Apr 23, 2015 - if you have delivery problems, call 845-346-3214. 40 Mulberry Street .... Simon Center for Professional M
tHe aPril 23, 2015 Vol. 72, no. 15 duty, Honor, Country
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aPril 23, 2015
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West Point Day at Fort Hamilton Nearly 300 personnel from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point traveled to USAG Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York, to participate in West Point Day at Fort Hamilton April 18. The day’s activities included a breakfast, a West Point admissions and information brief, a cadet parade through the streets of Fort Hamilton (above) with a formal pass in review and demonstrations by West Point Cadet Clubs. The cadet club demonstrations (right) allowed for members of the community to not only receive information on the clubs, but also take part in the demonstrations as a participant, giving them the unique insight on the cadet experience. The event allowed West Point to highlight the academy’s educational opportunities and military tradition to members of the local New York City area, further cementing the bond between the people of New York and the world’s pre-eminent leader development and academic institution. For more photos from the event, visit https://flic.kr/s/aHskafVgQf. Photos by sgt. 1st CLass Jeremy bunKLey/usma Pao
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News & Features
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Night of the Arts showcases cadet talent and USMA traditions By Capt. Adam Karr Department of English and Philosophy The Department of English and Philosophy along with the Cadet Fine Arts Forum celebrated cadet creativity at the inaugural John Calabro Night of the Arts April 10 at the Haig Room in Jefferson Hall. At the event, department faculty presented awards to cadets for outstanding work across a variety of creative and artistic fields such as photography, music, film, studio arts and original literature. The Department of English and Philosophy and the Cadet Fine Arts Forum have a long tradition of celebrating cadet achievements in the arts. At an institution known for its excellence in engineering and mathematics, these organizations are dedicated to fostering talent and cultivating diverse perspectives and experiences through creative expression. This year ’s event was truly special because it begins a tradition that honors the late retired Col. John A. Calabro, Jr., USMA Class of 1968. As an officer, former faculty member in DEP, member of the executive staff at the West Point Association of Graduates and quintessential patron of the arts, Calabro offers an exemplary legacy on which to honor cadet artistic achievement. He symbolized the ideal blend of “Athens and Sparta”—a phrase that has become shorthand for West Point as it pursues its twin aims of educating and training future Army officers. Calabro passed in 2013, but his son, Jac, was present to offer some words and celebrate his father’s legacy. Jac was accompanied by his wife Elizabeth and their three sons. Other members of Calabro’s family in attendance included his son Tony, and his wife, Angela. The “John Calabro Night of the Arts” celebration and awards ceremony was made particularly special by the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gretsch and the Gretsch Foundation. Fred Gretsch was a lifelong friend of Calabro. The various awards are named for other esteemed officers that embodied that same ideal. The O’Donnell awards for poetry and prose are named for Maj. Mike O’Donnell —artilleryman, English instructor and poet— who died suddenly during a military training
accident in 1992. The Sannes-Pinnell awards for visual arts honor retired Col. Samuel W. Pinnell who established an endowment on behalf of Elsie Sannes-Pinnell to support cadet activities that appreciate the visual arts. The event brought in nearly 200 audience members to the Haig Room, representing faculty and staff members from several USMA departments, USMAPS, the library, the West Point Association of Graduates and the local community. Even with so many distinguished guests, it was the cadet awardees and performers that were the focus. Class of 2015 Cadet Daniel Trainor, son of USMA Dean Brig. Gen. Timothy Trainor, received the inaugural award for excellence in music and performed a duet entitled “Lily’s Eyes” with Class of 2015 Cadet Sam Prichard. In addition, Class of 2015 Cadet Jonathan Kelly and Class of 2018 Cadet Logan Comer offered readings from their first-prize winning submissions in poetry and prose, respectively. The cadets enjoy the event for more than the performances and awards that celebrate their achievement. Dean Feinman, cadet-in-charge of the Creative Writing Forum, and secondplace winner for poetry, remarked on the broadening experience. “It’s more than just an awards ceremony,” Feinman said. “It gives us a chance to interact with so many interesting people and explore how creative expression and the arts contribute to a more holistic concept of service and citizenship.” The evening concluded with the presentation of the John Calabro Award for Excellence in Leadership and the Arts, which was awarded to 1st Lt. Christopher Shultz Goeke, USMA Class of 2008. Goeke possessed exceptional creative talent that distinguished him in his cadet career. He carried his characteristic determination, intelligence and generosity into his career as a commissioned officer, a career that ended too soon when he was killed in action on July 13, 2010, in Afghanistan while serving with the 82nd Airborne Division. His parents, Pamela Shultz and Randy Goeke, traveled from Minnesota to accept the award on their son’s behalf. Col. Scott Krawczyk, professor and head of DEP, remarked on how special it was to be
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The Army civilian enterprise newspaper, the Pointer View, is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Pointer View are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of the Army or West Point. The Pointer View ® is an unofficial publication authorized by AR 360-1. The editorial content of the Pointer View is the responsibility of the West Point Public Affairs Office, Bldg. 600, West Point, New York 10996, (845) 938-2015. The Pointer View is printed weekly by the Times Herald-Record, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Army, under exclusive contract with West Point. The Times Herald-Record is responsible for all commercial advertising.
able to honor Goeke at an event that connects him to distinguished officers such as Calabro, and the cadets that represent the future. “We are truly honored to be able to host the John Calabro Night of the Arts,” Krawczyk said. “It’s an inspiring event that
showcases some of the extraordinary artistic talent that exists in the Corps of Cadets, and it illustrates USMA’s commitment both to the arts and to developing the ‘whole person.’ We look forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come.”
Cadets from the Jazz Forum join musicians from USMA’s Jazz Knights and special guests from West Point Middle School and James I. O’Neill High School for musical performances April 10 at the inaugural John Calabro Night of the Arts. The cadets, from left to right, include Albert Biddle on the guitar, James Lee on the saxophone and Quinn Gutierrez on the trumpet. Amelia Horton from O’Neill High School in Highland Falls is also on the trumpet. Sgt. 1st Class Derrick James of the Jazz Knights is on the Saxophone at the far left. Photo by Lt. Col. Harry Jones/Department of English and Philosophy
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IN FOCUS: CYBER DEFENSE
April 23, 2015
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15th annual Cyber Defense Exercise a nail biter for USMA Story and photos by Kathy Eastwood Staff Writer The U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Merchant Marine Academy, Coast Guard Academy and competing for the first time, Royal Military College of Canada, all participated in the 15th annual Cyber Defense Exercise with USMA attempting to keep the National Security Agency–Director’s Trophy at home April 13-17. Although West Point valiantly fought several daunting challenges, in the end Navy took the top spot with Air Force taking second place and USMA finishing a disappointing third. Sixty cadets participated in the competition, including 15 cadets branching into the new Cyber Defense Branch that was approved last year. West Point cadets knew they were likely to lose the trophy this year; however, it was still a blow losing to archrival Navy. The cadets had several major challenges during the weeklong competition, such as a malicious attack on the server five minutes before the cadets had leave their computers––and having to wait until the following morning to try and figure out what happened and how they could repair the damage. In the end, they were able to get the server back online, but lost points in doing so. “They (red team) broke into the server at 9:55 p.m. April 15 just before we had to be off our computers by 10 p.m.,” Class of 2015 Cadet Ethan Gleue, public affairs officer for the team, said. “It is impressive how everyone fought to get us back online and figure out how they got in. We could seal it, but we didn’t want to do that, but we may have to create another server.” The cyber exercise was a bit different this year. For one, the lead kept changing between Air Force, Navy and USMA. Historically, it has been a competition between Air Force and USMA. “The lead kept going back and forth,” Class of 2015 Cadet Kyle Sandulli said. “Air Force was in the lead on April 14, then we got it back, then Navy took the lead. I enjoyed it though, it’s a great way to introduce people to this kind of warfare and I’m impressed.” The competitors found out the scores April 17 with the Dean of the Academic Board, Brig. Gen. Timothy Trainor, giving a pep talk to cadets. “I heard you guys got slammed,” Trainor said. “Scores will be coming out and it doesn’t look like we will be on top, but there’s always the forensic part that still needs to be calculated, so there is always hope. I am still so proud of you.” Curtis Dukes, Director of Information Assurance at NSA, spoke via teleconference to the military academies when announcing the winners. “The competition was close,” Dukes said. “The RMC made an excellent showing for their first time competing. We at the NSA need to do a better job with our challenges. West Point did an excellent job and placed first in the forensic portion of the competition. In the Malware competition there was a three way tie, USMA, USAF and the Coast Guard Academy.” USMA has received the National Security Agency–Director’s Trophy seven times, Air Force has won it four times, Navy three, Merchant Marines one and the Coast Guard has never won the trophy.
