KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – A cadet from the U.S. Military Academy recently participated in a 20-day mentorship program with junior officers of the 212th Combat Support Hospital, 30th Medical Brigade at the Miesau Army Depot from June 23 to July 13.

Cadet Richard Price, who is currently between his junior and senior year at West Point, worked alongside multiple lieutenants in the 212th CSH through the cadet troop leader training program in an effort to experience leadership and learn about the various staff functions he could work in as a newly-commissioned Army lieutenant.

“My experience here has been really good so far,” said Price, a native of Tyler, Texas. “I’ve never been around the real Army before so it’s been good to see what the military is like and how it functions on a day-to-day basis.” Read More

The first half of Cadet Basic Training for the Class of 2018 came to an end today with the six-site Walker Challenge. Named for 1LT Laura Walker ’03, who was killed in action in 2005 while serving in Afghanistan, this squad challenge tested new cadets on the skills they have acquired since R-Day: plebe knowledge, military ethics, medical training, basic rifle marksmanship, communication, incident response and physical training. Site #4, for example, had the new cadets performing pull-ups, carrying weighted items, flipping a LMTV’s tire, and executing flutter kicks while passing an ASSLT pack between squad members. “Teamwork is the key to this site,” said CDT George Ozga ’15, Delta Company Commander, the CBT company running the site. Squads were also timed on how long it took them to run from site to site on a course totaling 2.5 miles. At the end of the challenge, squads reflected on the accomplishments of 1LT Walker at a makeshift memorial along the Hudson River. The memorial emphasized four aspects of 1LT Walker’s life: athlete, scholar, soldier and leader. “That’s USMA’s complex mission in four words,” said a new cadet from Delta 1-1, “and that’s what each one of us will be developing into as we continue here over the next 47 months.”

Two Hundred Thirty-Four cadet candidates reported to the United States Military Preparatory School today to begin Cadet Candidate Basic Training (CCBT) and the one-year USMAPS program in military science and remedial academics. According to Cadet Leo St. Amour ’15, CCBT battalion commander, it took approximately three hours to in-process the cadet candidates—15 percent of whom are women and nearly 20 percent of whom are prior service—once they arrived at “the bubble” (USMAPS indoor practice facility). After in-processing, cadet candidates learned how to stand at attention, salute, execute an about face and march and then displayed their new skills during the Oath Ceremony on USMAPS’ football field. St. Amour and his 79-member cadre will now spend the next three weeks training the cadet candidates on marksmanship, crew-served weapons, land navigation, medical readiness and other areas related to military training. CCBT will culminate with the Smith Challenge, named for 1LT James L. Smith ’59, USMAPS Class of 1965—2015’s 50-Year Affiliation class—who was killed in a helicopter crash on February 15, 1971 in Vietnam during a mission to evacuate a severely wounded member of his Ranger team.

WEST POINT, N.Y. – From July 7-13, 2014, the mortar platoon of 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, introduced United States Military Academy cadets on the functions and capabilities of 81mm and 60mm mortar systems at West Point, New York.

The training consisted of learning various specifications of the systems as well as their uses, capabilities and roles in warfare. The cadets, most of whom had never seen a mortar system fire before, began the training by watching the mortar platoon execute a fire mission with the speed and precision that is needed to effectively destroy the enemy with indirect fires.

The cadets were also briefed on the roles of the various Soldiers that comprise a gun team. Pfc. Rudolph Verbose, a mortarman from Bessemer, Michigan, and a gunner for gun team 2 in the mortar platoon enjoyed showing the cadets what his role and responsibilities were. Read more

Serving in the cold doesn’t just include the temperature.

A summer day on a glacier can feel like winter, but if that’s where Alaska soldiers are called to fight, they have to be ready.

That’s where the Northern Warfare Training Center in Black Rapids excels, training soldiers for every mission.

West Point Military Academy Cadet Jeff Steiner is one of the soldiers taking part in glacier training.

He says he’s surprised by the rapid temperature change from the ground to the glacier.

