The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1959| 1962 | 1965 | 1970 | 1972 | 1973 | 1994 | 1995. Class Notes
↧
Class Notes Updates This Week
↧
Greene '70 Releases "College Prep for Musicians"
Don Greene has recently released the book: College Prep for Musicians: A Comprehensive Guide for Students, Parents, Teachers, and Counselors is a one-of-a-kind book that gives a complete picture of the process of applying to music schools. Each of the three authors brings a different perspective and background to the subject, from top conservatory admissions experience, to years of teaching and professional performing, to Olympic coaching and audition preparation.
College Prep for Musicians decodes the complex process of choosing schools, clarifies the vocabulary around the admission process, and shows students exactly how to prepare their best audition. Young musicians will be able to follow detailed plans to get organized and to communicate with music schools and conservatories. This book provides tools, teaches habits, and demonstrates skills that students can use for the rest of their careers. College Prep for Musicians will help young musicians achieve their dreams. Available at Amazon.
↧
↧
Boyd '89 Promoted to Brigadier General
U.S. Army Reserve Colonel Tina Boyd, chief of staff, 335th Signal Command (Theater) was promoted to Brigadier General during a ceremony at Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, January 13, 2019. Boyd, an alumna of Georgia Tech pinned on the one-star insignia during a promotion ceremony held at the university.
Photo by Captain David Gasperson
↧
Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1944 | 1954 | 1960 | 1970 | 1983 | 1989. Class Notes
↧
WPAOG Announces 2019 Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients
The West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) has named the 2019 recipients of the Distinguished Graduate Award. This annual award is bestowed upon those West Point graduates whose character, distinguished service and stature draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which West Point strives, in keeping with its motto: “Duty, Honor, Country.”
The awards will be presented in a ceremony at West Point on May 21, 2019.
The 2019 Distinguished Graduate Award Recipients are:
David A. Bramlett ’64
Victor F. Garcia ’68
Robert L. VanAntwerp ’72
Walter L. Sharp ’74
Robert L. Caslen Jr. ’75
↧
↧
Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1956 | 1958 | 1959 | 1965 | 1966 | 1968 | 1983. Class Notes
↧
Darling '93 to Release "Taliban Safari: One Day in the Surkhagan Valley"
Paul Darling is due to release in April Taliban Safari: One Day in the Surkhagan Valley. We aren't home yet, Major Paul Darling reminds his team at the end of a sixteen-hour day. "Two more miles and we are done. We have pissed off a lot of Taliban today, and they are going to want payback." Shortly, the major will find himself sitting on a concrete basketball court next to the bunker where the day started so long ago, talking by satellite phone to his wife on the other side of the world. When she asks, "What happened?" there is too much to say. But one day, he promises himself, he will put into words what it was like–one day in the life of a combat soldier in Afghanistan in 2009.
This is the story of that day. In crisp prose and sharp detail Darling offers a moment-by-moment account of a one-day mission to track down and kill Taliban insurgents in the Zabul Province of southeastern Afghanistan. A rare day-in-the-life narrative that is also a page-turner, his story captures the mundane realities of deployment—the waiting, the heat, the heavy gear, the 0345 wake-up—along with the high-octane experience of crossing foreign terrain where every turn, every decision might have life or death consequences. The living accommodations, reporting up the chain of command, the bureaucracy, and the almost insurmountable challenges of functioning effectively in two cultures—all become intimately real in Darling's telling as he balances the imperatives of his mission and the skills of his men against the ever-multiplying unknowns, the unpredictable and dangerous Afghan "allies," and the elusive enemy: the unseen IED and the possibility of fatal miscalculation. Available from the University Press of Kansas.
↧
BG(R) Galloway '57 Continues Water Management Crusade
When Texas A&M Professor Sam Brody had the chance to snag a “superstar” to join an academic team producing the first national study of urban flooding scope and consequences, he knew just who to ask: Gerry Galloway. “It’s not just his passion, it’s what he lives and breathes,” says Brody, who considers Galloway a mentor and a friend.
Galloway—at 83, with an engineering teaching position at the University of Maryland and consulting jobs in Florence, Italy and China—could have easily said no, but he couldn’t resist yet another chance to chip away at America’s water management problems. “Water is the fabric that holds society together, and we have to figure out how we collectively solve” problems in managing it, he says.
Galloway was a leader of the presidential task force studying the 1993 Mississippi River flood. The report from the 1993 task force, known as the “Galloway Report,” encouraged governments and citizens at all levels to take responsibility for floodplain management. Story.
