Expanded Veterans Benefits (commissary and PX)

Steve Wilson SENDS:

I just noticed that effective Jan 1, 2020, Veterans with 0 - 90% disability will be allowed access to commissary and base exchange privileges. Previously, access was limited to 100% disability. This may be of interest to some class members who did not retire, but have a service connected disability.

https://download.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Factsheets/expanding-access-fact-sheet.pdf

Retired Maj. Gen. James Snider - USMA 1970 - Pointer View Reflections on Branch Night for USMA 2020

Article written by The Pointer View Staff at West Point during our 50 year Affiliate Branch Night Activity with USMA 2020 -

Class of 1970 USMA graduate looks back on career, offers advice to cadets

Retired Maj. Gen. James Snider graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1970 and served 32 years as an officer in the Army. As a 50-Year Affiliate graduate, he joined cadets during their Branch Night Wednesday alongside other graduates.
He took some time to share with the Pointer View details about his career as well as provided advice for graduating cadets as they embark on their new journey.

PV: What do you consider the highlight of your career?
JS: “There were several. The Army gave me the opportunity to get a Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering. After that, I worked at a joint project office to build simulations for Star Wars, a strategic defense initiative by President (Ronald) Reagan to be able to shoot down any type of nuclear missile coming down. It was a huge deal back then, in fact, it was one of the things that forced the collapse of the Soviet Union because they could not keep up with what President Reagan was doing.
“So that was a super-secret program that I enjoyed, but I think as far as the Army goes, I got into acquisition and being a program manager of both the Apache helicopter program and the Comanche helicopter program, those were big highlights.”

PV: How much time in service was it before you took on these types of responsibilities?
JS: “When I worked for the SGI Star Wars program, that was in 1989 and when I was the Apache program manager, I was a colonel, and then a one star as the program manager for the Comanche job. But there were highlights all throughout my career like working at the Pentagon and flying in aviation.

PV: Of all the different experiences you had, which one would you say is your favorite and why?
JS: “I would say when I was the program manager of the Comanche program. That program was cancelled about five or six years ago, but the prime contractors gained so much knowledge by developing the helicopter, which was a super sophisticated helicopter.
“The reason the program was cancelled was because we got into the Iraq wars. The program was unaffordable up against all the other things we needed to buy in aviation and sustaining the Apache and the Black Hawk fleet.”

PV: Do you believe the training you received at West Point prepared you or benefited your career and can you name an example of when you recognized that?
JS: “Absolutely. The discipline for one thing, and West Point really taught us to present ideas in a succinct fashion. We were expected to get ideas out very concisely and quickly. Also, I think the Army value system that West Point puts a lot of emphasis on helps us carry them throughout our whole career.
“I would say I did get a Ph.D. in a mathematical discipline back when everyone got an engineering degree. Now I understand they have choices, but back then, you got a Bachelor of Science degree in general engineering. During our plebe year, we were required to take a full lot of calculus, so that prepared me for graduate school where I got both my master’s and a Ph.D.
“I will tell you that in getting a Ph.D., there are different ways to get it. You can be brilliant like an Einstein and get it and have no problem. The other is organizing your approach throughout the Ph.D. In other words, you must put together a committee, you have to satisfy taking the right courses, and then you have to take a problem and work through it, and it has to be an original problem. It must be something you haven’t worked through before.”

PV: What do you think cadets should focus on as they move forward into their new careers?
JS: “I’ll tell you a little story. Besides Branch Night, we were able to select the unit we were going to down to the battalion level. So, in the spring of the year that I graduated, there was a particular battalion I wanted.
“A year later, I arrived there and when I showed up, they said ‘who are you?’ So, when you go in there as a second lieutenant, going to West Point is one thing, but so many guys went to other great schools. You all start off at the same level. Whatever job the Army gives you, and I think I only got to choose one in my entire career, but whatever they give you, go in there and do the best possible job you can.
“And I would say almost 100 percent of the time, your senior officer is going to be a very honest and hard-working person so you can trust them and there is no reason to doubt them or follow what they ask you to do.”

PV: What was your experience like at Branch Night?
JS: “I wanted to go armor. Back then, aviation was not an opportunity. The rule was you had to spend at least one year in combat arms before you could transfer to aviation. So, I chose armor and was not happy to get it, but our class was quite proud that no one was forced to go into infantry.
“In other words, our class chose infantry knowing we were not forced to go into that which I think was really good and spoke highly of our class.”