“We put on cramp-ons and our harnesses and learned how to walk around on the ice which I thought, sounds kind of self-explanatory, but it’s a little harder than it seems,” Steiner said.

The ice becomes a classroom and the soldiers, students, but the lesson is potentially life-saving.

They form rope teams, the best defense against some of the glacier’s deadly hidden dangers.

“Glaciers have crevasses and a few other obstacles or other dangerous areas that we wanted them to be able to navigate safely,” said training officer Capt. Justin Lynch. Read More

The United States Military Academy men’s gymnastics team along with Connor Venrick and recently commissioned 2nt Lt. Kip Webber have been honored with All-America Academic honors.

Venrick landed on the first team with Webber earning second team honors and the Army gymnastics squad receiving an honorable mention as All-Amercian scholar athletes from The College Gymnastics Association.

As a team, Army received an honorable mention with William & Mary taking the top spot.

Venrick is one of 77 gymnasts from across the country to earn first team honors. The senior has earned the All-America recognition each of his three season as a Black Knight.

A pommel horse and still ring specialist, Venrick was an NCAA qualifier in 2014. He set career highs in both categories during the 2014 season, recording a score of 14.65 on the pommel horse against Springfield (March 2) and a 14.05 on still rings against Temple (Feb. 28).

This is the fourth All-America nod for Webber who landed on the first team in 2010 and 2011 and on the second team in 2013. Webber graduated in May and earned the Army Athletic Association’s highest honor as the top male athlete in the class of 2014. A civil engenieering major, Webber received his degree from President Barack Obama during commencement on May 28. Read More

By JoAnne Castagna
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, N.Y. District
Courtesy of Pointer View

Not too long ago, dozens of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy became very ill and missed classes. According to the academy, what caused this is the fact that almost half of the cadets are living in uncomfortable, crowded dorm rooms and that additional barracks are needed to relieve this situation.

They tapped the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, to construct a new barracks since the agency has already successfully built numerous structures on the historic campus.

Presently, the District is blasting over 100,000 cubic yards of rock to make way for the new barracks. The look of the new structure will fit in well with the rest of the 200-year-old campus, will be energy efficient, and will save taxpayers approximately $44,000 annually.

“A new barracks that meets current Army standards is needed to relieve overcrowding in the existing barracks,” Richard Mandra, project manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, said. “Right now, the entire first- year class and part of the second-year class are housed with three cadets in rooms designed for two cadets. This project will allow assignment of two cadets per room.”

The new cadet barracks is being designed and constructed by Army Corps contractor Walsh Construction Company of Chicago, and its subcontractor, Clark Nexsen.

The barracks will be 287,000 square feet in size and have six floors. Each floor will accommodate 130 cadets in two-person rooms. The entire barracks will provide living space for 650 cadets.

Cadets will be provided with latrines and showers, a laundry area, day rooms, office areas, study and collaboration rooms, trash and recycling areas and offices and storage rooms for the cadets.

The barracks, like the surrounding buildings, will be constructed in military Gothic revival architecture.
The design will include granite veneers or overlays, Gothic arches, sally ports or secure entryways and crenellated parapets with embrasures and limestone accents. Parapets are structures that were constructed on the tops of castles and forts centuries ago that have openings for shooting from the top of the structure.

“The project is located at the Central Post of the main campus which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The barracks will be constructed of granite from a local supplier to match the existing buildings,” Matthew A. Ludwig, team leader, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, said.

In addition, the design will also incorporate modern architectural features such as a curtain wall in the center of the façade. A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building that keeps the weather out, such as precipitation.

Unlike the other buildings constructed at West Point, the barracks will be leading the way in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certified. What will make it energy efficient are a solar hot water system and a radiant heating and cooling system.

During the heating season, the radiant system that is being installed at the new barracks works by circulating heated water through tubing in the floor, while during the cooling season the radiant system works very much the same way, except the water is chilled and circulated through the same tubing.

The construction of the barracks is expected to be completed in the summer of 2016 and cadets will be able to use the new facility by the end of December 2016.

West Point on Forbes Top 10 list
The U.S. Military Academy was placed ninth in Forbes list of the top colleges for 2014. The academy listed at seventh among schools in the Northeast and fourth among best liberal arts colleges.
For details, visit http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/.

