Honoring Lost Spouses
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APRIL 12, 2018 1 THE A PRIL 12, 2018 VOL. 75, NO. 14 ® UTY ONOR OUNTRY OINTER IEW D , H , C PSERVING THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AND THE COMMUNITY V OF WEST POINT ® Honoring Lost Spouses (Left) The Gold Star Spouses fl ag fl ew over INSIDE & ONLINE West Point beneath WWW . USMA . EDU POINTER VIEW WWW . POINTERVIEW . COM the American flag on Gold Star Spouses Day April 5. (Above) Spouses John Vigna from Highland Falls and Doreen Baidoos from New Windsor honored their fallen spouses by receiving the folded Gold Star flag at the completion of Retreat. Also taking part in the ceremony were the incoming and outgoing Garrison Command Sergeants Major, Command Sgt. Maj. Kanisha S. Lamothe and Command Sgt. Maj. Roderick C. Taylor. Photos by Kathy EastWood/ The Army West Point Men’s and Women’s Boxing teams PV each won national titles, including nine individual titles. SEE PAGE 11 2 APRIL 12, 2018 NEWS & FEATURES POINTER VIEW Emergency preparedness exercise to test West Point’s readiness By Chris Hennen gain the in-depth learning that only a special Brown added. Central Area and along Stony Lonesome Road Emergency Manager, DPTMS experience can provide. While the focus is on response to a shooting between Washington Road and the Holleder After almost eight months of planning, a and explosion, other protection activities are Center. Although West Point has served as an multi-day, multi-agency exercise will occur the planned. Additionally, at 8:15 a.m., Thayer, impregnable citadel of Army values for more week of April 16-20, incorporating elements of On Monday and Tuesday, compliance with Washington and Stony Lonesome gates will be than 200 years, it is not similarly invincible mass notification, active shooter and improvised the Random Antiterrorism Measures (RAMs) closed for approximately 15 minutes. No other from natural hazards and technological threats. explosive device response, personnel protective for the month of April will be assessed. operational impacts are anticipated. As members of this community, we all must be actions such as lockdown or evacuation, and On Wednesday, the West Point Schools, While the exercise scenario and resultant prepared—through education and action—to mass casualty care. Child and Youth Services facilities and consequences are based on a hypothetical respond rapidly and capably to a full range of This week of community protection USMAPS will conduct intruder-response drills situation, they do suggest the possibility of a crisis possibilities. The question you have to ask exercises will enable West Point leaders, first- to assess their plans and procedures. violent act occurring on West Point and the yourself is, “Are You Ready?” responders and caregivers, host and tenant On Thursday morning, April 19, a test of the urgency to prepare our community. West Point authorities are committed to organizations and off-post mutual aid partners Mass Warning and Notification Systems (e.g., This exercise—the most comprehensive ensuring the health, safety and welfare of lives; to participate in an assessment of emergency Giant Voice and Desktop Alert) will precede undertaken at West Point this year—is part the protection of property; and the sustainment preparedness procedures and capabilities in a response by Military Police to a report of of West Point’s continuing commitment to of essential operations should an incident occur the context of a potentially tragic—and all too an active shooter. The exercise will continue obtaining valuable insights to guide our future on the installation. possible—multifaceted threat. throughout the duty day with a simulated preparedness and response efforts. Routine day-to-day operations are not “This year’s emergency preparedness explosion in the Cadet Mess shortly after 1 At the final planning meeting, Brown sufficient for assessing effective emergency planned activities will be a great test of our p.m., the Corps evacuating to the Holleder counseled those in attendance: “The safety and preparedness and response, as extraordinary capabilities,” Bob Brown, senior plans officer Center, and KACH exercising their response security of the West Point community is our emergency measures must be implemented at DPTMS, said. “Each aspect of our weeklong and care of mass casualties both at the scene most sacred duty. When disaster strikes, the time quickly and correctly if loss of life, property, list of activities is designed to look at the gaps and at the hospital. To extend the value but not to prepare has passed.” utilities and operations are to be kept to a that may exist in our readiness and response the duration of the April 19 exercise, the West Information regarding the activities for this minimum. strategies and to eliminate them. Point Emergency Operations Center and Media year’s exercise can be obtained by contacting A full-scale emergency preparedness “Emergency readiness at West Point must Operations Center will be exercised on April 20. Bob Brown at 845-938-0367 or robert.brown@ exercise provides a way to put theory to the be a proactive team effort. Preparedness and Exercise activities on April 19—between usma.edu, or Chris Hennen at 845-938-7092 or test in a real-time, real-world environment and partnership are two sides of the same coin,” 1-3 p.m.