PV: Will you share more about your progression from West Point graduate to where you ended up?
JS: “I spent a year in the armor branch and then transitioned into aviation. I spent many years in the Army cavalry and then went to graduate school and got into the acquisition career. So, I was doing both acquisition and aviation. I was in the Pentagon when President Reagan came in and his idea, we are going to the best multicarrier in the world and we started getting a lot of money. The systems we still have today, the Apache, the Black Hawk, those were all bought in the mid-’80s, but the Army’s leadership was terrific in turning around something bad and making it the best Army. So, when Desert Storm came, it was incredible.”

PV: Do you have any advice for students who are unhappy with what they got at Branch Night?
JS: “When I went through Branch Night, we had quotas. I suppose it’s the same way now although there is more combat aviation these days. Some people did not get what they wanted, and I say do not give up on the Army just because of one instance you perceive something as a failure.
“There are a lot of opportunities that are not even branch related that you can get into like other specialties and things that will come later in your career. That is the one message I would give new officers. I had an executive officer who worked over me that had been passed over for lieutenant colonel. He was about ready to give up, but he did such a good job that on the second round, he got selected and landed a very nice job.
“That is one hurdle that you got to get over but there are so many opportunities and not all are just branch related.”

PV: Any advice you can give cadets?
JS: “I would advise everybody who is physically able to, go to Ranger School. You carry that Ranger tab around your whole career and that really means something. And that goes for airborne school. There are a couple of other schools that are career path schools. The war college I actually did not attend, I did it by correspondence, which is probably one of the perquisites for making general officer.
“If you do not get selected, do it by correspondence. If you don’t get promoted, keep going. There’s a place for you.
“I would say as long as you can see a path, move forward in progression. Stick with it because the Army is really a great life and especially today’s Army.
“It is much different than when I came in at the tail end of the Vietnam War. Soldiers were not as admired, but today the American people really support the armed forces and that is a good change.”

© 2019 , Pointer View. All Rights Reserved.

Branch Night for USMA 2020 With 50 Year Affiliate

Branch Night for USMA 2020 with class officers from 2020 alongside 1970 First Captain (and guest speaker) John Connors and 1970’s (50 year affiliate) contingent. 

First row: First Captain of the Corps of Cadets, Cadet Daine Van de Wall; Class of 2020 President, Cadet Joshua Phillips; Class of 2020 Vice President, Cadet Emma Powless; Class of 2020 Secretary, Cadet Amy Ziccarello; Class of 2020 Treasurer, Cadet Minsung Kim

Second row: Branch Night guest speaker, Mr. John Connors; LTC (R) Carlos Velez Jr., MG(R) James Snider, COL (R) Terry Young, COL (R) Robert Hilliard, Mr. William Bowden, COL (R) Frank Monaco

Third row: LTC (R) Bruce Nolte, Mr. Pat Sculley, Mr. Charlie McGee?, LTC (R) Bob Richardson, LTC (R) Billie J. Alexander, COL (R) Don Blakeslee,

Fourth row: COL (R) James Corfman, Mr. Warren Geiger, Mr. Luke Brennecke, Mr. Bill Taylor, COL (R) Gary Steele, MAJ (R) James Price, LTC (R) William Addy,LTC (R) Randy Rutler, LTC (R) Phillip Richard.

PS:  Missing from the Photo:  Hank Zimon. 

Ceremony to receive the 1969 Army-Navy Game Ball on October 4, 2019

West Point Sports Hall of Fame - Bill Cater

Ladies and Gentlemen, Coach Monken,

Thank you for being here this morning to share in this moment. Thank you Coach Monken, Bob Mischak, Jr., my beloved Class of 1970 classmates, wives, friends and teammates.

For a while, I have had the privilege to coordinate with Bob Beretta at West Point athletics, Lynn Moore, my team captain of the 1969 Army football team, Joe Reeder and Bob Mischak, Jr. in order to get the game football from the 1969 Army-Navy game into the West Point Sports Hall of Fame. 

Today this football will be placed in this special hall of remembrance to celebrate and memorialize the last time Navy was shutout by an Army football team, 50 years ago.

Jokingly, in various emails; Moore, Bob Jr., Reeder and I have called this the “sacred” football ceremony.

In all seriousness, what is sacred is the fellowship that is connected to this symbolic football.

What is sacred is the fellowship that began over 53 years ago with the men that entered West Point on July 1, 1966 to begin the great Class of 1970.

What is sacred is the love that is shared by these men from our shared and vastly varied life experiences.

What is sacred is the brotherhood forged with beginning a common cadet experience and a life of service to our country, our families and our communities.

Today we also get to honor Coach Bob Mischak who was presented this football by the 1969 Army football team and his offensive line. 

As a side story, after the game ended, some kid absconded with the ball and my teammate and Ranger buddy, Don DeCort, tackled the guy and retrieved the ball.

