursuits, exposing himself to risk that is both a seduction and a distraction for a military veteran in need of both.

This weekend, he will be perhaps the least likely musher in the famed Iditarod, which bills itself as the “last great race on Earth,” 1,000 raw and rugged miles from Anchorage to Nome. If all goes well, he’ll finish in 10 to 12 days. Then, barely one week later, Watkins will board a flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, where he’ll embark on an expedition to climb Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on the planet. If Watkins’s body and mind hold up over two grueling months, he hopes to be standing on top of the world on or about May 20, the first person to complete — or even attempt — the Iditarod race and an Everest summit in the same year. Full Story»

The West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) is pleased to announce that Richard S. Huh ‘94 will join the organization as its new Vice President for Alumni Support.

Mr. Huh brings twenty years of experience in program management, strategy, sales, and consulting, working at all levels in the commercial, non-profit, and government sectors.  He most recently worked as Business Development Manager at Wyle, Inc. a leading provider of specialized engineering, professional, scientific, and technical services to the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, and a variety of other federal agencies.  Since 2007, Mr. Huh has served on the Board of Governors of the West Point Society of the District of Columbia (WPSDC), the largest society of West Point graduates worldwide.  In his most recent role as Executive Director of WPSDC, Mr. Huh provided strategic direction and operational oversight while also restructuring the Society’s marketing and public relations efforts to better communicate with alumni, parents, and affiliates.  Prior to his work with Wyle, Mr. Huh worked at Sparta, Inc., a provider of technical products and services to the defense, intelligence, and homeland security sectors, where he served chiefly as Program Manager for the International Programs Directorate.

“The WPAOG staff and I are excited to have Rich join our ranks,” said Colonel (Retired) Robert McClure, President and CEO of WPAOG. “His energy, broad background and experience in serving the West Point Graduate community will enable him to make immediate and lasting improvements in how WPAOG fulfills our mission of serving West Point and its graduates.”

At WPAOG, Mr. Huh will lead the Alumni Support department’s mission and work closely with the WPAOG Board of Directors, the Alumni Support Committee, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and the Thayer Award Committee.  He will also oversee the delivery of reunion, career assistance, memorial and organizational support programs for graduates.  In addition, he will develop and execute strategies to create and sustain dynamic programs that inspire increased graduate involvement and commitment to the United States Military Academy.

Mr. Huh received an MS in Project Management from The George Washington University and a BS in Russian Studies from the United States Military Academy.

NOTE:  Mr. Huh is succeeding Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Jim Johnston ’73, WPAOG Vice President for Alumni Support since 2007.  Jim will remain a member of the senior leadership team at WPAOG, serving as the Association’s corporate secretary and performing other designated tasks.

The West Point Association of Graduates is dedicated to furthering the ideals and promoting the welfare of West Point, and supporting and serving its graduates. As a non‐profit, tax‐exempt corporation, its philanthropic pursuits maintain a margin of excellence for Cadets attending the Academy.

AAFMAA has announced that Ian D. Smith, West Point Class of 2006, has joined the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association as Manager, Survivor Assistance Services. Ian will oversee survivor benefits and services for over 10,000 Association widows and widowers.

AAFMAA selected Smith because he brings to the job eight years of active duty Army leadership, combat deployments in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and most recently work with the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. He remains in the service in the U.S. Army Reserve. “We are delighted to have Ian working with AAFMAA to assist our military members and their families,” said AAFMAA’s President and Treasurer, Walt Lincoln (West Point 1972). Read More.

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Barclays announced the appointment of Jay O’Neil as a Managing Director and Regional Manager for Wealth and Investment Management in Los Angeles. Mr. O’Neil will be responsible for managing the office in Los Angeles and implementing Barclays’ strategy in the LA area as the firm continues to grow in the United States.

“Jay’s extensive wealth management and leadership experience underscores our continued commitment to hiring experienced professionals to support our clients in the region and our colleagues in the Los Angeles office,” said Tom Lee, Head of Wealth and Investment Management Americas. “We are thrilled to have Jay lead the Los Angeles office.”