↧
Inside Cullum Hall - A Gift that Transformed West Point and AOG
One year before the formation of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy in 1869, George Cullum, Class of 1833, published the first edition of his three-volume Biographical Register of the Officers of the United States Military Academy, a “record of West Point graduates’ services to the nation, so as to give world-renown to their Alma Mater.” Later, in 1871, Cullum became a member of AOG’s Executive Committee, which he chaired until his death in 1892. It was evident from the earliest days of AOG that Cullum’s legacy would be forever linked to championing the accomplishments of graduates for the glory of West Point.
At its Annual Meetings beginning in 1884, the Association of Graduates discussed the need for a hall for the Association’s use for meetings and to house the many manuscripts, portraits, books and letters that had been given to the organization since its establishment. It was proposed to petition Congress for an appropriation to fund this hall, but the proposal was tabled for several years and debated again in 1887. At that time, AOG members felt that Congress would not be responsive to a funding request, and also felt that the AOG itself could not raise the funds required, and the matter was dropped. It seems that Cullum, however, privately determined to persevere with the project. Upon his death in February 1892, he bequeathed the considerable sum of $250,000 (worth more than $6.5 million in 2018) to the U.S. government for the purpose of erecting a memorial hall at West Point. Furthermore, Cullum wanted AOG to move forward with construction in a timely fashion, and explicitly stated in his will a wish for the memorial hall to be built “at farthest within five years after my death.” Read the entire article in West Point magazine.
↧
↧
Beach '00 Named CEO of the Wilson Foundation
David Beach has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation. Beach was with Hancock Whitney Bank as a vice president in the trust department, serving clients throughout south Louisiana. Announcing the hiring, the foundation cited his investment and fiduciary experience, as well as his involvement in the Baton Rouge community through board service and leadership with several nonprofit organizations.
"The mission of the foundation is timeless, and with David’s leadership we know the future remains very promising for the thousands of beneficiaries that the foundation serves with its resources," said J.H. Campbell Jr., chair of the foundation's board of trustees. Read more.
↧
Grill '10 Named Veteran Employment & Training Specialist
Christopher Grill has been named Veteran Employment and Training Specialist (VETS), a newly-created position at Geisinger. The position will recruit, transition and retain veterans to the organization. Grill will develop veteran-specific outreach programs to recruit veterans and assist those who have significant barriers to employment. He joined Geisinger in 2017 as a lean change agent. In October 2017, he helped launch VetNet, an employee resource group dedicated to veteran issues. He was deployed to Iraq in 2011 in support of Operation New Dawn and multiple times to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Story.
↧
Learn About The WPAOG DGA Award Recipients
The annual West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA) has been bestowed upon those West Point graduates whose character, distinguished service and stature draw wholesome comparison to the qualities for which West Point strives, in keeping with its motto: "Duty, Honor, Country." The awards will be presented in a ceremony at West Point on May 21, 2019. Read more about the recipients.
↧
Pascoe '86 Appointed CEO at Histogen, Inc.
Richard Pascoe has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer at Histogen, Inc., a regenerative medicine company focused on stimulating the body's stem cells to regenerate tissues and restore youthful function.
"Histogen has a compelling story, both in its platform technology and in its product opportunities, and we are on the cusp of developments that point to an exciting year ahead," said Pascoe. "I'm very pleased to join Histogen at this pivotal time, and I look forward to spreading its story to a broader audience as we look to drive value through focused clinical development and business development activities in 2019."
Mr. Pascoe brings a strong track record with over 25 years of experience building and leading organizations in transition. He served as CEO of Apricus Biosciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused in urology and rheumatology, where he led European regulatory approval efforts and the sale of the ex-US rights for its lead asset Vitaros in 2017 and more recently completing a successful merger with Seelos Therapeutics.
Mr. Pascoe is a member of the board of directors of two public life sciences companies; KemPharm, Inc., and Seelos Therapeutics. He also serves as a member of the board of directors of Biocom, California's leading life science advocacy organization, and the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, a charity for military veterans. Mr. Pascoe served as a Commissioned Officer with the U.S. Army 24th Infantry Division where he earned a Bronze Star Medal during Operation Desert Storm. Read more.
↧
↧
Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1957 | 1965 | 1968 | 1970 | 1972 | 1986| 1993 | 1996 | 2000 | 2010. Class Notes
↧
Cravotta '88 Named CRO at The Crypsis Group
Mark Cravotta has been named Chief Revenue Officer at The Crypsis Group. Over a more than 30-year career that has taken him from U.S. Army officer to acclaimed technology industry sales executive, Cravotta has earned a reputation for success in building rapid, sustainable growth of privately-funded companies. His experience includes leading operations management, process design, product development, marketing and sales, and business development for a number of high-profile technology companies.
