Dearden Earns First 2008-09 Scholarship After Harrowing Journey, Statue Rests Here
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Army/Temple, football season opener tonight at 7 p.m. ® VOL. 65, NO. 33 SERVING THE COMMUNITY OF THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT AUGUST 29, 2008 Dearden earns first 2008-09 scholarship Story and photo by Eric S. Bartelt Receiving a scholarship is a special moment for any student, and this year’s brigade executive officer has the distinction of being the first West Point cadet this academic year to be a recipient of a scholarship. Firstie Brady Dearden, 23, from West Windsor, N.J., recently was named a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship winner for 2008. Dearden plans on working toward his one-year master’s degree in international studies at a place to be determined in November. He will Firstie Brady Dearden study in one of three countries of his a multi-national force environment,” choice -- England, Switzerland or Dearden said. “It will be very helpful the Netherlands. to understand what’s going on and With a focus regarding the how I can communicate that to my broader picture, he wants to serve his Soldiers. Being able to do that, I feel, country the very best he can, and an would make me a better prepared international studies master’s degree officer to serve the nation.” Acceptance into the Corps is a giant step in that direction. The third-highest ranking cadet The new cadets march into the ranks of the Corps of Cadets and officially become the Class of “I really enjoy international in the Corps of Cadets has a history 2012 during the Acceptance Day Parade on the Plain Saturday. Additionally, each of the new relations and thinking about how of working outside the borders of cadets earns the title of plebe during the parade, signifying the first of many commitments our country interacts with others the United States as he spent a two- they will accept at the academy until their commissioning at graduation. in this day and age with the current year church mission in Germany and SPC . VINCENT FU S CO /PAO course of operations and working in See SCHOLARSHIP, page 3 After harrowing journey, statue rests here Story and photo by A granite pedestal awaited in the Military Academy. Hostler said. Emily Tower library’s rotunda, and perhaps those The rotunda in which James Nathan Muir, former legs and shoes were meant to rest Jefferson’s statue rests is a gift USMA Class of 1968, was A ghostly figure wrapped in upon the pedestal. from the USMA Class of 1968. commissioned to sculpt the statue. cloths secured with packing tape Sure enough, a team of movers The class’ fundraising goal of Researching and sculpting the statue offered a mystery Aug. 22 to visitors hoisted the massive, puzzling figure $2.5 million to build the rotunda took two years, Muir’s wife, Linda, of the newly opened Jefferson onto the pedestal and promptly was exceeded, so the class spent said. Muir enlisted the help of a Hall. removed the protective wraps. the extra money on the statue and Jefferson re-enactor from Colonial A brow and nose could be A familiar face smiled to the some other aesthetic details and Williamsburg, Va., to model and detected through the blanket draped crowd. commemorative plaques to come, offer historical perspective. over the figure’s head. Bronze legs The group of cadets, staff and said Dutch Hostler, class vice “Nothing is by accident,” and a pair of shoes were visible, too, faculty members and other on- president and chairman of the class Linda Muir said about the statue’s from where the figure stood in front lookers was greeted by the third gift committee. designs. “He has on the right kind of the building. president of the United States. Jefferson was chosen to be the of clothing. Everything down to The commotion about who The statue portrays in detail statue subject because the building how the shoes are tied is historically was standing seemingly bound and -- from the writing on a document bears his name, and the signing of accurate.” gagged in front of the new library, to the design of a pinky ring -- how the law that brought the academy The Muir’s came from Arizona officially open less than a week at Thomas Jefferson likely looked into existence seemed to be the to supervise the statue’s installation. the time, moved inside, where the March 16, 1802, when he signed most fitting act of Jefferson’s to be And while they had a rather mystery began to be solved. the law that established the U.S. portrayed in West Point’s library, See STATUE, page 2 See SOCCER, page 13 2 August 29, 2008 STATUE, con’t from page 1 Warning: While driving on-post, uneventful trip to West Point, their bronze guest did not. The statue, which travelled don’t use