Mr. O’Neil has over 14 years of wealth management experience. Prior to joining Barclays, he worked at Macquarie Bank where he was most recently the Head of the Private Bank. Prior to that, he spent several years with Merrill Lynch in a number of roles, including managing the Foreign Office where he supervised a team of financial advisors who supported clients in 92 countries. He also served as an Associate Director for Merrill Lynch’s North Texas region, managing 600 financial advisors, and as a Market Leader for the Private Banking & Investment Group in New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions. Mr. O’Neil also worked as Director and Regional Branch Manager for Credit Suisse Private Banking in South Texas. Read More

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NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. Students and staff of U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) gather to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the school's establishment at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. One of four major test pilot schools around the world, USNTPS instructs pilots, flight officers, and civil service engineers from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force as well as international aviators and engineers in the techniques of aircraft and systems test and evaluation. (U.S. Navy photo by Kelly Schindler/Released)

In the fall of 2013, U.S. Army three-star general Dana Chipman faced a disorienting dilemma: He was 55 years old, and his career was over. Chipman, JD '86, had served in the Army for 33 years, a journey that began as a cadet at West Point in the 1970s and culminated in his appointment as the judge advocate general (TJAG), the Army's highest-ranking legal officer. During the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, he had advised the Army's top commanders and overseen some of the military's most sensitive criminal cases. He had attained the rank of lieutenant general, a designation held by fewer than 60 other Army officers. And now, having finished his four-year tenure as TJAG, he was done.

The sharp-tongued Gowdy and decorous Chipman may seem like an unlikely match, but the two have developed a close partnership. Gowdy says they speak several times a day. "[Chipman's] very humble, which is a quality that's not often found in Washington. He lets everyone else in the room speak first—and just when you think there's someone in the room who knows more than him, he makes his voice heard. He'd be a lousy politician, because he doesn't brag and try to make everyone see how smart he is in the first 30 seconds you meet him." Full Story»

WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army senior baseball player Harold Earls plans to help lead a team of current, former and future U.S. Soldiers to the summit of Mount Everest in the spring of 2016. Earls has partnered with former Army hockey player CPT Matthew Hickey '09 in hopes of directing the first Army team to climb Everest, while also raising money and awareness for service members suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

"I have always wanted to climb Mount Everest," Earls said. "In the fall of 2014 I decided I was going to do everything I could to make that happen and we are very fortunate to be in the position we are in now. There have been tremendous mentors and a great support team here at West Point who has helped to move this dream of climbing Everest into a tangible goal."

Earls and Hickey have created a not-for-profit organization called U.S. Expeditions and Explorations to serve as the foundation for the quest. Their vision is "To inspire service-members - past, present and future - to challenge themselves or a small team with a lofty, focused endeavor in the field of exploration, philanthropy or science to promote healthy and inspirational lifestyles." Hickey will document the fundraising and preparation efforts of the USX Army Everest Expedition Team through a blog located at www.armyeverest.blogspot.com

Story courtesy of GoARMYsports

The expedition to the summit of Mount Everest, Nepal, which is the world's tallest mountain at 29,029 feet, will be the first USX endeavor. The goal is to raise awareness and funds for service-related mental illnesses in order to reduce suicide rates and improve quality of life for U.S. Veterans. Additionally, the team will conduct research and tests with its USX Expedition Soldiers and their equipment in the rugged environment.

"I had no idea how serious of an issue Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was in the military," Earls continued. "The numbers are staggering in terms of how many people are affected by PTSD and our goal is to help soldiers cope with this problem."

To learn more about the USX Army Everest Expedition or to make a donation to the cause, visit www.USX.Vet

Story courtesy of GoARMYsports

On Saturday March 21, 2015 at 11am there will be a Fence Dedication Ceremony at the Old Magnolia Cemetery in Thomasville GA. Henry O. Flipper is the First African American Graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Mayor Max Beverly will be leading the dedication. Ron Salter ’59 will be speaking. Kenneth Whitaker, President of the Thomasville GA Buffalo Soldiers 9th & 10 Calvary will be placing the Memorial Wreath. Click here for the Fence Dedication Program.