Class of 2015 Cadets Kyle Sandulli and John Zuzich with Maj. Kyle Moses attempt to figure out how the Red team (National Security Agency) brought down their server April 16 during the 15th annual National Security Agency Cyber Defense Exercise. The exercise is designed to give West Point cadets and other military academies a chance to stop and figure out hackers and other malicious attacks on computer systems.
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Days of Remembrance and a personal story of survival Story and photo by Kathy Eastwood Staff Writer “My name is Ruth Minsky Sender,” Ruth M. Senderowicz said. “Minsky is my maiden name and the reason I introduce myself as Minsky is because at a certain time in my young life, I became a number––55082. Whenever I introduce myself, I always make sure you know that at one time I was a number.” Ruth Minsky Senderowicz, Holocaust survivor and author, was the guest speaker April 13 at the annual Days of Remembrance luncheon at the West Point Club hosted by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity and the Simon Center for Professional Military Ethic. Senderowicz, who writes under the name of Sender, has written three books about her experience during the Holocaust titled “The Cage,” “To Life” and “The Holocaust Lady.” “The Cage” details her life in Poland after the Nazi occupation, living in the Lodz Ghetto, one of the largest ghettos in Europe, second only to the Warsaw ghetto. At the beginning, Senderowicz thought she and her family would be safe in Poland. “We were assured that Poland was strong,” Senderowicz said. “It took eight days when on Sept. 3, 1939, the Nazi’s advanced into Poland,” Senderowicz said. “And they started their atrocities as soon as they came in. The first orders were that everyone, that Jewish rot as they called us, every Jew had to put on a yellow star and go into a village that became a ghetto.”
Ruth Senderowicz, guest speaker at the annual Days of Remembrance luncheon April 13, spoke about her expriences in Poland during the Nazi occupation. Senderowicz is the author of several books on the Holocaust. My Secret Camera is a book of photographs taken in secret while the photographer was working for the Germans about life in the Lodz Ghetto, a place where Senderowicz and her family lived before the Nazi raid that led them to concentration and labor camps. The Germans also issued a proclamation that everyone who had German ancestry or were a German living outside of Germany had the power of life and death over the Jews. Senderowicz said they were all told that in the ghetto, there would be jobs and schools for children. However, as she soon learned, what they were told was not to be trusted. “In my book I talk about our landlady Mrs. Grover,” Senderowicz said. “Mrs. Grover had a daughter Olga and son who was my best friend. Mrs. Grover was so involved in everybody’s Jewish life. She had ancestors that were German, but we didn’t know that. I called her grandma.” “She took whatever she wanted,” Senderowicz said. “She knew everybody, she was a busybody … she knew what everybody had and in what closet.” Senderowicz’s said that Mrs. Grover came to their apartment and proceeded to the closet and took some of their possessions. Her mother called out after her, “Mrs. Grover,” she said. “God will punish you for what you are doing.” “Grover turned around and said, ‘I could have killed you for what you said. Go upstairs and sit down.’ And she could have,” she said. “A time later before the ghetto was closed; my best friend (Grover’s son) said Jews are meant to be killed,” Senderowicz said. “He sounded like Hitler on the radio. How could he speak
SHARP Community Resources • West Point SHARP Helpline 24/7 (call or text)—845659-7467; • USMA SARC, Kerry Dunham (call or text)—845938-3532 or 585-319-8936; •USCC SARC, Maj. Mark Moretti—845-938-7479 or 910-322-2529; • Keller Army Community Hospital SARC, Dr. Scotti Veale—845-938-4150 or 845-476-4712; • Garrison SARC/Installation Victim Advocate, Dan Toohey—845-938-5657 or 914-382-8180; • USMAPS SARC, Dr. Stephanie Marsh—938-1950 or 732-567-3663.
like that? He said now I am a German. It took over three months to brainwash him.” Senderowicz talked about a photograph that a photographer, who was secretly chronicling ghetto life at Lodz Ghetto while working for the Germans, chronicling the work taking place by Jews. It wasn’t until years later that Senderowicz learned that one particular photograph was on a cover of a book. One brother, Laibele, who contracted tuberculosis while staying in the ghetto didn’t survive and he was in the photograph. “We had two photographers, one who was taking official pictures to show how the Jews were working, and one (resident) who hid a camera with a raincoat over his shoulders taking secret pictures,” Senderowicz said. The photographer, Mendel Grossman, died during one of the death marches in April 1945, but his photos survived. Grossman’s sister had put together a book “My Secret Camera” with photos of the conditions of Lodz ghetto and Senderowicz’s brothers hidden away in a can. Senderowicz saw the photograph on the cover of the book. “I looked at the picture and there was a picture of me and my brothers,” Senderowicz said. “The only pictures I have of them.” During a raid on the ghetto, Senderowicz spoke about how a German officer came into the camp and asked for the children, elderly and the sick. “We will take the children and put them in safe places, but they need the ghetto to bring in people to work,” the officer had said. “They were going from house to house,” Senderowicz said. “This time they were taking the children, elderly and sick. My brother had tuberculosis. I had no father, and my older siblings escaped to Russia before the Nazi occupation. I found that years later, Germans had gathered everyone into trucks and told them they were going to have physicals to see what they can do. Then gas started pumping into the trucks. That is how I found out what happened to my brother.” Senderowicz met her husband, Moniek, a fellow survivor, when they were staying in an abandoned apartment with other survivors. They met by a small water pump while getting water for the apartment which she shared with friends. They were married six weeks later and have four children. Two of her children were born in Germany in a displaced persons camp. The couple now reside in Long Island.
