On September 3, members of the Class of 1965 gathered at a restaurant in Annapolis to participate in and bear witness to the Affirmation Oath taken by seven members of the Class of 2015. These seven exchange cadets are at the US Naval Academy for the semester and were not at West Point with the rest of their classmates for that event.
The West Point Society of Annapolis has been supporting the exchange cadet program for more than a decade and has organized an Affirmation Ceremony every year. The Class of 1965 turned out in a great show of support, with 15 Classmates and wives present: Steve Ammon, Emory & Eleanora Chase, John & Linda Concannon, Kay Dermody, Joe & Lynne DeFrancisco, Bob & Mary Frank, Frank & Cam Hennessee, Chuck & Elaine Nichols, and Jim Wood.
Graduates had the opportunity to engage the cadets before and during dinner. Along with the mentoring and mixing with the cadets, there was also the opportunity to socialize with the Class, as we sat all at one table and "broke bread" together.
The featured speaker was our own Joe DeFrancisco (pictured). Having gone to the ceremony at West Point, DeFrancisco was quite comfortable with the more up-close and cozy atmosphere of the night. Like Bill Hecker, Ric Shinseki, and Bob Selkis before him, Joe focused on the significance of the oath and the cadets' dedication to serve in the Army. He was inspiring as well as conveying the pride that the Class of '65 has in these youngsters.
DeFrancisco administers the oath while our classmates covered down behind the cadets. After taking the oath, the cadets did an about-face, and each classmate presented the Affirmation coin to the cadet in front of him. The coin bears our crest on one side and theirs on the other. As Joe had said, we are bound together in perpetuity!
-- Submitted by Bob Frank '65