There is also an annual community service/Grave site maintenance coming up that was started by David Rich ’78 about 10 years ago. Since 2010 other members and friends of the Long Gray Line began to join him. If you would like to be apart of this email David.

"It started as a feeling years ago, probably 2004 or 2005.  Describe it as a compulsion, a tug across time, the harder right instead of the easier wrong -- or describe it any other way you like. Hearing that Henry O. Flipper, West Point’s first black graduate, was buried in nearby Thomasville, the need to visit, to connect, and to make sure he understood somehow that he had mattered flicked my consciousness for several months until I finally jumped in the car one Saturday and took the short ride to that nearby Georgia town. More info on joining.

There, I found the cemetery to be in universal, gently neglected disrepair. After a short visit to pay respects and perform a solitary vigil for a brother in gray, it was time to drive home. I returned the following weekend, with hand tools, scrub brushes, and enough sweat equity to make a (very) small difference. But it was the beginning and, somehow, I felt that Flipper knew. Similar solo trips followed every six months for several years. Upon hearing about my efforts, other WPST members and friends began joining me for the effort in 2010. With additional backs and good ideas came more and faster progress. Now a single annual visit suffices to keep the site in very good repair." Read The Quill Article.

Frederick C. Rice, ‘60 has been reelected to a third two-year term in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. As a Republican candidate, Rice was the the top vote getter in a field of eight candidates for four seats representing the Town of Hampton, a summer resort community on the New Hampshire seacoast.

Representative Rice serves on the House Resources, Recreation and Development Committee, where he is involved with issues that concern his district’s major business of tourism. He previously served two terms on the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee, where he sponsored and supported legislation to benefit and support small businesses throughout New Hampshire. He has also sponsored numerous bills supporting veterans’ issues, from property tax abatements to improved veterans medical care.

The 400-member New Hampshire house is the third largest legislative body in the world, and its members serve on a volunteer basis, receiving a stipend of only $100 per year.

Rice is a retired consultant. Prior to his election to state office, he served in numerous elected and appointed positions at the local level. He is a former member of the West Point AOG Board of Trustees and the WPAOG Advisory Council, and served a total of 35 years on the boards of West Point Societies in Orange County, CA and New England. Rice was active in West Point Admissions for 35 years, including 18 years in southern California, where he served as Orange County Regional Admissions Coordinator and Southern California Area Coordinator, followed by 15 years as New Hampshire State Admissions Coordinator.

Representative Rice and his wife, Joan, live in Hampton, NH. His son, Fred (USMA ‘88) lives in IL, and his daughter Janelle lives in CA.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — When the Red Sox drafted J.T. Watkins three years ago, it wasn’t just as a favor for his father Danny, an amateur scout with the team since 2004. J.T. was an accomplished college catcher with a strong arm who twice led his team to a berth in the NCAA Tournament. His school happened to be the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Understand that no West Point graduate has ever played in the major leagues. Seventeen Army players have been drafted over the years, 11 since 2005, but none have advanced beyond Triple A. Missing time because of a mandatory military commitment has so far been a hurdle impossible to overcome.

“We play a good brand of baseball here and I’m proud of what we’ve done. But West Point is producing officers, not baseball players,” coach Matt Reid said. J.T. Watkins, now 25, is out to change that. Which is why an expert in field artillery tactics puts on a different uniform these days trying to convince the Red Sox their pick wasn’t wasted after he spent two years in the service away from the game. Read More

Three retired colonels, all U.S. Military Academy graduates, will head skyward starting in November, with Tim Kopra (Class of 1985) off to the station for the more standard visit of about six months. Before Kopra returns to Earth in May 2016, Jeff Williams ('80) will launch in March, returning that September.

The same month Williams lands, Shane Kimbrough ('89) will head into orbit, scheduled to be gone until early 2017. It'll mark the first extended stay in space for Kimbrough, who flew on a 16-day mission aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in 2008 that assisted in ISS assembly. Kopra visited the station for two months in 2009, and Williams will be making his fourth trip to space and his third long-duration ISS stay. He'll also pass a major milestone, entering the flight with more than 362 days off the planet. Full Story»