USMA scores high in Princeton Review
The Princeton Review ranked West Point in its “Top 10” in nine categories and “Top 20” in five others, including first in “Most Accessible Professors” and “Everybody Plays Intramural Sports” in their annual college guide “The Best 379 Colleges.”

Other notables include: third in “Best College Library” and “Most Politically Active Students,” fifth in “Best Health Services” and sixth in “Best Athletic Facilities.” The new 2015 edition profiles only about 15 percent of America’s 2,500 four-year colleges and four outside the U.S.

Cadet Conducts Biomechanics Research at Army Research Laboratories (AIAD): CDT Christal Theriot ’15 participated in an AIAD at the Army Research Laboratories’ Dismounted Warrior Branch, a part of the Human Research and Engineering Directorate (HRED).   Working with Dr. Courtney Webster of HRED, CDT Theriot performed a validation study on improved methods for tracking the motion of the pelvis when external devices such as rucksacks limit the visibility of the typical marker-based camera methods.  Tracking the motion of the body segments is a key method of assessing how the body reacts to internal and external interventions and stimuli.   The outcome of this work will be important for future protocol development for three-dimensional biomechanical testing.  CDT Theriot constructed a final PowerPoint presentation that described the outcome of the research.  Several slides are shown below.  POC is Dr. Becky Zifchock, Center for Innovation and Engineering, rebecca.zifchock@usma.edu

GENE AIAD with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region VII Office in Kansas City, MO.  CDT Andrew Meyers (Class of 2016) interned with the FEMA Region VII office located in Kansas City, MO where he worked on projects and initiatives within the mission support division of the regional office (20 July – 09 August).  CDT Meyers was able to visit other federal and state agencies and entities that FEMA works with to include the Kansas Department of Emergency Management, US Army Corps of Engineers, Defense Coordinating Office/Element, and the Kansas Adjutant General office.  CDT Meyers was able to see how closely FEMA works with state and other federal governmental agencies and the importance of cooperation among governmental agencies.  POC is MAJ Cristian Robbins at cristian.robbins@usma.edu.

For the last two years Partners has hosted a cadet from West Point for several weeks in the summer as part of their introduction to civil-military relations. The internship placement is facilitated by the Center for the Study of Civil-Military Operations (CSCMO) at West Point, which is dedicated to creating a foundation of understanding of civil-military operations among junior officers.

Cadet Kilner had this to say about the experience, "I felt that I accomplished COL (Ret) Mike Hess’ goal for this internship. He was one of the first to develop the concept of civil-military relations in the early 90s and learned through trial and error while deployed. His goal for cadets interning with NGOs was to understand the general concept of civil-military relations before actually having to put it into practice as officers in the military. I feel that after spending these three weeks at Partners and attending various events centered around global security I am able to think about any situation from many different perspectives, not just from a military perspective."

Read More about CDT Kilners experience.

Learn how you can financially support Cadet Academic Development Programs

Brigadier General John Thomson ’86 assumed command of the United States Corps of Cadets on August 11, 2014 at a ceremony in Crest Hall. During his remarks to the audience after the passing of the colors, Thomson cited cadets as West Point’s “raison d’etre.” “I am excited to serve cadets as their 75th commandant,” Thomson said. Afterward, in an interview, Thomson said that he is looking forward to spending time with individual cadets in a variety of venues. His message to them will be simple and direct, emphasizing both values and standards: “Do what is right and do it excellently. Lead the way you want to be led and follow the way you’d want to be followed.” Before his assignment as Commandant, Thomson commanded at the battery level, battalion level and brigade level. He also served as a Tactical Officer at West Point in the mid to late nineties. Prior to returning to West Point, Thomson got input from the last five Commandants. “There was a common theme to their advice—have fun,” Thomson said. “If you are not having fun, then there are 4,400 cadets not having fun".