your cell phone separately by truck, was “tested by fi re, just like the real Thomas By Sgt. John Daniel May Jefferson was tested by fire,” Military Police Traffic NCOIC Hostler said, referring to Jefferson’s home library burning down in Any gate a person enters at 1770. West Point sees the signs that warn The truck carrying the statue everyone who is using a cell phone caught on fire in Indiana, and while driving without a hands free Jefferson was singed. A proper device on any military installation cleaning restored the statue to pre- is breaking the law, regardless of fi re condition. parent state. Seeing the as-good-as-new Even in the state of New York, statue installed in its resting place it is illegal to drive while using a was a good feeling for the artist, cell phone without some kind of who considers the statue his gift to hands-free device and a speaker his classmates and the academy. phone does count as hands-free as The academy “cemented in Thomas Jefferson statue long as the phone is kept away from me a code of honor and a never- before Sept. 5 unveiling. the face and ear. fl inching quest for and adherence statue has been recovered and The military police at West to the Truth, with a capital T, in all will remain so until a dedication Point are required to enforce the things,” Muir said. scheduled for 11 a.m. Sept. 5 laws and the regulations of this Having such a noted fi gure and during the 1968 class’ 40th reunion. installation and the state in which honored philosopher keeping watch The class also will be able to it i slocated. Talking on the cell phone while driving on-post is a $50 fine over the library’s entrance adds to see quotes in large letters from The specifi cs of the law can be including a $25 state processing fee to total $75 in monetary the building’s academic experience, Jefferson adorning the circular wall found in the New York Vehicle and penalities. KATHY EASTWOOD /PV said Brig. Gen. Patrick Finnegan, around the the rotunda’s ceiling and Traffi c Law 1225-C and the Army is currently $50, plus a $25 state phone, hand the phone off to a the Dean of the Academic Board. commemorative plaques hanging regulation 190-5, Chapter 4-2, Sub processing fee for a total of $75. passenger, pull over into a parking “This building is the centerpiece on the wall honoring 20 classmates Paragraph (3). When the cell phone rings and space, or just don’t answer it. of our academic program, and as killed in action during the Vietnam Violators are subject to a citation you are driving, turn on your hands- In the end, if you are caught, is you can see, cadets are already War and particularly generous and fi ne, which on this installation free device, activate your speaker that phone call worth $75. attracted to (the statue),” Finnegan donors. said. “This building is for cadets While the library has been open and about cadets. (The statue) is for more than a week, a ceremonial going to help attract them here.” grand opening of Jefferson Hall is For now, though, Jefferson’s scheduled for Sept. 24. The members of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program are Col. Jeanette McMahon, Shelley Ariosto (Garrison), Dan Toohey (Victim Advocate), Maj. Maria Burger (USCC), Maj. Kim Kawamoto (ODIA) and Maj. Elizabeth Sicoletti (Dean). Community members can e-mail McMahon at [email protected] for advice or to offer any recommendations on the program here. Cadets also can call the sexual assault support helpline at (845) 591-7215. West Point Soldiers and civilians needing assistance can call (845) 938-3369. ® Lt. Gen. The Army civilian enterprise newspaper, the Pointer View, is an authorized publication for 85 Civic Buster Hagenbeck, members of the Department of Defense. Contents Center Plaza PO Box 1231, Superintendent of the Pointer View are not necessarily the offi cial Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12602 views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Col. Bryan Hilferty, Department of the Army or West Point. Director of Communications The Point er View ® is an unoffi cial pub li cation au tho rized by AR 360-1. The editorial content of the For information, call Linda L. Mastin Pointer View is the responsibility of the West Point (845) 437-4789 Acting Chief, Directorate of Communications, Bldg. 600, West Everything advertised in this pub li ca tion Com mand Info. Point, New York 10996, (845) 938-2015. The Pointer View is printed weekly by the Pough- shall be made available for purchase, use, keepsie Journal, a pri vate fi rm in no way connect ed or pa tron age with out regard to race, color, Linda Mastin with the De partment of the Army, under ex clu sive re li gion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, Editor, 938-2015 con tract with West Point.