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Powerlifting: Twenty-five of the best college powerlifting teams descended on Atlanta April 10-12 to take part in the 2015 Collegiate National Powerlifting Championships (many of them large schools such as University of Texas, LSU, Georgia, Penn State to name a few). Despite not having a large roster, coaching staff or scholarship athletes of larger schools, Army is consistently one of the strongest teams in the nation and the team was ready to battle for a top spot—and, of course, having every intention of dismantling both Navy and Air Force in the process. Class of 2015 Cadet Zach Newman was the first of Army’s 19 athletes to take the stage. As he has done in the past, Newman came through finishing with an All-American (top 5 in the nation) placing. Newman is a four-time All-American and has never lost to Navy or Air Force. Next up was Class of 2017 Cadet Teddy Perretti—he weighs 147 pounds and barely missed locking out a 570-pound deadlift. He still claimed seventh place in the nation and earned a few points for his team. Cadets Tom Evans, TJ Binkowski, Austin Martin, Jory Heath and Niko Tan rounded out the day. Having set the collegiate record in the deadlift in his weight class earlier in the year, Evans had a big day as he broke his own Collegiate American Record and pulled a 618-pound deadlift at 167 pounds. At the day’s end, he climbed onto the award platform as an All-American as well. Evans, Newman and Perretti racked up enough points for the team to get it in third place after Day 1. On Day 2, Cadets Bryson Randall, Clay Barone and Blaise Badway went to the platform competing for the team. Barone and Badway finished just out of the points (but competed hard and represented the team well). Randall had a huge day as he completed all three events (squat, bench, deadlift) without a flaw—he went a remarkable 9 for 9 perfect lifts, achieving personal bests in each one with a final total of more than 1,750 pounds at 203 pounds bodyweight. His final lift was one of the greatest moments of the competition all weekend; Randall began to pull with all his might, the bar got to his knees and stopped—as our hearts dropped, he somehow summoned the strength and with a roar locked out the final eight inches for a good lift. Randall finished with another All-American placing and more needed points. After two days of competition, Army was just outside of second place. On Day 3, the competition began with Cadets Jacob Weiss, Nick Nero, Andrew Wing and team captain Anthony Adams all competing at the same time. All hit great numbers, but Weiss suffered a rough judges’ call on a squat attempt close to 700 pounds. He hit it perfect,
CADET ACTIVITIES UPDATE
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yet got called for an inaccurate technical infraction, which was later refuted with photo and video evidence, and received no credit for the lift. He came back and benched 560 pounds but fell short on his last deadlift leaving him in sixth spot, missing All-American by just a few kilos. Adams was also in the hunt and had a great squat as well but fell short of scoring team points. Matt Martino, Alex Fletcher, Seth Kirchner, Lee Kantowski were up next. All finished very well and showed great promise for next year. When the final count was taken, West Point took sixth place. Final scoring was extremely tight. The team was five points from third and a mere 12 points
Club Soccer: The West Point Cadet Soccer Club traveled to Annapolis, Maryland, April 18 to face their Navy Academy counterparts to compete for the Joseph Casey Cup. The trophy was inaugurated by the Club; with the full support of Navy; in honor of Army Soccer’s all-time leading goal scorer
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and Army Hall of Fame member “Joe” Casey, Class of 1967, who is a great supporter of the entire Army Soccer Program. Casey was in attendance at the match; together with his wife, Patty, to present the Cup and he provided encouragement to the West Point side during what was a competitive and enjoyable game. Despite Army dominance throughout; the match was tied 1-1 at regulation time with a Navy own goal equalizing for Army half way through the first half. The awarding of the Joseph Casey Cup then fell to a penalty kick shootout and Army suffered the agony of having a penalty kick to win the trophy saved by the Navy goalkeeper. The shootout went to sudden death and eventually Navy prevailed, 6-5, on penalties after seven penalty kicks each. Casey thanked both clubs for the honor they bestowed on him and commended them on the high standard of play. Chess: The U.S. Chess Federation Philadelphia Tournament is one of the biggest tournaments in the region. Thousands of people of all ages competed in their respective rating categories. Army cadets participated in the two-day tournament, which consisted of five one-hour long matches April 4, and two fivehour long matches April 5. Class of 2017 Cadet Nicholas Oblak finished 21st in the Under 2000 category. Class of 2016 Wesley Loudon finished 54th in the Under 1800 category. Cadet Michael Huang finished 28th in the Under 1600 category. Class of 2017 Cadet Mark Dosh finished 27th and Cadet Cody West finished 58th in the Under 1100 category. This was a great experience for our team to play high caliber chess games and improve their skills.
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West Point Ultimate earns a second-place finish in tournament Submittted by the West Point Club Ultimate team The West Point Club Ultimate team hosted and competed in the National Championship qualifier series April 18-19 at Target Hill fields. The tournament was the start of the College post-season for 11 college teams. Arriving at the fields April 18, the weather was 80 degrees with minimal wind; these were the best conditions that Army had seen during the season. Teams were split into two pools to compete Saturday to determine placing for the bracket elimination round on Sunday. Army faced the Marist Foxes in the first game. Army started strong, but due to a few costly late-game turnovers the team lost 13-12. In Army’s second game, they faced the New Haven Chargers. Bouncing back from the first loss, Army crushed New Haven 12-5. Army’s third game on Saturday was against the Hartford Lighthouse. Army pulled ahead, using a commanding lead early in the game to hold on and win the game, 8-5. The final game on Saturday was against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Trudge. After a tiring day of Ultimate, the Army team battled to an extremely close game. Army held on to the lead after a quick score after half and won 9-7. One RPI player on the field said, “How can you guys still be running so fast, slow down!” Army finished as the second-place team from the pool, meaning the Black Knights were out of the first-place game but could finish second by winning every game the next day. Starting the day on Sunday, Army faced a scrappy Vassar Swinging Monks team. Throughout the game, the score was very close but Army was ahead at halftime. Army kept its composure through the physical game, catching fire and scored several unanswered points in the second half to win the game, 13-8. Advancing to the semifinals, Army faced the Skidmore Thoroughbears. Although hard fought, Army easily defeated the Thoroughbears, winning 13-5. The second-place game pitted
The West Point Club Ultimate team hosted and competed in the National Championship qualifier series April 18-19 at Target Hill fields. Army finished in second place in the tournament, which qualified Army Ultimate for the second round of the championship series for the first time. Courtesy Photo Army against Marist one more time. Since Marist had already secured a place in the next round of the championship series, they forfeited against Army giving Army the second-place finish in the tournament. This is the first season Army Ultimate has qualified for the second round of the championship series, which is scheduled
for Saturday and Sunday. However, the Army players made the decision not to attend the second round to instead prepare for the Army-Navy competition May 3. The professional Ultimate team, New York Empire, is hosting the Army-Navy game at 12:30 p.m. at Coney Island, and a professional game will immediately follow.