“Grads in the West Point Society of Singapore have been setting up AIAD opportunities for cadets in SE Asia for the past three years.  This summer, two cadets did AIADs in Vietnam with Banyan Tree Group.  The cadets worked with Banyan Tree’s corporate social responsibility operations and were based out of Cu Du Village, Loc Vinh Commune, Phu Loc District in Thua Thien Hue Province.  This was the second year that Banyan Tree hosted cadets for AIADs.  Tremendous support for the AIAD was provided by Banyan Tree’s Area General Manager, Mr. Desmond Acheson, and the Group HR Director, Mr. Timothy Cheong.  Banyan Tree’s Chairman, Mr. Ho Kwon Ping, served as a senior mentor last year at the McDonald Cadet Leadership Conference.

Department of Law: For the fifth and final year, West Point cadets traveled to Liberia for an AIAD to study the rule of law in a post conflict country. Law Majors CDT Colton Giordano ’14 and CDT Betsy McCracken ’14, spent three weeks interviewing Liberians, U.S. State Department officials, U.S. Aid officials, and the Senior Defense Officer, COL Timothy Mitchell ’87, to get an understanding of the challenges the rule of law faces after Liberia’s gruesome 1989-2003 civil war.

CDTs Giordano and McCracken quickly learned how complex and intertwined Liberia’s problems are, all affecting the rule of law in the world’s third poorest country. While Liberia’s constitution, court system, and one law school are modeled on the United States’, Liberia’s formal legal system is not able to provide justice for most its 4 million citizens. For example, the cadets heard how for the 3 million Liberians who live outside Monrovia, the capital, calling the police to report a crime does little good. This is because what few police there are either don’t have vehicles to come to a crime scene, or don’t have fuel for their vehicles.

Then when the cadets visited Monrovia Central Prison, the prison deputy superintendent told them how the vast majority of the prison’s 1,300 occupants were pre-trial detainees, as the country only has 30 public defense attorneys. So pre-trial detention can last for months or years.

The cadets heard more about how traditional leaders try to settle disputes from the Chairman of the National Traditional Council, the chief of all the chiefs. He described how elected chiefs try to reconcile the problem by talking to villagers, but how some chiefs also use customary, less unscientific methods, to determine who is telling the truth in a dispute.

Since the end of the Liberian civil war, the U.S. military has been mentoring the newly formed Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), a force that has adopted the Uniform Code of Military Justice as its legal code. Yet the AFL does not have any lawyers. The AFL enlisted soldier who is currently acting as both a defense and prosecuting attorney met with the cadets to describe the challenges the rule of law faces in keeping good order and discipline in the AFL.

Cadets Complete AIAD at Pentagon, One Presentation Sent to Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Upon His Request: Cadets Ashley Mohr '15 and Carissa Pekny '16, both Environmental Science majors worked their AIAD at the Pentagon from 14-25 Jul 14 within the organization of the Hon. Katherine Hammack, Assistant Secretary of the Army, Installation, Energy and Environment (ASA IE&E). Cadet Mohr’s project was to evaluate the pilot Net Zero Energy modeling framework used by IE&E and compare that framework to the pilot Net Zero models used by installations in the US and Europe. She was then to recommend a final model for IE&E that better specifies the Net Zero approach. Cadet Carissa Pekny applied the systems engineering decision making process as developed by the United States Military Academy, West Point to compare seven different huts: B-hut, Concrete B-hut, SIP hut reinforced, rigid wall shelter, concrete masonry unit, and two energy efficient shelters. She then used this analysis to determine which of these huts had the highest stakeholder value in comparison to its cost. The Structural Insulated Panel hut had the highest stakeholder value at the 2nd lowest cost per soldier. Cadet Pekny’s project was sent to the LTG John Campbell, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, upon his request. Point of contact is LTC Mark Smith, D/GENE, mark.smith@usma.edu

Center for the Study of Civil Military Affairs (CSCMO) AIAD to Honduras: (20 July – 08 August) Cadets visiting Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-B) at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras over the summer received briefs from several Honduran military schools to include the Commando School located just outside of Tegucigalpa. This school, dedicated to training special tactics, is quivalent to the US Army Airborne and Ranger Schools. Graduates of the prestigious school are known throughout the Honduran military as elite troops specialized in jungle warfare and night operations. Cadets also participated with JTF-B personnel in community service projects oriented toward improving conditions at orphanages in local Comayagua, and organizing special projects and trips for the children. POC is MAJ Gavin Schwan at gavin.schwan@usma.edu.