Prior to joining Crypsis, Cravotta served as Vice President North America Cyber Security Sales for CA Technologies, a leading provider of enterprise-class software solutions, where he led a team responsible for all revenue generation and growth for the commercial, federal, and channel segments of CA’s security business. Before joining CA, he spent two years with Dell/EMC’s Virtustream team, a provider of high-performance cloud software and managed services focused around SAP. While there, he rose to VP for Americas Sales while developing and managing a high-performance sales team that delivered triple digit year-over-year sales growth when the company was acquired twice in less than a year.
“As threats to networks and data continue to evolve and expand, the market for cyber security services is dynamic and the opportunities for further growth are enormous. I am thrilled to join the Crypsis team on its mission to create a more secure digital world,” said Cravotta. Read more.
↧
Have News Delivered to Inbox
Did you know that a digest of all the news posted on WPAOG’s website can be delivered directly to your email inbox? You can keep tabs on all the news about the Long Gray Line and Cadets by Signing up for Grad News and/or Signing up for West Point & Cadet News. We utilize Google FeedBurner so you will be directed to sign up and you will receive a confirmation email from them as well.
↧
Jones '77 Named National Superintendent of the Year
Dr. Curtis Jones, Bibb County School District Superintendent has been named National Superintendent of the Year by The School Superintendents Association (AASA) at their 2019 National Conference on Education in Los Angeles, CA. Click here to watch a video recap of the event.
A check was presented to Dr. Jones that will be given to either a student at the school from which he graduated, or at a school in his district. He was also presented with a blue blazer, traditionally given to the winner.
In 2018 He was named Superintendent of the Year for the state of Georgia. Regarding his December win, Jones said: "We got to this point because we were ready. I think people are trying to make it be the very best it can be. We're not where we need to be. We still have some mindsets to change, but we're getting there." He says seeing how the district has improved in three years was a victory in itself. "I didn't know I was going to win, but I felt like we had already won just because of the progress we had made."
↧
↧
Class Notes Updates This Week
The following classes have added updates this week to their Class Notes pages. 1958 | 1961 | 1966 | 1977 | 1988. Class Notes
↧
COL William O. Darby '33 - 40-Mile Ranger Challenge Hike
On April 30 of each year, a group in Italy conducts a 40-Mile Ranger Challenge Hike along the eastern shore of Lake Garda from Peschiera del Garda in the south to Torbole in the north in memory of BG William O. Darby, '33 – the first commander of the WWII Ranger Battalions. COL Darby was serving as the ADC of the 10th Mountain Division on April 30, 1945 when he was struck by shrapnel from a German artillery shell. He died within the hour – the war in Europe ended a week later. He was promoted to BG posthumously. Hikers/runners finish the 40-mile event by touching the top of the memorial to COL Darby in the Torbole churchyard where he was KIA. There will be individual and team soldiers from various military commands in Europe as well as local Italian citizens participating in the event. It is open to all hikers and runners. You do not have to be a Ranger to participate. More information can be found on the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Darby40milechallenge/ or by contacting Ron Hudnell, ’69 at RonHudnell@aol.com, a two-time participant (and record holder for the 60+ age group!)
↧
Redmond '66 Releases the Book "Rotations"
John Redmond recently released the book Rotations. Almost fifty years ago Richard Nixon was elected with a "secret plan" to end the Vietnam War. My sixty-two--thousand- word novel, Rotations, follows a group of Americans thrust into this war in 1969 in the giant base at Long Binh. The characters continuously rotate into and out of the unit as they attempt to deny the reality of the war by creating a comfortable American enclave. The characters include Adam Nussbaum, a recent NYU graduate and truth-seeker who suffers under a rigid and aggressive officer. He then falls into a romantic relationship with Katie Dolan, an RN at the military hospital where he interrogates North Vietnamese military prisoners. Adam is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Robert "Bull" Basham, who attempts to run a Christmas tree farm in New Hampshire from Vietnam only to find himself dangerously drawn into the currency black market. Major Ang Dung commands an enigmatic ARVN intelligence unit under the policy of Vietnamization and becomes an important and mysterious character in the story. Lieutenant Mike Dempsey, a recent West Point graduate commands an infantry platoon next to the intelligence unit., which slowly draws Adam into its operations. Although initially isolated from combat and attempting to create a "safe zone" in Vietnam, everyone in the detachment is gradually drawn into the real war, leading to a dramatic and violent conclusion. My personal experiences inspired this novel. I graduated from West Point in 1966, was in Vietnam in 1969 in an intelligence unit, graduated from Emory Medical School in 1974 and spent the last forty years as a medical oncologist. This book is available at Amazon.
↧