Cadets Cross Borders in Cultural Exchange the U.S
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JanuaryPointer 31, View 2013 1 stories are updated and posted weekly at www.usma.edu. OINTER IEW® PVOL. 70, NO. 4 SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF WEST PVOINT AND THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY JANUARY 31, 2013 Cadets cross borders in cultural exchange The U.S. Military Academy hosted a contingent of officer cadets and senior leaders from the Royal Military College of Canada Jan. 24-27 during the annual USMA- RMC Exchange Weekend. The weekend activities included water polo and chess contests, a debate and a joint Pipe and Drums demonstration (above photo). Concurrently, the academy sent cadets to Kingston, Ontario, to spend the weekend at RMC, attend classes and participate in friendly competition. This exchange, which began in 1923, is designed to enhance cultural awareness between the two institutions and nurture camaraderie between its students. See Pages 8-9 for story and photos. PHOTO BY MIKE STRAssER/PV 2 January 31, 2013 News and Features Pointer View Secretary of Defense rescinds ground combat exclusion rule for women By David Vergun “Soldiers—both men and women— actions of Panetta and Dempsey, as well as “This milestone reflects the courageous Army News Service want fair and meaningful standards” to the work that the Army is taking to open up and patriotic service of women through be developed for accepting women into MOSs for women. more than two centuries of American history Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and previously restricted MOSs, said Gen. President Obama released a statement and the indispensable role of women in Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Robert W. Cone, commander, U.S. Army that reads in part: “By moving to open today’s military. Martin Dempsey signed a memo Jan. 24, Training and Doctrine Command, at a more military positions—including ground “Many have made the ultimate sacrifice, paving the way for more women to serve in Pentagon media roundtable following the combat units—to women, our armed forces including more than 150 women who have direct combat roles and in more occupational DOD press conference. have taken another historic step toward given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan specialties that are now open only to males. “I think that fairness is very important in harnessing the talents and skills of all our —patriots whose sacrifices show that valor The memo rescinds the 1994 DOD a values-based organization like our Army,” citizens. knows no gender.” “Direct Ground Combat Definition and Cone said. Assignment Rule,” which states in part: TRADOC has already been studying “Servicemembers are eligible to be assigned armies in other countries where women have to all positions for which they are qualified, successfully been integrated into combat West Point on the Hudson except that women shall be excluded from MOSs—countries like Canada and Israel. By Heather Graham the first soldiers built an obstacle across assignment to units below the brigade level The Army will be “looking at knowledge, Seventh grader, West Point Middle the Hudson called Chevaux de frise, a whose primary mission is to engage in direct skills and attributes of Soldiers and get the School fence with pointed logs. The other one is combat on the ground.” best match in specialties (now restricted) Constitution Island where they put a chain The memo does not spell out which like infantry, armor, field artillery and (Editor’s note: This essay was across the river to West Point. The soldiers military occupational specialties will engineers,” Cone said, adding that one written by the daughter of Col. John built cabins and guarded the chain. be open to women. Rather, it directs the of the important attributes is physical Graham, chief scientist and director for The chain was used, by George services to provide their implementation requirements. “Soldiers don’t want to see the Network Science Center. She won the Washington, to block British ships from strategies to the DOD by May 2013. (that) degraded.” National Park Service’s middle school coming up the river. However, it was never Implementation will begin this year and be Objective assessments and validation essay competition—Teaching the Hudson tested by the British. Benedict Arnold completed by 2015, Panetta added. studies, many of which have already been Valley’s “Writing about Place” contest— tried to sell the plans of West Point to the The reason some MOSs in the past were completed, will look at each requirement with an essay on West Point within the British. He was caught and not trusted closed was “due to permissible restrictions by MOS, he said. My Favorite Place in the Hudson Valley anymore. such as co-location, direct ground combat, Tasks include things like “how much category.) Now, I live in one of the ‘cabins’ along privacy and berthing, special operations does an infantryman have to lift, how much the river at West Point. or long-range reconnaissance,” according stuff do they have to carry and for what There is a special place in the Hudson Soldiers now guard places around the to the February 2012 DOD “Report to distance.” Valley. This place is West Point—the best world and their families live here. Our Congress on the Review of Laws, Policies Once the validations are done, scientists place ever! military families here are kind, generous and Regulations Restricting the Service of will then develop MOS-specific physical While my family has roots that trace to and understanding. Female Members in the U.S. Armed Forces.” fitness tests, Cone continued. Then those the establishment of the Greenwood Lake When someone’s parents are deployed, “This year we will begin to assign tests will in turn be validated with field Diner in Orange County, it is West Point other families are there for support because women to previously closed occupations studies. that is magic and has been my home. at some point their parents were deployed using clear standards of performance in all Besides physical ability, the Army will West Point means alot of things, such too. occupational specialties,” Dempsey said. look at “traditional impediments,” meaning as the history that dates back to the 1800s In the Army, it’s pretty much a small “The burden of proof used to be ‘why the attitudes regarding the acceptance of and the Revolutionary War, the military world. For example, I am going to school should a woman serve in a particular women into previously male-only MOSs, families that live along the river and with the same boy I went with when my specialty?’” he added. “Now, it’s ‘why he said. “A lot of this is about leadership the cadets who come from around the family lived in Pennsylvania. shouldn’t a woman serve in a particular and the organizational climate.” world. This is what makes West Point an For just the children who live on Post specialty?’” The Army will take “proactive measures awesome site in the Hudson Valley. we attend West Point Middle School and As of September, 418 of the Army’s to mitigate resistance to women going into West Point was founded in 1777. West Point Elementary School. 438 MOSs were open to women of all these specialties,” Cone concluded. “We There were two islands West Point In 2011, the West Point Middle School ranks, according to an Oct. 31 Army report want the right environment for women.” used—one was Bannerman’s Island where See WP ON THE HUDSON, Page 6 “Women in the Army.” The commander in chief approved the 40 Mulberry Street, Middletown, NY 10940 POINTER VIEW ® To subscribe to the Pointer View, 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 Depart- call 845-346-3118. ment of the Army or West Point. If you have delivery problems, call The Pointer View ® is an unofficial publication authorized by AR 360-1. 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Public Affairs Officer Assistant Editor, 938-2015 Vacant Kathy Eastwood Command Information Chief Staff Writer, 938-2015 See SUDOKU PUZZLE, Page 12 Website: www.pointerview.com Pointer View News and Features January 31, 2013 3 Celebrating the Everlasting Dream West Point community gathers to honor memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Story and photo by Kathy Eastwood Staff Writer “...When all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” — Martin Luther King Jr.