Army Crew owns the Hudson with victory over Marist
Women’s Varsity Eight of Cadets Catherine Browning, Sarah Lowy, Allie Noack and Arden Percoco battle Marist Sunday. Courtesy Photo Submitted by Army Crew team This past Sunday, Army Crew competed against Marist College in the annual President’s Cup dual meet on the Hudson River. For the first time in over two decades of racing in the event, Army Crew captured the President’s Cup, setting a new standard of excellence for Army rowing, while providing much needed experience against a perennially-strong NCAA team. Prior to this event, the best showing for an Army team came in 1995 when the men won the point’s total; however, the team total still went to Marist. This year, Army won both the Men’s and Women’s points total, along with the team trophy. The Varsity Women led off the day’s competition in the Varsity Eight. Although they came just four seconds short of the
lead, they decreased their margin behind to just four seconds, a six-second improvement from the previous year. Their strong showing inspired the team for the rest of the morning—Army Crew would go on to win the next seven events of the day. The Varsity Men’s Eight were up next, posting an impressive 11.3-second victory over Marist, was coxed by Cadet Kyle Geiser, and manned by Cadets Courtland Adams, Dru Milke, Jon Gilbertson, Winston Park, Nate Townsend, Ross Downum, Jeff Olsen and Dave Grossman as the stroke. Their time of 6 minutes, 3.7 seconds was the fastest time of the day. The Novice Men and Women rounded out the Eights competitions with 18- and 23-second margins of victory,
respectively. Their performance all but secured the President’s Cup leading into the final stage of racing. As the Fours events began, an increasing tail-current and headwind made for choppy waters and difficult rowing conditions. In true Army form, the team took advantage of their winter conditioning and powered through to win all four of the final races. The Varsity Women revenged an earlier loss to Marist in the Knecht Cup, winning by more than 14 seconds. The winning Army Women’s boat was coxed by Cadet Jordan Duran and powered by Cadets Caitlin Rowe, Annie Reidinger, Allie Noack, and Rachel Anderson. The Army B and Marist B boats in the Varsity Women’s Fours race locked oars at the 200-meter mark, coming to a complete stop. The teams agreed to restart at that point, with the Army shell crossing the finish line well ahead of the Marist Four. The Varsity Men’s A and B entries swept their event with a first and second finish, ahead of the two Marist boats. The novice women obtained the same result in the next event, completing a sweep of the Novice Women’s Events. The Novice men finished up with Army’s last victory on the day, defeating two other Novice Men’s boats from Marist. The team now heads into the home stretch of the season with a final dual meet against Penn State Saturday, followed by the two major competitions of the season, the N.Y. State Collegiate Championships in Saratoga Springs, New York, and the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia.
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Master of the Sword retires
Master of the Sword retired Brig. Gen. Gregory Daniels receives his retirement certificate from Superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen Jr. during his retirement ceremony April 17 at Hayes Gym. Daniels, the director of the Department of Physical Education, served as the MOS for 11 years. He served 31 years in the Army and worked in the field artillery branch. Daniels also served at West Point from 1994-96 as a rotating military officer instructor. Check next week’s Pointer View for an in-depth story on Daniels. Photos by William Bunce/DPTMS VI
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Boy Scout Troop earns merit badge at West Point By Class of 2016 Cadet Regina Parker Company H-1 Sixteen Boy Scouts from Troop 38 (Pine Island, New York) earned the ‘Emergency Preparedness’ merit badge at West Point April 18. West Point Firemen and Military Police instructed the workshop at the Fire Station on Washington Road. The scouts learned how to respond to home kitchen fires, automobile accidents, food poisoning, violence in public places, flash flooding, gas leaks and natural disasters. Each scout practiced using a fire extinguisher to dampen a controlled fire, evacuated a basement filled with fake smoke and developed a plan to escape from their home in case of fire. In addition to learning about Emergency Preparedness, the scouts were introduced to the military. To kickoff the day, Class of 2017 Cadet Samuel Mahle taught the scouts to dress-right-dress for a proper uniform inspection, and Class of 2018 Cadet Ajay Joshi led the scouts on a tour of the monuments surrounding the plain. The scouts enjoyed lunch in the Cadet Mess Hall, taking turns wearing assorted MOLLE gear, and answering trivia about the military and U.S. Constitution to win candy and cadet brass. “You cadets aren’t as harsh as I was expecting,” one scout said. “You guys are actually pretty funny, hooah. Beat Navy, hooah!” If you know a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop that would like to participate in a similar workshop at West Point, contact Class of 2016 Cadet Regina Parker at regina.parker@usma. edu.
(Above) Class of 2018 Cadet Ajay Joshi, Company G-2, gives training on how to use a protective mask to a boy scout from Troop 38 in Pine Island, New York. (Left) A West Point fireman helps a boy scout learn how to control a fire with a fire extinguisher April 18 during the “Emergency Preparedness” merit badge qualification at West Point. Courtesy Photos
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West Point recognizes volunteers with ceremony Submitted by Army Community Service The West Point community hosted the annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School April 8. In April, we celebrate National Volunteer Week, designated in 1974 by President Nixon to recognize our nation’s volunteers. At this ceremony, installation volunteers were recognized by USMA and Garrison leadership for their service. More than 40 volunteers received special Presidential Volunteer Service Awards and volunteer survivors were presented certificates of appreciation. West Point is fortunate to have a large base of volunteers supporting our installation programs and private organizations such as Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, the West Point Spouse’s Club, Girl and Boy Scouts, American Red Cross, Parent Teacher Organization, the Society of the Daughters of the United States Army, the Chapels and the Directorate of Cadet Activities, which provide vital community service to West Point. The amazing participation by the entire West Point community in volunteer activities is something that makes us special across our Army. Senior leadership recognized more than 1,400 volunteers who contributed 99,120 hours in 2014 to the West Point community totaling $2,235,156. With our busy daily schedules, finding the time to volunteer is a selfless act of patriotism that clearly exemplifies the Army Value of “Selfless Service.” In fact, this year’s volunteer theme is “Hearts that Care, Hands that Serve,” which fits perfectly with the true spirit of the volunteer. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering, contact Jennifer Partridge, Army Volunteer Corps coordinator, at 938-3655.
Brig. Gen. Timothy Trainor, Dean of the Academic Board, and Brig. Gen. John Thomson, USCC Commandant, presents the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for lifetime achievement to Michael Colacicco and Julie Horton at the annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony April 8 at the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School. Courtesy Photo
Cleaning a cemetery, serving the community Cadets from Companies B-2 and C-2 headed out to Newburgh April 18 to clean up St. George's Cemetery. These cadets spent nearly seven hours working to clear away brush and garbage around the cemetery, in addition to spending some time picking up gravestones that had been knocked over.
Courtesy photos
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Community
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For details, call 845-938-3136 or visit www.usma.edu/cfaf/ sitepages/nahf.aspx.
West Point Golf Course is open The West Point Golf Course is now open for the season. Tee times will be Tuesday-Sunday starting at 7 a.m. and Mondays starting at noon. Golf operations are located at the Ski Lodge this year. Make tee times online at www.westpointmwr.com/golf. For details, call 938-2435 and follow us on FaceBook.
Army Ultimate Army Ultimate will be competing against Navy at 12:30 p.m. May 3 at 1904 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York (a baseball stadium near Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs). The game is hosted by a professional ultimate team, N.Y. Empire, and Empire will be playing a professional game following the game. For details, contact Maj. John Shannon, officer-in-charge, Ultimate Frisbee, at
[email protected] or call 938-0577.
ANNOUNCEMENTS WPSC’s Cookbook and Gift Shoppe hours The West Point Spouses’ Club’s newest cookbook, “Eat, Drink & Beat Navy” is available in the West Point Spouses’ Club Gift Shoppe. The Gift Shoppe is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Wednesdays in April. The Gift Shoppe is located inside Bldg. 695, the white building in the parking lot behind the Cemetery off Washington Road. West Point Military Tattoo Join the Pipes & Drums for the 33rd annual West Point Military Tattoo Sunday at Trophy Point. Bands and performance groups from around the Hudson Valley area will be on site to perform for friends, family, West Point residents and the local public. The Tattoo will go from 10:45 a.m.-6:30 p.m., with the evening retreat ceremony performed by the massed bands at 6 p.m. Concessions will be available, however, bring your own seating. The rain date for the event is scheduled for May 3 at an alternate location. Kosciuszko Memorial Observance and Conference The academy will conduct its annual Kosciuszko Memorial Observance May 2 at the Kosciuszko Monument, immediately following the Cadet Review. The American Association of the Friends of Kosciuszko at West Point will hold its annual Kosciuszko Conference at the Thayer Hotel from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. May 1. All are invited to attend these events. For a schedule and details, visit www.kosciuszkoatwestpoint. org. For additional details, contact Steve Olejasz at olejaszs@ aol.com.
