In September of 1990, while teaching at the Academy, then-Captains Charles “Chip” Sniffin ‘79 (left) and Bob Brown ’81 (right) scaled the dominating peak overlooking West Point immediately above Cold Spring, NY in the Hudson Highlands State Park. As individual players on the big Academy team, they opted to be anonymous and wore masks to hide their identity on this spirit mission to unfurl a “Beat Holy Cross” banner. They submitted their “masked marauders/13th Man” spirit photo to the Pointer View...and it was published in the Sept. 14, 1990 weekly edition!
Fast forward 30 years later: now-COL (R) Charles T. “Chip” Sniffin ’79 and GEN (R) Robert B. Brown ’81 reunited to capture the spirit felt across the Nation and around the globe as the annual Army - Navy classic approaches, recreating a similar spirit mission. Together the marauding duo scaled the famed "rock scramble" on Old Rag Mountain in Virginia, assaulted, and then seized the summit as a part of Operation ROCK SOLID.
Once all aspects of consolidation and reorganization were completed on the objective, the “Go Army - Beat Navy” banner and Flat Cullum were displayed in a spirit rally indicative of a rousing, upcoming victory over Navy. Sniffin, originator of the One Army Team patch spirit initiative in 1988 that has ensured distinctive unit patches accompanied the Army Team into battles with Navy for over 30 years, and Brown, recently the Commanding General of US Army Pacific (USARPAC), have long been dedicated spirit warriors. This "flanker" tandem has one other credential of note relating to their teaching partnership in the Department of Military Instruction. At a combined height of 13 feet (back in the day) together they are the unofficial, undocumented, and self-proclaimed “Tallest Teaching Team in the history of the United States Military Academy.”
From the high ground, they proclaim: GO ARMY - BEAT NAVY!
Photos: Colonel Sniffin ’79 (Left) and General Robert B. Brown ’81 (Right)