Dave Brown Sends To the Class of 1970

From: Brown, David L.
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 1:32 PM
To: frank.j.monaco@gmail.com; tobyquirk@icloud.com
Cc: Brown, David L.
Subject: 2014 NCEA Update

To the Class of 1970,

All of you are well aware of the turmoil NCEA has experienced in the past one and a half years from the beginning of Sequestration, including the change of command by the Superintendent's from Gen Huntoon to Gen Caslen.

This included the cancellation of 2013 NCEA followed by a USCC and cadet centric abbreviated NCEA version in early 2014. Gen Caslen preferred that format until, in his view, he could "right the ship" at the Academy. He is now pleased with some of the progress at the Academy on multiple fronts including that on the ethics and honor front.

Up until this time we have been treading water and waiting for a definitive decision about the future of NCEA. We now have the preliminaries of that decision that the Supe is now staffing with Dept of the Army.

Our Class of '70 NCEA committee currently led by Toby Quirk and recently led by Sully, Sculley, and the many others who have given unselfishly of their time, have guided us and steered us through this difficult times.

The 2014 conference will be held at the regularly scheduled time this fall as an Academy and cadet centric conference, then.. In 2015 it will return to a new improved form of the original event!!

Click here for some files  that will provide you a complete account of what has transpired over time and the timeline associated with same.

This is an extremely good resolution for NCEA, the cadets, the Academy, and our class. Thank you for your support and patience during these difficult times.

David

PS
Addendum of Toby's most recent communique (  to give each of you a starting point to trace these events backwards through the attachments). Major Knox, the current OIC of NCEA at the Simon center for the Professional Military Ethic sent me a second draft of the concept for NCEA October  2014. It is attached as a word.doc. There is virtually no reflection of our input to the first draft of the concept paper for NCEA. I focused our conversation on what they want USMA ’70 to do with regards to NCEA. We had a very collegial conversation.

1. Mission to USMA ’70 1. Bring more USMA ’70 personnel to NCEA Oct. 19-22, 2014 to increase buy-in for the new model and 2. Outreach to “premier” institutions to develop a collaborative network with the primary objective of sharing resources related to moral character development.

2. Superintendent Caslen continues to espouse the importance of NCEA with staff, faculty and his senior leadership at Department of the Army. At a meeting yesterday about NCEA he stated that the most significant outcome of February’s conference was candid dialog between cadets, staff, faculty and the superintendent’s office. He also said that he wants to continue the internal NCEA because he still wants to focus on improving the moral climate at West Point and he sees it as a very effective tool to do that.

3. Regarding outreach, Major Knox believes that we need to develop a new strategy for NCEA resulting in a collaboration between West Point and other institutions that have character development resources currently established or in development. He wants to rely on the networks that  USMA ’70 classmates have to reach out to key people at these institutions and develop methods to share these resources and bring them to bear at future NCEA. This change in design and philosophy of the NCEA will result in major changes in the execution of the conference.

4. It is the position of the SCPME that they have the resources to develop and coordinate conference content but not much more, so they want to rely on USMA ’70 to help develop long-range strategy,  goals and objectives.

David L Brown MD,  FACC, FACP, FSCAI
President of Medical Affairs
Chairman, Medical Executive Committee
Director of Interventional Cardiology
Co-Director Cardiovascular Research &
Structural Heart Program
The Heart Hospital
Baylor Plano

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Black Knights' 12th Star victory over Navy during the 2013-14 season

http://pacmail.em.marketinghq.net/functions/message_view.html?mid=671851&mlid=10&siteid=2008000013&uid=1a4c5be6c5&hq_e=el&hq_m=671851&hq_l=1&hq_v=1a4c5be6c5

"WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Army baseball team rallied from a game-one defeat to take the next three games and earn the Black Knights' 12th Star victory over Navy during the 2013-14 season. The baseball win clinched both the Star series, 12-11, and the overall series versus the Mids, 18-13.