Keepers of the Peace Powwow The Keepers of the Peace Powwow is scheduled at Trophy Point Amphitheater or Eisenhower Ballroom, in case of inclement weather, May 3. There are various times for powwow events to include noon and 3 p.m.—Extreme Raptors; and 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.—Grand Entry. There will be Native American food and craft vendors. The event is free. All dancers welcome. Ages 16 and older must have a valid photo identification card (driver’s license, passport, student ID) to show at entry gate to West Point.
Garrison Awards and Retirement Ceremony The next U. S. Army Garrison Awards and Retirement Ceremony is scheduled for June 26 at the West Point Club, Grand Ballroom. The rehearsal is mandatory for all awardees and will start at 12:30 p.m. The ceremony will commence at 1:30 p.m. Refreshments and cake will be served after the ceremony for everyone. The cutoff date to have all awards into the Directorate of Human Resources is June 2. Unfortunately, due to the large amount of work that goes into this ceremony, DHR will not be able to accept any last minute awards.
EDUCATION and WORKSHOPS Phi Kappa Phi 2015 Induction Ceremony The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the U.S. Military Academy Chapter, is having its 2015 Induction Ceremony 7:4510 p.m. Tuesday at the Haig Room in Jefferson Hall. The event’s guest speaker is Col. Tom S. Cook, the director of research at the Army Cyber Institute. There is a fee for the event and it will be catered by Loughran’s. For details, contact Marc Napolitano at 938-2186. Upcoming West Point Soldier For Life—TAP Transition Workshops Transition Workshops are designed to assist separating or retiring service members and their family members in preparing for a smooth transition to civilian life. The workshops provide information on entitlements and services available, including the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans’ Benefits Briefings. The Department of Labor also conducts an extensive employment workshop. Service members are required to begin the SFL-TAP no later than 12 months before transition. Upcoming schedule dates are: • Monday-May 1 (Waiting List); • May 11-15; • June 1-5; • June 13-17; • June 22-26 (Executive/Retirement Level); • July 27-31 (Executive/Retirement Level). Registration is required. Contact the SFL-TAP Office at 845-938-0634 to register or for more details. IETD Computer Training Program The Information Education and Technology Division is offering computer courses that include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, computer skills, keyboard typing skills lab, Dell XT3 Tablet, Lenovo Tablet and Apple iPad information system. Most courses are held over three days, 1-4 p.m. TuesdayThursday. Courses are offered to O/Dean Staff and Faculty, and if space permits, to other departments and USMA affiliates (tenant organizations, USMA spouses and volunteers.) Courses are held in Jefferson Memorial Library (Bldg. 758), 4th Floor, Room 414 (IETD Classroom). For details, contact Thomas A. Gorman at 938-1186 or email
[email protected].
Pointer View Army Education Center College courses are offered through the Army Education Center at West Point. Undergraduate classes: • Mount Saint Mary College—Call Shari Seidule at 845446-0535 or email
[email protected]; • Saint Thomas Aquinas—Call Erica Rodriguez at 845-4462555 or email
[email protected]. Graduate studies: • John Jay College of Criminal Justice–Master’s Degree in Public Administration—Call Jennifer Heiney at 845-446-5959 or email
[email protected]; • Long Island University–Master’s Degrees in School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Counseling—Call Mary Beth Leggett at 845-446-3818 or email marybeth.leggett @liu.edu. The Army Education Center is located at 683 Buckner Loop (between Starbucks and Subway). Army Personnel Testing programs The Army Education Center at West Point offers Army Personnel Testing (APT) programs such as the AFCT, DLAB, DLPT, SIFT through the DA and DLI. Tests are free of charge to Soldiers. Call the Testing Center at 938-3360 or email
[email protected] for details or an appointment. DANTES testing The Army Education Center at West Point offers academic testing programs through the Defense Activity for NonTraditional Education Support (DANTES) such as the SAT and ACT. Pearson VUE offers licensing and certification exams. Most tests are free of charge to Soldiers. Call the Testing Center at 938-3360 or email gwenn.
[email protected] for details or an appointment.
OUTSIDE THE GATES 2nd Infantry Division Veterans The Mid-Atlantic Branch of the Second Indianhead Division Association will host its annual reunion May 1-3 at the Continental Inn in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. All veterans of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division are invited. For details, call Harry Roye at 804-526-0828 or send an email to
[email protected]. Pancake Breakfast James I. O’Neill High School’s Girls Basketball team is hosting its inaugural “Breakfast of Champions” Pancake Breakfast 8 a.m.-noon June 6 at the JIOHS Cafeteria, 21 Morgan Road. The breakfast offerings include pancakes, eggs, bacon, orange juice and coffee/tea. There is a fee for the event, cash or check. For details, email to
[email protected]. Cornwall-on-Hudson RiverFest The Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson will host its 18th annual RiverFest from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. June 6 at Donahue Park on the shores of the Hudson River. The RiverFest will feature a full day of music and entertainment, children’s activities and a large craft and food fair. The day’s events will include live bands, river activities, food stands and non-profit groups and contributors. Vendor spaces are still available. RiverFest will accept vendor applications until all spaces have been filled. There is no charge for RiverFest. Visitors are invited to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Visit www.river-fest.com for up to date information. For more details, call Wynn Gold at 845-534-7622.
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WEST POINT MWR CALENDAR FEATURED EVENT Cash and Carry Sale Assorted furniture will be available for purchase at the Cash and Carry Sale from 8:30 a.m.-noon today-Friday at the MWR Warehouse, Bldg. 667A, first floor. Items must be paid for and picked up during the sale time. Cash only, no personal checks or credit cards accepted. Priority 1: This sale is open to military personnel, civilian employees and all other authorized installation MWR employees. Priority 2: General public at an acceptable price. For details, call 938-8231.
JUST ANNOUNCED Golf … What’s the Big Deal Come see what’s the big deal with golf. The free event is noon-1 p.m. May 3. The West Point Golf Course’s Golf Pro, Andy, will show you what is so fun about golf. For details, call 938-2435. Ladies Spring Clinic Join the West Point Golf Course for its first Ladies Clinic of the year. This four-session course will cover the entire game of golf from tee to green, and everything in between. Beginners are welcome. Four Sessions: 10-11 a.m. May 6, 13, 20 and 27. Call the Pro Shop at 938-2435 to register. May trips with LTS • See the museums of New York City, May 8. Leave West Point at 9 a.m. Leave New York City at 3:30 p.m. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frick Collection at the Henry Clay Frick House or the Guggenheim. Explore Central Park. There is a minimal fee for this event. For details, call 9383601. Arts & Crafts April class schedule • Dad and Me Silk Painting Class, 11 a.m.-noon, May 2. Get ready for Mother’s Day and paint a silk scarf. There is a minimal fee for this class. For details and to register, call 938-4812. Intramural Softball League The MWR Sports Office will conduct a Summer Softball League open to all eligible USMA personnel 18 years of age and older. Games are played Monday-Wednesday evenings at 6-9 p.m. League play will start June 1. Departments or units desiring to enter a team, contact Jim McGuinness at 938-3066 or email
[email protected].