Yearlings Molly Prins, Jacob Moffatt, and Charlie Braman joined Network Science Center Senior Researcher, Dan Evans, on an AIAD trip to Dar es Salaam Tanzania for a data collection effort supporting the Network Science Center's research project entitled, “Developing Network Models of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems.” The project has previously collected data in Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia, Liberia, and Ghana.

NSC AIAD Trip to Dar es Salaam: The team immersed themselves into the burgeoning tech scene in Dar es Salaam. They visited 4 tech incubators/tech hubs: the Dar Teknohama Business Incubator, the Buni collaboration hub, the KINU incubator, and the Mara Foundation. In addition to interviewing tech entrepreneurs and administering surveys, they shared their expertise by teaching a class on performance management and counseling to a packed house at the KINU collaborative space. The team also briefed members of the US Embassy Staff on the project and even participated in the military section's Hail and Farewell at the Defense Attache's home.

On August 17, the Class of 2016 affirmed their commitment to complete their final two years of study at West Point and serve at least five years in the U.S. Army. In Robinson Auditorium, the 50-year affiliate Class of 1966 presented each Cow a commemorative coin bearing their class crest and motto, “With Honor We Lead.” See photos here.

Every graduate is likely to remember what it was like to lose the “new cadet” moniker and be officially welcomed into the United States Corps of Cadets. After enduring six weeks of Cadet Basic Training, March Back and the rigors of Re-Orgy week, the Class of 2018 found out what that experience was like when it took part in the A-Day ceremony and parade on the Plain. The Corps opened its ranks to welcome 1,198 new members on Saturday, 22 percent of whom are women and 14 percent of whom are African Americans, the highest numbers in this category ever for the United States Military Academy.

The Class of 2018 also brings in a record number of designated scholars, making it both the most competitive and the most diverse class to ever enter West Point. The Class features 82 valedictorians, 109 class presidents, 765 team captains, 1,055 varsity letter winners, 17 combat vets and 14 international cadets. According to Colonel Deborah McDonald ’85, Director of West Point Admissions, “The Class of 2018’s overall performance in academics, leadership, athletics and in the Army has been exceptional and provides the foundation for successful completion of the challenging West Point experience and for service to our Nation as commissioned leaders of character.” So, welcome “plebes.” West Point and your country expect great things from you! See photos here.

The United States Military Academy at West Point hosted a visit by USA Basketball's Men's National Team on Monday as the team prepares for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The team and its coaching staff, led by 1969 West Point graduate Mike Krzyzewski, arrived at West Point Monday morning and toured the Academy prior to holding a practice at Christl Arena. The practice, open only to the West Point community, was televised live on ESPN2 beginning at 2 p.m.

The group traveled to West Point from its headquarters in New York City and was greeted upon arrival by Superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen. After meeting with Lt. Gen. Caslen, the team visited the West Point Cemetery where it went to four gravesites and heard a historical overview given by Lt. Col. Dave Siry. Read More.

The United States Military Academy, West Point, has topped the list of fittest American Universities by "The Active Times".

Only academically good and physically fit individuals can secure admission at USMA. West Point applicants must also pass the Candidate Fitness Assessment, which comprises of six tasks including a basketball throw, cadence pull-ups, a 40-yard shuttle run for time, abdominal crunches, push-ups and a one-mile run for time.

USMA students are required to participate in a sport and mandatory classes include "Military Movement", Boxing, Combatives, Fitness Leadership, Survival Swimming and Lifetime Sport among others.

USMA is followed by the United States Naval Academy. Similar to USMA, candidates are also required to pass CFA to gain admission into the college.

The ranking is based on "the number, success and involvement of sports programs (both varsity and intramural), the quality of athletic facilities, the healthfulness of campus dining options, quality of life ratings", among other things. Read More

Click here for a listing of upcoming Cadet activities.