Today we celebrate a wonderful moment in time- when a team of young men, coached by a great staff, and supported by the Corps of Cadets led by our great classmates-beat Navy 27-0. The last Navy shutout that took place 50 years ago.

Today we celebrate others that have gripped hands and are waiting on the other side. Men who banged heads and sweated in the trenches of Army football: Joe Ferraro, Joe Newman, Hank Andrzejczak, Billy Jackson, Jack McGill, Steve Muse, Tony Sobels, Johnny Brenner and others.

Today we celebrate those classmates that have bravely and courageously fought and sacrificed in our nation’s wars. Men like Pete Lilly (in attendance today). Men like our silent team captain, Lynn Moore, and many, many others.

Today we celebrate our good fortune to be alive to share this moment in time; to honor those we love, to share those experiences past, present and future that have forged a fellowship that can never be adequately described with words.

So now ladies and gentlemen; it is a great honor to give you the bearer of the “football”. That young man we knew as the 11 year old Bobby when we were college seniors. The generous donor of this legacy football-Bob Mischak, Jr.

USMA 1970 50 Year Reunion - potential Pre-Reunion Activity Survey

Classmates: In preparation for our 50th USMA 1970 Reunion next year, the Reunion Committee would like to assess interest in "extra activities" in the NYC Metropolitan area as well as the area around West Point.

Please take a few moments to take this brief potential Pre-Reunion Activity Survey - results expected to be shared by 15 October. One response per classmate please! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H6P2C2G 

Thanks -

Monaco B4 ’70

Thornton D2 ’70

PS: if you haven’t already booked a room for the 50th Reunion, please visit (and stay tuned to) the Class of 1970’s 50th Reunion Website - https://www.westpointaog.org/1970reunion

Lieutenant Scott Love Memorial Scholarship Awarded - News

  

Jeff Rose Gault SENDS: 

Lieutenant Scott Love Memorial Scholarship Awarded - News

Release date: July 30, 2019

For more information contact: Jeff Gault at 703-587-5181 or jeff.gault@ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org

The Army Scholarship Foundation has awarded its 2019-2020 Lieutenant Scott Love Memorial Scholarship to Mr. Angel Aviles of Fayetteville, NC.   Angel’s father is Sergeant First Class Juan Aviles, who is serving with the US Army Security Assistance Training Management Command at Fort Bragg, NC. Kevin is a freshman at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, majoring in Film Studies and Theater Arts.  

Scott M. Love was born at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and graduated from high school in Huntsville, Alabama.  He graduated from Florida State University in 1996 and enlisted in the US Army in 1999 as a military intelligence specialist.  In 2003, Scott attended Officer Candidate School. Following completion of OCS and other courses at Fort Benning, Scott was assigned as a platoon leader with 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry stationed at Baumholder, Germany. His unit deployed to Kuwait in November 2005 with Scott's platoon assigned as part of Task Force 1-35 Armor when he was killed at Ar Ramadi, Iraq in 2006.  

The Army Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2001 to provide scholarships to deserving sons and daughters of US Army soldiers and Army veterans, and to spouses of enlisted active duty soldiers.  The Foundation is sustained by the generous donations of its supporters.  Tax deductible contributions can be sent to the Foundation at 11700 Preston Road, Suite 660-301, Dallas, Texas 75230.  Those wishing to learn more about the Army scholarship Foundation or to make a tax deductible donation may visit www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org.

11700 Preston Road  |  Suite 660-301  |  Dallas, TX 75230

Lieutenant Scott Love - http://www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org - Class Son

Dear Fellow Classmates,

Once again, the Memorial Day holiday approaches, a time when we should all pause and reflect upon and honor those many thousands of brave men and women who have worn the cloth of our nation and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our way of life and the freedoms we all enjoy.

Memorial Day is a special holiday, a time to honor in thought and deed those who have lost their lives in combat during our nation's wars and conflicts.  Our soldiers of today continue to serve in an Army at war, and thus they are all too often in harm's way, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq, where we have lost nearly 7000 lives, and where more will undoubtedly give their last full measure of devotion in sacrifice for us.  Their loved ones and families continue to pray and to worry about them and their safety.  Please remember those who have fallen, including our class son, Lieutenant Scott Love, and consider helping a soldier and Army family member of today by making a donation to the Army Scholarship Foundation in Scott's or another loved one's memory on the occasion of this special holiday.

Donations can be sent to Army Scholarship Foundation, 11700 Preston Road, Ste 660-301, Dallas, TX 75230 or on line at www.ArmyScholarshipFoundation.org.

Thank you all for your service to our country, and please help us and our entire Nation to remember those we have lost, not just on Memorial Day, but throughout the year.

Jeff Gault - gaultrj@prodigy.net