—may affect vehicular traffic in the [email protected]. West Point to host military skills competition By U.S. Military Academy against teams from the U.S. Naval Public Affairs Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, eight WEST POINT, N.Y.—More than select university ROTC teams, 500 cadets from military academies U.S. Military Academy Preparatory and universities around the world will School, 36 teams from West Point, compete in the 50th annual Sandhurst Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Military Skills Competition (http:// Canada’s Royal Military College, www.usma.edu/dmi/SitePages/ Chilean Military School, as well Visitor%20Information.aspx) as teams from Italy, Germany, Friday and Saturday on West Point. Austria, South Korea, Brazil, Poland, Teams are comprised of eight Australia and Latvia. men and one woman. The competition originated in The competition consists of 1967 when the Royal Military 11 different events ranging from Academy Sandhurst presented a marksmanship to grenade throwing. sword to the U.S. Military Academy. It tests individual and team The inscription on the sword More than 500 cadets from military military skills as well as leadership reads: “To provide the Corps of Cadets academies and universities around the abilities and athletic proficiency. with a challenging and rewarding world will compete in the 50th annual Teams accumulate points during regimental skills competition, Sandhurst Military Skills Competition Friday the rigorous competition, and have which will enhance professional and Saturday on West Point. Teams are the opportunity to earn up to 1,000 development and military excellence comprised of eight men and one woman. points throughout the course. in selected soldier skills.” The competition consists of 11 different The defending champion team From then on for the last 49 events ranging from marksmanship to from the U.S. Military Academy years, an annual event has been held grenade throwing. will attempt to retain the title to do just that. Photo by Lt. Col. Scot Keith/USMA PAO 40 Mulberry Street, Middletown, NY 10940 POINTER VIEW ® To subscribe to the Pointer View or The Army civilian enterprise newspaper, the Pointer View, is an authorized publication for members The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not if you have delivery problems, call 845-346-3213. of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Pointer View are not necessarily the official views of, or constitute endorsement of the products or services advertised by the U.S. Army or the Times Herald- Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen Jr. endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of the Army or the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Record. Superintendent Vacant The editorial content of the Pointer View is the responsibility of the U.S. Military Academy Public Everything advertised in this publication will be made available for purchase, use or patronage Lt. Col. Chevelle Thomas PV Assistant Editor, 938-3079 Affairs Office, Bldg. 600, West Point, New York 10996, (845) 938-2015. without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, Public Affairs Officer Kathy Eastwood The Pointer View is printed weekly by the Times Herald-Record, a private firm in no way connected political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Eric S. Bartelt PV Staff Writer, 938-3684 with the Department of the Army, under exclusive contract with West Point. The Times Herald-Record is If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher PV Managing Editor, 938-2015 [email protected] responsible for all commercial advertising. will refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation has been corrected. [email protected] POINTER VIEW IN FOCUS: WEST POINT NEGOTIATION PROJECT APRIL 12, 2018 3 WPNP workshop focuses on building relationships Story and photos by Kathy Eastwood Staff Writer The West Point Negotiation Project, an initiative developed by the West Point Leadership Center, under the direction of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership hosted the ninth annual workshop April 5-6, at Jefferson Library’s Haig Room. The workshop included cadets from all the military academies with the exception of the Naval Academy, and ROTC cadets from various colleges and universities. The workshops are designed to enhance the ability of military leaders to negotiate in complex and challenging situations. The workshops tasked participants in role- playing scenarios that reflect negotiations in both peace and war.