From 30 May to 12 June, the Department of History and the Department of English and Philosophy conducted an AIAD staff ride, “World War I in Memory and Literature” in France and Belgium. Following preparatory studies during the spring semester, fifteen cadets participated along with COL Mike Stoneham, LTC Jason Musteen, LTC Dave Siry, MAJ Deb Daley, and 2LT Niki Boyda in an in-depth examination of the conflict as well as the literature and poetry it generated. Through the study of history and literature, the cadets gained a greater appreciation for the conduct of the war, the individual experience of warfare, and the individual and national memories that emerged from the war. Battlefield studies included the 1st and 2nd Battles of the Marne, Verdun, Loos, the Somme, the Ypres Salient, Passchendaele, the 1918 German offensives, Château-Thierry, and Belleau Wood. At each location, cadets presented historical analysis and examined literature and poetry from soldier-authors such as Robert Graves, Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Ernst Jünger, Henri Barbusse, Herbert McBride, Alan Seeger, and others. To conclude the study, the cadets will prepare academic papers for presentation at the West Point conference, “Literature, Memory and the First World War” to be held in September.
Photo: Cadets discuss memory of war at the grave of Rudyard Kipling’s son, Jack.

CDT Kiana Frick briefs AIAD Capstone at East-West Institute – NYC
On 06 AUG, CDT Kiana Frick (’16), briefed her capstone at the completion of her AIAD with the East-West Institute (EWI) in NYC. Kiana, given an independent project, analyzed a real time problem set and offered her recommendations to GEN (Ret) Moseley, 18th Chief of Staff, USAF; COL (Ret) James Creighton, EWI Chief Operating Officer; David Firestein, EWI VP of Strategic Trust-Building Imitative and Former US Diplomat to China and Russia; MAJ Christina Fanitzi, West Point Negotiations Project OIC. Kiana’s work set the stage and enabled East-West Institute to make decisions regarding the way-forward in pertinent real-world mediations. The East-West Institute is an international not-for-profit, non-partisan "think and do" tank focusing on international conflict resolution through a variety of means, including track 1.5 and 2 diplomacy (conducted with the direct involvement of official actors), hosting international conferences, and authoring publications on international security issues. The West Point Negotiation Project is a USMA faculty effort to improve the ability of military leaders to negotiate and is an activity within BS&L's West Point Leadership Center. POC: MAJ Christina Fanitzi, BSL, x3295.

FBI Crisis Negotiation Course
On 04-08 August 2014, BS&L's West Point Negotiation Project hosted the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Unit in an educational course for approximately 32 participants, including 20 cadets, 8 Officers, 4 NCOs, and 2 Civilians. Participating leaders came from BSL, BTD, Center for the Study of Civil-Military Operations, New York Police Department (NYPPD), USCC, and the West Point Provost Marshall’s Office. During the course, cadets learned the importance of negotiation in crisis situations, were introduced to a framework for active listening, analyzed real FBI footage of 1993 Waco Crisis and the 2014 Dothan Kidnapping to apply concepts learned, and practiced negotiating in a series of role-playing exercises, including a team competition. Cadets observed members of The Department of Foreign Language (DFL) conduct practical exercises in the use of an interpreter in negotiations, which they later applied in practice during a hostage role-play, mirrored after the event’s following the Boston Marathon bombing. Supervisory Special Agents (SA) Mark Flores and Michael Yansick, of the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit served as primary trainers who shared with cadets how they used negotiation to meet the FBI’s mission to successful mitigate situations without undue, and excessive, force. Cadets also heard from 5 Supervisory SAs from the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit-New York Office and Orange County Behavioral Health Professionals on frameworks to identify suicidal behavior. Participants received 40-hour training certificates to apply to their permanent records. The West Point Negotiation Project is a USMA faculty effort to improve the ability of military leaders to negotiate and is an activity within BS&L's West Point Leadership Center. POC: MAJ Christina Fanitzi, BSL, x3295.