FOR THE ADULTS Friday Night Jam Join the MWR Fitness Center for Friday Night Jam Belly Dancing 5:30-6:30 p.m. Friday and May 29. For details, call 938-6490. La Casa Nostra with Vinny Mozzarella and Friends Join the West Point Club from 6-9 p.m. May 1 for a night
filled with Italian music and authentic Italian food prepared right in front of you by the Club’s culinary experts. Come and watch “Vinny Mozzarella” prepare homemade mozzarella cheese surrounded by the Club’s Antipasto Bar. See Chef Brandon stuff homemade cannolis at the Cannoli Dipping Bar. Chef Steve prepares the Club’s famous Rissoto Bar with all the fixings. Enjoy a night filled with wonderful music by Carmelo Liardi. For details and reservations, call 938-5120. Resiliency Boot Camp for Civilians Join ACS from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. May 6 for Civilian Resiliency Boot Camp. This is a crash course in resiliency skills and you will be given an overview of the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program’s Master Resiliency Training. The courses will cover the six MRT Competencies and 14 MRT Skills. The class will take place at ACS, Bldg. 622, Swift Road. For details and to register, call 938-2519. Military Spouse Appreciation Day at the West Point Club Come join MWR for lunch on this special day with your military spouse from 11 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. May 8 at the West Point Club. With your purchase of a full-price lunch meal, your military spouse dines for half-price. Gift bags will be given to all military spouses. For details, call 938-5120. BOSS Texas Hold’em and Call of Duty Tournament Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers is having a fundraiser Texas Hold’em and Call of Duty Tournament at 5 p.m. May 15. Live music by “218 Detour,” prizes and finger foods. There is a fee to enter. For details, call 938-6497.
FOR THE FAMILIES EFMP Family Event/PAWS for KIDS As the weather gets warmer and calendars get fuller, remember your fun Exceptional Family Member Program events. Come by to have some fun or meet other families with special needs you might have in common. All our events are free and held at ACS, Bldg. 622 unless otherwise noted. • Tuesday, May 5, 12 and 19—PAWS for KIDS, 3:30-5 p.m. For details, contact EFMP Program Manager Josephine Toohey at 938-5655,
[email protected] or the program assistant Anne Marshall at 938-0232 or anne.marshall@usma. edu. Earth Day Open House Celebrate Mother Earth at the Recycling Center (located across from Round Pond, Route 293) from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday. There are T-shirts, giveaways and food available. Donate your old cell phone for Soldiers and shred those unwanted papers. Don’t forget to join the Earth Day Poster Contest, visit www. westpointmwr.com for contest rules. For details, call 938-8229. Mother’s Day Contest Do you have a great mom? Tell us about her in the West Point Club’s Mother’s Day Contest. The Club’s panel of judges will review all entries and choose a winner on May 1. The winner will receive a “Day at the Spa,” plus complimentary Mother’s Day Brunch at the Club for four. Visit www.westpointmwr.com for contest rules. Submission deadline is April 24. For details, call 938-5120.
www.westpointmwr.com
West Point 5K/10K Registration is now open for the West Point 5K/10K on May 9. Register online with www.active.com, keyword “West Point.” For details, call 938-4690. Mother’s Day Brunch at the West Point Club Enjoy the West Point Club’s traditional brunch on Mother’s Day May 10. Two seatings will be available. First seating at 11 a.m and the second seating at 1 p.m. Pre-paid reservations and last day to cancel is May 7. To make reservations, call 938-5120. Horseback Riding Camps registration Morgan Farm is gearing up for Summer Horseback riding camps. The camp dates are set and it is now accepting 2015 camp registrations. Three- and five-day sessions will be offered. Families of deployed service members receive a 10 percent discount. For details, call 938-3926 or e-mail morganfarm@ westpointmwr.com.
FOR THE YOUTHS Month of the Military Child Carnival Join Child, Youth and School Services as it celebrates West Point’s Military children from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Youth Center, Bldg. 500. This will be an afternoon filled with carnival games, face painting, prizes and more. This event is free and will happen rain or shine. All ages welcome. For details, call 938-3696. Summer Camp Counselor volunteers needed Come volunteer at the CYS Services School Age Center and spend your summer gaining valuable work experience while having fun. Volunteers must have completed 8th grade and attended the required training (dates to be determined) to volunteer. Applicants will be interviewed prior to selection and have completed a full background check if selected. Background check information will be required to be submitted by May 15. All volunteers must be registered with CYSS. Applications can be picked up at the CYS Services MST Center, Bldg. 500. For details, call 938-8889/0089. Ready, Set, Bake Program registration The West Point Club launches its first Ready, Set, Bake culinary hands-on baking class for children 9-13 years of age. Join Chef Brandon Truesdale three days a week and learn the fundamentals of measuring, preparation, sanitation, safety, packing and retail. Two Sessions will be offered: June 15-17 and June 22-24 from 9 a,m.-2 p.m. There is a minimal fee for these classes. For details and registration, email Chef Truesdale at Brandon.
[email protected], call 938-5120 or visit westpointmwr. com/club. Summer Art Camp Journey with MWR around the globe as it reveals each continent’s most unique artistic cultures. Our artists will explore mediums such as silk painting, basket weaving, cave painting, jewelry making and much more. Camp dates are June 23-26, July 14-17, July 21-24 and July 28-31. Camps are for grades K-5, and will run each week from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Registration begins May 12. For details, call Arts and Crafts at 938-4812.
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Keller Corner
Keller information Get up-to-date Keller Army Community Hospital information at http://kach. amedd.army.mil/ or on social media a t h t t p : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / kellerarmycommunityhospital/.
Buyer’s delight
The spring bi-annual yard sale brought many community members and others to West Point April 18 to search for interesting items on a beautiful spring day. Kathy eastWooD/PV
MOVIES at MAHAN
Theatre schedule at Mahan Hall, Bldg. 752.
Friday—Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, PG, 7:30 p.m. Saturday—Cinderella, PG, 7:30 p.m. Saturday—The Divergent Series: Insurgent 2, PG-13, 7:30 p.m. (For movie details and updates schedules, visit www. shopmyexchange.com/reel-time-theatres/WestPoint-1044343.)
LifeWorks at Balfour Beatty Communities
• Earth Day Open House: The West Point Recycling Center will hold its Earth Day Open House from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday. The event will include Home Depot workshop sponsored by Balfour Beatty Communities, Recycling Center Tours, free hot dogs, T-shirts and giveaways.
• Window Safety Coloring Contest: Please check your windows and screens to make sure they are secure. Keep children and pets away from open windows. Stop by 132 Bartlett Loop for a Window Safety Bal-4 coloring page. Make sure your child’s name, age, address and phone number
is entered and return to 132 Bartlett Loop by Tuesday.
• National Walk at Lunch Day: Balfour Beatty Communities invites you to join us for National Walk at Lunch Day at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at 132 Bartlett Loop. A brown bag lunch and water will be provided. This day was created to improve personal health and to start your new daily walking routine, helping you to improve your health step by step. Email
[email protected] by Monday. The first 10 registrants will receive a pedometer. Strollers are welcome.
