WEST POINT ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES PARENT HANDBOOK 2017–2018 2 A NOTE OF INTRODUCTION Welcome to West Point! Once your son or daughter reports to Eisenhower (Ike) Hall at West Point, you’ll begin a new chapter in your life unlike anything you have experienced. We have designed this booklet to help parents understand and meet the challenges that await you during the next few months at the United States Military Academy. Prior knowledge about the journey is a powerful tool in preparing you for the 47-month cadet experience. TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Superintendent 3 Glossary of Cadet Slang 48 Academy Overview 4 2017 Army West Point Football 52 USMA Academic Achievements 5 Supporting West Point & the Long Gray Line 55 Parent Support 6 The Long Gray Line Stretches 58 Joining a Parents Club 7 West Point is Everywhere 59 West Point Association of Graduates Overview 8 Calendar of Events 60 Parent Support 9 Herbert Alumni Center 82 Visiting West Point 10 The Gift Shop 84 Developing Leaders of Character 18 USMA Map 86 Plebe Academic Year 34 On, Brave Old Army Team 87 Yearling Academic Year 36 West Point Alma Mater 88 Cow Academic Year 38 The Army Song 89 Firstie Academic Year 40 Helpful Phone Numbers 90 Special Events Weekends 42 Parents Clubs 92 Programs 44 Important Information About My Cadet 98 Support Services 47 Proudly Funded By 3 Dear Parents, On behalf of the staff and faculty of the United States Military Academy, welcome to the West Point family! We are honored you have entrusted your sons and daughters to us as they prepare for their future roles as leaders for our Army. Our mission is “to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned LIEUTENANT GENERAL ROBERT L. leader of character committed to the values of CASLEN, SUPERINTENDENT Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.” During their 47 months at West Point, your sons and daughters will receive both a world-class education, as well as complete a mentally and physically demanding leader development experience that will prepare them for their future roles as Army officers. Their experiences here will be, undoubtedly, some of the most challenging of their lives and a key part of their success will be your love, encouragement and support. I would encourage you to contact the USMA Parent Communications Liaison, Debra Dalton, or visit our parent information webpage at www.usma.edu/parents. You can also find information there about connecting to parent’s information through social media. Finally, your local West Point Parents Club is a great source of information and support while your sons and daughters attend West Point. GO ARMY! LTG Robert L. Caslen, Jr. 59th Superintendent 4 ACADEMY OVERVIEW The mission of the United States Military Academy is “to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of ‘Duty, Honor, Country’ and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army.” The academy envisions that graduates will be commissioned leaders of character who, in preparation for the intellectual and ethical responsibilities of officership, are broadly educated, professionally skilled, morally-ethically grounded and physically fit, and committed to continued growth and development both as Army officers and as American citizens. As such, graduates must understand the Profession of Arms and the application of a broad liberal education in the arts and sciences to that profession; the fundamentals of the American Constitution and the responsibilities of commissioned officers to its defense; and the values and ethical standards of the United States Army: the Professional Military Ethic. Graduates must also demonstrate personal devotion to the duties of a commissioned officer: intellectual curiosity, imagination, and creativity; ability to act rationally and decisively under pressure; mastery of the basic military and physical skills required for entry into commissioned service; inspiration and motivation to lead American Soldiers in war and peace — leadership characterized by a winning spirit; the ability and motivation to achieve and sustain unit climates that are conducive to military effectiveness and professional excellence; and personal commitment to the selfless standards of officership within the United States Army. Academy systems and programs have been structured to contribute to instilling these characteristics in each graduate. 