It is the first time that Army has won more star competitions than the Mids since going 11-8-2 during the 1995-96 campaign. It is the first time the Black Knights have posted a winning record against Navy since 2004-05 (17-14-1).

The fall season got the competiton off to a great start as the Black Knights won six of nine overall meetings and five of the eight star contested. The Mids regained control during the winter, posting an 8-3 overall mark and earning seven of the nine star competiton. Army rallied in the spring with a 9-2 overall record and a 5-1 star mark.

In additon to baseball, the volleyball team, the women's tennis team and the men's tennis team each earned multiple victories against the Mids. Volleyball won both regular season meetings, while the tennis squads won a regular-season match up and a Patriot League Tournament contest.

Army's star wins came in sprint football, golf, women's soccer, volleyball, men's cross country, women's basketball, rifle, women's outdoor track, women's tennis, men's tennis, lacrosse and baseball. In addition, the men's basketball team scored the first of its two regular-season meetings against its arch rival.

In the last two seasons, Army owns a 34-29-1 record against the Mids.

Army and Navy have one more possible meeting left on the schedule. The two teams could potentially meet in a best-of-three Patriot League baseball postseason series."

One Year Out - USMA 1970 45th Reunion!!!!

ONE YEAR OUT REMINDER!

The Happy Daze at Camp Buckner – July 1967

The USMA Class of 1970’s 45^th Reunion will be held April 29 to May 3, 2015 at the Park Ridge Marriott (http://www.hotelsavings.com/booking/1053074). Reservations open on/about June 15, 2014 – we will notify you.

General Schedule of Events

·       Wednesday and Thursday (April 29 and 30, 2015):  Golf @Garrison and West Point

·       Thursday (April 30, 2015): 

·       Optional / Self Guided Tours (TBA, e.g. Hudson River Ferry, Rockefeller Estate, West Point, Ellis Island, Ground Zero)

·       Welcome Reception and Dance with The Happy Daze

·       Friday (May 1, 2015):

·       Class Business Meeting and USMA Briefing at the Park Ridge Marriott

·       Manhattan Lunch Cruise

·       Dinner (on Your Own)/Company Dinners

·       Saturday (May 2, 2015):

·       Memorial Service, Cadet Parade, Class Pictures

·       Lunch in Washington Hall

·       Tours/Shopping /Athletic Events (TBA) (on your own)

·       Class Dinner Dance - Marriott Hotel

·       Sunday (May 3, 2015):  Departure Buffet/Brunch at the Park Ridge Marriott

·       Snail Mail with details on all events and registration to follow – also stay tuned to http://usma1970.com (please update your contact information at AOG – address@wpaog.org)

                                   

Jim McHone and the 45^th USMA 1970 Reunion Committee

Dr. Jim Sullivan receives his PhD

From Dr. John Mearsheimer - Dr. Jim Sullivan just received his PhD and we went out to lunch today at one of my favorite restaurants to celebrate his great achievement. We had this picture taken, which I thought all of you would enjoy. 

Congratulations Ranger Buddy!

Msgr Robert F. McCormick

I am not sure if you heard, but a long time USCC Chaplain. Father Edson Wood, passed last week and while searching the MHT website for funeral arrangements, I found that Msgr. McCormick is alive and well (age 93) and the Chaplain  here : http://www.birgittines-us.com  - I have his telephone number and just got off the phone with him.  He is in contact with Cardinal O’Brien (another priest at Most Holy Trinity when we were cadets) and seems to be sharp as ever!  He married Paulette and I in 1971.  I asked him if would officiate at our 50th in 2021 (he would be 100 years old) and he reminded me that it was not up to him!
Let me know if you want his direct telephone number - we plan to visit him in the near future!
fjm

Monaco

Can China Rise Peacefully?

#USMA1970 #Classmate #SWI Dr. John J. Mearsheimer “Can China Rise Peacefully?”