CDT Lewis Black presents “Your Community, Leadership, and You” to students at the Raffles Institution, Singapore
As a part of a Minerva research grant to Dr. Luke Gerdes, CDT Black participated in network science research being conducted at Raffles Institution (RI) and he was invited to give a talk to over 250 RI students. Following a lively introduction by LTC Matt Clark, CDT Lewis Black gave a talk on his personal leadership journey to date to the student leaders of RI in Singapore. RI is a prestigious college preparatory school in Singapore that has educated several important Singaporean leaders, including Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore. CDT Black gave an inspiring talk on the need for continual self improvement, the importance of leading ethically, and the value of service in our lives. As part of this AIAD, CDT Black also participated in meetings with senior leaders in the Singapore Armed Forces with Dr. Gerdes and LTC Clark. Specifically, they met with the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute on the topic of leader development and with the Defense Psychology Department on the topics of critical thinking and research methods.
POC: LTC Matt Clark, ext. 5644.

Triathlon: During 16-17 August, the West Point Triathlon Team hosted the 10th Annual Toughkids Triathlon and 25th Annual West Point Triathlon at Camp Buckner. Over 1100 athletes from across the Northeast participated in the two-day event which featured 3 children’s races and an adult race. The proceeds from the event go to support the West Point team’s training and competition throughout the year. This year the race and the season are dedicated to CDT Alex Werden who was a rising yearling on the team. During past the summer, Alex was diagnosed with a rare form of juvenile cancer. He has taken a medical leave from the academy while he undergoes therapy back home in Chapel Hill, NC. The team placed purple ribbons on all the race bibs for awareness and the OIC of the team, LTC Ken Allen, addressed all the participants prior to the start of the race letting them know the significance of the ribbon stickers and how the team would be a man down this year until Alex gets back. In addition to the able-bodied participants, we were honored to have 3 challenged athletes complete the race two of which were wounded warriors. The adult race was organized by the Race Director, MAJ Brian Montgomery and supported by the New York Highway Patrol, USMA DES and Fire Department, Ike Hall Restaurant, team Red White and Blue, West Point Crew and Marathon teams, and numerous cadet volunteers from across the corps. Without the volunteers, the event would not have been successful.

The 2014 West Point Civil Rights Staff Ride: Teaching Diversity, Commemorating Freedom Summer and the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The West Point Civil Rights Staff Ride was focused on the events of 50-years ago which shaped the nation and moved us closer to true equality. This intensive AIAD program combined interdisciplinary study in the classroom with a two-week staff ride through the Deep South to understand diversity and immerse cadets in the culture of the Civil Rights Movement of the post-WWII era. Cadets were competitively chosen and went through a rigorous week of classes in the law, politics and history of the Movement. All rising Yearlings, Cadets Lance Baggett, Michelle Golonka, Jazzmyn Miller, Adam Reynolds, Nathan Townsend, and Leah Tonetti were well versed in those subjects by the date of departure for the trip south.

The Staff Ride was sponsored by the West Point Center for the Rule of Law and the Department of Law, as well as the Departments of History, Social Sciences, English & Philosophy, and Behavioral Science & Leadership. Truly interdisciplinary, the participating faculty included period literature, music and culinary appreciation to supplement cadets’ recognition of the importance of diversity.
Civil Rights Staff Ride Cadets and Faculty Meet Legendary Civil Rights Attorney Fred Gray in Tuskegee, Alabama
Escorting cadets on this exciting journey were Maj. Andrew Forney from History, Dr. Rachel Yon from SOSH, and Dr. Robert J. Goldstein from the Department of Law who led the Staff Ride. Each day of the journey was filled with encounters with storied veterans of the Civil Rights Movement, their children and grandchildren.

In Richmond, VA they were met at the State Capitol by Judge John Charles Thomas, the first African-American on the VA State Supreme Court, and federal Judge Roger Gregory of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. The judges led a lively discussion which prepared cadets for their meetings, and posed questions that would resonate as the group travelled to the Deep South. Judge Gregory raised the issue of whether it might be useful in the current day to focus on the “equal” part of the mandate of “separate but equal” in the case of Plessey v. Ferguson.