5 USMA ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS U.S. News & World Report – 2017 #1 High School Counselor Ranking #2 Public Liberal Arts College #4 Best Undergrad Engineering Programs #19 National Liberal Arts College Forbes – 2016 #1 Public College #6 Liberal Arts College #11 in the Northeast (ranked #14 overall; USNA #24 – only two public colleges in Top 25) Princeton Review – 2016 #1 Most Accessible Professors (6th year in a row!) #1 Students Study the Most #2 Everybody Plays Intramural Sports #2 Best College Library #3 Best Health Services #3 Most Active Student Government College Choice – 2016 #14 Best Bachelor’s in Engineering Degree Program (USAFA #17, USNA #18) Business Insider – 2015 #13 Best College Campus (only Academy in Top 20) 6 PARENT SUPPORT DEBRA DALTON, USMA PARENT COMMUNICATIONS LIAISON Our philosophy on parent communication is simply that parents should have the correct information in order to support their sons and daughters while attending West Point. Please keep in mind that it is a college experience, and your cadet will need to navigate much of it on their own. And, we encourage open communication between parents and cadets! That said, it is the role of the Parent Communications Liaison to help answer questions or redirect parents if/when the need arises. West Point Parents Clubs also facilitate communication between the Academy and cadet parents, promoting the image of West Point, assisting the Academy in recruitment efforts, and providing fellowship to parents of cadets. This office is responsible for supporting parents and Parent Clubs that have formed all over the United States. West Point Parents Clubs offer an opportunity for mutual support, fellowship, and access to useful information about the Academy and cadet life. At present, there are more than 85 clubs throughout the United States and abroad. To find a club near you, contact the West Point Parents Club Coordinator at 845.938.8826 or at [email protected]. GO ARMY! JOINING A PARENTS CLUB 7 WE UNDERSTAND… AND WE CAN HELP! Membership in a West Point Parents Club offers valuable opportunities for mutual support, fellowship, and access to useful information about the Academy and cadet life, although each club is an independent organization, clubs are officially recognized and supported by the Academy. The Parents Club network offers a dynamic line of communication between the Academy and cadet parents. The USMA Parent Communications Liaison, Debra Dalton, relays current information to club presidents, who then communicate with their members through emails and newsletters. Typical club activities are meetings, informal get-togethers, tailgates, holiday balls, new cadet picnics, luncheons or dinners, and other events at which cadet families gather. Parents Clubs are not a substitute for communication between you and your cadet’s company tactical officer (TAC). Specific concerns or information regarding your cadet should be addressed to the TAC. Many Parents Clubs communicate and interact with West Point Societies and members of the West Point Admissions Field Force in their local areas. Through this networking, these groups are able to gain a broad perspective on the Academy and to assist in telling the West Point story across the country. Some clubs are becoming more involved by working with Admissions Office in spreading the word about West Point to their local communities and high schools. Many work with the West Point Societies by coordinating events at away football games and Founder’s Day activities. There are West Point Parents Clubs in most states. To join a Parents Club near you, simply locate the club in your region and contact the president. Please see page 92 of this handbook for a listing of Parents Clubs. If there isn’t a club in your area and you would like more information about forming one, please call the USMA Parent Communications Liaison, at 845.938.8826. 8 WEST POINT ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES OVERVIEW Dear Parents, On behalf of the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG), I am pleased to provide the 2017/2018 Parent Handbook. We hope you will find this a useful resource for better understanding the Academy and preparing for your cadet’s West Point experience. Before long, your son or daughter will join the ranks of the prestigious Long Gray Line and continue the Academy’s great tradition of leadership and service. WPAOG is the Academy’s alumni association. We provide programs during the cadet years and a range of services after graduates have left West Point. We rely on parents to help preserve and strengthen our relationships with recent graduates, as they are called away to the farthest reaches of the world. I encourage you to participate in your cadet’s experience and take advantage of offerings provided by our dedicated WPAOG team in Herbert Hall: • West Point Magazine, a quarterly publication about graduates, cadets and the Academy. • WPAOG-hosted events such as the March Plebe-Parent Breakfast and activities during R-Day, A-Day, Army Football games, Graduation, and more. • WPAOG’s parent portal on our website, which provides useful resources to keep parents informed of happenings at the Academy, Parent Clubs, and with other USMA family members. WPAOG raises funds for the Academy. We manage private funding for additional developmental programs that go beyond the core elements to create the Margin of Excellence.