Keller Pharmacy to hold ‘Prescription Drug Take-Back’ Day Keller Army Community Hospital’s Pharmacy Department will hold a “Prescription Drug Take-Back” Day from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday in the Hospital lobby. Take-Back Day is intended to provide a setting for individuals to dispose of unwanted and unused OTC medications and prescription drugs. Drug Take-Back Days are part of the efforts to improve public health and safety through keeping prescription/non-prescription drugs out of the hands of teens and others. The take-back service is free and anonymous, with no question asked. Keller will accept liquids, tablets, capsules, and all other solid dosage forms of unwanted medication. Medications may be emptied from the bottles into the bins provided. • Please turn in fluids in their original
container. • Please remove personal identification information or cross out with a black marker. Keller’s Obstetric Unit offers “Sibling Classes” The Keller Army Community Hospital Obstetric Unit will offer “Sibling Classes” based on interest. The classes will be age appropriate for 3 years or older. For details and/or to register for the class, contact the Keller OBU at 845-9383210. Keller offers Childbirth Education Courses Are you expecting a child this summer or in the fall? Are you nervous because you’re not sure what to expect? If so, join Keller Army Community Hospital’s Childbirth Education Class Series. The course begins May 13 and continues every Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. through June 10 in the Hospital’s 2nd floor classroom. To register and/or get more information, contact Keller’s Labor & Delivery Unit at 938-3210.
West Point Command Channel Channels 8/23 For the week of April 23-30
Army Newswatch Thursday, Friday and Monday-April 30 8:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
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April 23, 2015 13
Special Olympics Spring Games takes place Saturday at West Point By West Point Media Relations More than 750 athletes from Orange, Rockland, Sullivan, Dutchess, Westchester and Ulster counties and more than 1,000 cadet and community volunteers will gather for the 31st annual 2015 Hudson Valley Region Spring Special Olympics at West Point Saturday. The competition kicks off at 10 a.m. with opening ceremonies at Shea Stadium. Events will continue through 4 p.m., at the Arvin Cadet Physical Development Center, Gillis Field House, and the North Athletic Field. Competitive events include Track & Field, Swimming, Power Lifting and Adaptive Games. U.S. Military Academy Dean of the Academic Board, Brig. Gen. Tim Trainor, will be the grand marshal for the event. Local school districts sending teams to compete include, Monroe-Woodbury, Newburgh, Washingtonville, Valley Central and West Point. Omicron Delta Kappa, the Leadership Honor Society at West Point, hosts the event. The U.S. Corps of Cadets Color Guard and USMA Band are among those scheduled to participate during the day’s activities. Prior to the day’s events, a Torch Run for the 2015 Special Olympics will begin from the Highland Falls Hacienda Restaurant parking lot at 9:20 a.m., and will proceed through Highland Falls through the gates of West Point to Shea Stadium for the event (see map to right). The purpose of the Torch Run is to attract as much awareness to Special Olympics from the local community and will consist of local fire/police departments, a motorcycle vanguard, and of course, the runners. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees should enter through Thayer or Stony Lonesome gates. Proper identification will be required upon entering academy grounds and all vehicles are subject to search. Concessions will be available throughout the day.
The 2015 Hudson Valley Region Spring Special Olympics is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at Shea Stadium. Prior to the day’s events, a Torch Run will take place starting from the Hacienda Restaurant in Highland Falls to the stadium. Photo by Kathy Eastwood/PV and Map Courtesy of Class of 2015 Cadet Austin Welch
Soldier Life Cycle changes way Army preps troops for eventual transition By the Army Education Center Last year, a more defined plan for transitioning out of the Army was introduced with the implementation of the Soldier Life Cycle. This three-phase career cycle supports the Soldier for Life initiative and prepares Soldiers from the beginning of their military service until their transition to civilian life with the resources needed to equip them with the employment skills, training, counseling and opportunities that will enhance their marketability after military service. Implementing this initiative has required coordination from several different Army agencies. At the focal point of this campaign initiative is the Army Career and Alumni Program. A directive was sent from retired Army Col. Walter Herd, director of the Army Transition Program, headquartered at the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, indicating the immediate “rebranding” of ACAP Army wide per the announcement from Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno. ACAP’s mission remains the same, but its name is now Soldier for Life: Transition Assistance Program. ACAP has been around since 1990, so it may take time for Soldiers to get adjusted to the new name, said John Bohichik, Transition Services manager for the Northeast Region. “It will take time but with the Soldier Life Cycle, Soldiers will start identifying what our office is about at basic training,” Bohichik said. “They’re going to receive information on Soldier for Life and then, when they first arrive at their duty station and throughout their career, we will actually be touching them at certain milestones.” The Soldier Life Cycle is focused on preparing Soldiers for
transition and connecting them with meaningful employment, educational opportunities and benefits from the beginning of their military career until the end. When the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) to Hire Heroes Act went into effect in November 2012, huge changes were made to the Soldier transition process. Transitioning began a year out instead of the previous 90 days. However, this was still trying to convey a lot of information in a compressed timeline at the end of the Soldier’s career. “It is such a life-changing event to change your career,” Bohichik said. “It affects not just you, but your family and people around you. It takes more than a year to prepare properly to go from military service to a civilian career. So now they are going to start preparing from inception all the way through to transition.” The Soldier Life Cycle is divided into three phases. Phase one is the Soldier’s first year in the military. Soldiers receive credentialing information regarding their military occupational specialty and attend an eight-hour financial readiness class during advanced individual training. Bohichik said the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command is still working with federal and state agencies to see which MOSs actually do cross over. “What that means is if you are a truck driver you might actually earn a commercial driver’s license as part of your graduation because you would have met the same requirements as the outside world,” Bohichik said. Soldiers will complete a self-assessment with an education counselor at their first duty station to help them complete an individual development plan (IDP) or road map of how they want their career to progress and what needs to happen for them to get there. They will receive information on GI Bill benefits and tuition assistance. They will meet one-on-one with a financial
counselor who will help them develop a one-year budget. Also, the agency that provides the installation in-processing papers to the Soldier will verify that he or she has an eBenefits account with Veterans Affairs. The second phase, the career phase, has two parts: one to 10 years of service and 10 years of service to transition or retirement. Soldiers with one to 10 years of service will annually review their IDPs, update their career goals with their leaders and update their Army Career Tracker profiles with any educational or personal goals. The ACT is an online tool that records each Soldier’s accomplishments and milestones throughout his or her career and can be accessed by Soldiers, first-line leaders, and Army groups like the Education Center, Soldier for Life: TAP, and Retention Services to update and benchmark each individual’s record. During part two of the career phase, Soldiers will start working on resumés and thinking about what they will need when getting out. The final phase is the transition phase. This phase will remain unchanged from what Soldier for Life: TAP currently provides, with training and programming on employability, resumé writing, interviewing and looking for work. The Army alone has been spending more than $500 million per year on unemployment compensation. If the Soldier Life Cycle helps reduce this amount, it will make more money available for other personnel projects or other personnel operations. The Soldier for Life website is www.soldierforlife.army. mil. It features links to informational resources for active-duty, National Guard, Army Reserves, retired soldiers and their families. Soldier for Life: TAP is on the second floor of Bldg. 626, Swift Road. For details, call 938-0634.
Sports P V Black tops Gold in annual Spring Football Game 14 April 23, 2015
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By Matt Faulkner Army Athletic Communications Sean Callahan, the 12-year-old young man adopted by the Army West Point Football team ran for a touchdown on the first play of the game and Black defeated Gold, 40-17, as the Black Knights concluded spring practice April 18 with the annual Black-Gold Game at Michie Stadium. Callahan joined the football program in June of last year through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation and has been a fixture at games ever since. On Saturday, the Mahopac, New York, resident took a handoff from 26 and raced 74 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage, setting off a wild celebration under sunny skies in front of 2,015 fans. Callahan also closed out the spring game with a 75-yard touchdown rush. Callahan and a host of youth participated in a children’s clinic run by the Army West Point Football team earlier in the day and the players and coaching staff signed autographs and mingled with the crowd following the contest. Nine former players returned and served as honorary game captains and participated in the coin toss. Following the touchdown by Callahan, the black squad put nine more points on the board to take a 16-3 lead into halftime. Ahmad Bradshaw connected with Edgar Poe on a 3-yard touchdown toss to make it 14-0 and then Justin Fahn sacked Matthew Kaufmann in the end zone for a safety and Black lead 16-0. Gold got on the board on a 32-yard field goal from Mitchell Howard on the final play of the half to give the Black lead to 16-3. Gold started the third with a touchdown run from four yards out by Grant Escobar to cut the lead to 16-11, but the Black squad reeled off 24 unanswered points to open the game up to 40-11. Kemper, Alex Aukerman and Richie Smith each had touchdown runs and Grochowski booted home a 25-yard field goal.
Black squad linebacker Alex Aukerman intercepted a pass from Gold quarterback Seth Gonzales and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown during Black’s 40-17 victory over Gold in the annual Black-Gold Game April 18 at Michie Stadium. On the final play from scrimmage, Callahan scampered 75 yards with a group of Gold team blockers to the end zone and the final was Black coming out with a 40-17 victory. The Gold squad was coached by offensive coordinator Brent Davis with Sean Saturnio, Kevin Corless, Ray McCartney, Orlando Mitjans and Kyle Hoke.
Honorary captain for the Gold were Stan March, Lt. Col. Chad Davis, Ben Kotwica, Caleb Campbell and Gavin Lawrence. Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman led the Black team and was joined by John Loose, Jovan Dewitt, Bob Bodine, Keith Gaither, Tucker Waugh, Capt. Dan Evans and Mitch Ware. The honorary captains for the Black were
Mike Viti, Mike McElrath, Aaron Alexander and Collin Mooney. Pete Dawkins was selected as a captain but unable to attend. The game marked the end of Army West Point’s spring practice and was the team’s 14th workout. Army West Point will open the 2015 season Sept. 4 against Fordham at Michie Stadium. The game will kickoff at 7:05 p.m.
Army West Point Football players celebrate 12-year-old Sean Callahan’s second touchdown that completed the Black-Gold Game. The Mahopac, New York, resident joined the program through the Jaclyn Foundation in June 2014 and has been a fixture at games ever since.
Black squad running back Joey Giovannelli has a pass go through his finger tips. However, he made two receptions during the BlackGold Game. Photos by Eric S. Bartelt/PV
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April 23, 2015 15
Junior Eva Sung earned a victory in No. 2 singles as she defeated Lehigh’s Cassidy Cruz 6-4, 6-3 that helped toward Army West Point’s 5-2 match victory over the Mountain Hawks April 18 at Malek Courts. Photo by Jon Malinowski
Women’s Tennis defeats Lehigh, earns PL third seed By Ally Keirn Army Athletic Communications The Army West Point Women’s Tennis team earned its fifth conference win on the season with a 5-2 victory over Lehigh April 18 at the Malek Courts. The Black Knights improved to 14-10 overall and 5-2 in the Patriot League with today’s victory. Prior to the match, the Cadets honored fouryear team members, Alyssa Hanson, Maya Parker and Elle Taylor for senior day. “It was a great way to wrap up the regular season,” head coach Paul Peck said. “Lehigh played really well, but our girls showed personal fortitude. There was a time where we were down in all six singles matches, but the team persevered. If we stay healthy and continue to work hard, we should have a good turnout at the conference championships.” The match began with the Black Knights clinching the overall doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Carolyn Pitman and Julian Mok teamed together at second doubles to defeat Cassidy Cruz and Abby Farrell of Lehigh 8-5. Elle Taylor and Nancy Porter earned an 8-2 victory over their Mountain Hawk opponents at the third position. In exhibition, Maya Parker and Alyssa Hanson represented Army West Point with an 8-4 win at No. 4 doubles. In singles action, Eva Sung defeated Cruz, 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 2 position. Hannah Dahlem earned a win at third singles with scores of 6-3, 6-2. Porter and Allyson Hayley closed-out Army’s line up at fifth and sixth singles. Porter defeated Kristin Godau 6-4, 6-2, while Hayley won 6-4, 6-4 over Farrell. With the victory, Army West Point earned the third-seed for the Patriot Sophomore Nancy Porter teamed with senior Elle Taylor to win No. 3 doubles, 8-2, over their League Championships that will be played from Thursday-Sunday in Mountain Hawk opponents. Porter also won at No. 5 singles, defeating Kristin Godau 6-4, 6-2. Hamilton, New York. Photo by Bruce Adler
16 April 23, 2015
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Men’s Tennis falls to Navy in PL Championship By Harrison Antognioni Army Athletic Communications The Army West Point Men’s Tennis team was unable to overcome an early deficit during a 4-1 setback to Navy in the Patriot League Championship on Sunday afternoon at Bucknell’s Varsity Tennis Courts in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The top-seeded Black Knights finish the year 18-9, while the second-seeded Midshipmen move to 20-10 and will represent the Patriot League in next month’s NCAA Tournament. Navy took the doubles point to end Army West Point’s streak of 10 straight matches with a doubles point victory. The Black Knights’ No. 3 pairing of junior Austin McCasin and sophomore Kyle Barnes grabbed an 8-5 win to improve its team-leading record to 18-5 in dual matches this season and give Army West Point an early 1-0 advantage in doubles. The Midshipmen battled back and claimed the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles matches to wrap up the doubles point and take a 1-0 lead heading into singles competition. Navy’s Calvin Mark defeated sophomore Sam Lampman, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 1 singles to put the Midshipmen up 2-0 before Barnes gathered a 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory at No. 6 to make the score 2-1. Tournament most-valuable player Austin Jones and Thomas Pecor registered singles wins at No. 2 and No. 4, respectively, with Pecor’s victory clinching the match for Navy. “Navy played very well today,” head coach Jim Poling said. “Our doubles teams are usually our strength and they didn’t play at their usual high level. It was a high-intensity match and we wish Navy well in the NCAAs.”
Sophomore Kyle Barnes partnered with junior Austin McCasin in No. 3 doubles to win 8-5 against their Midshipmen opponents Sunday at the Patriot League Championship in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Barnes would also win at No. 6 singles, taking it in straight sets—6-3, 7-6. Courtesy Photo
Sprint Football team engages NYC community The Army West Point Sprint Football team recently visited lower Manhattan as part of the Superintendent’s initiative to engage New York City. The cadets painted murals and visited patients in the Brain Trauma Unit at Bellevue Hospital, the oldest public hospital in the country. They also visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum, which is located at the Freedom Towers. “It was a great team building experience and the cadets were extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve the community of NYC and pay respects to those who died on 9/11,” Army West Point Sprint Football coach Lt. Col. Mark West said. “This is just one of many ways the cadet-athletes continue to develop into strong leaders of character for the nation.” Courtesy Photo
