Men’sMay Lacrosse 5, 2011 1 vs. Johns Hopkins, 7 p.m. Friday at Michie Stadium. OINTER IEW® PVOL. 68, NO. 17 SERVING THE COMMUNITY VOF WEST POINT, THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY MAY 5, 2011 Savoring the historic moment The Corps of Cadets (above) conducted an impromptu gathering at West Point Sunday following the announcement by President Barack Obama confirming the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. Chants of “USA, USA” and the singing of the national anthem were followed by a gathering in front of the quarters of Superintendent Lt. Gen. David H. Huntoon Jr. (left), who, while telling the cadets how he admired their spirit, took a few moments to put the reports in context. He said, "We should be gathering tonight not to celebrate the death of someone, but to celebrate the lives of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines." The rest of his remarks were interspersed with cheers, outbreaks of enthusiasm and more chants of “USA, USA.” A video of the gathering can be seen at www.youtube. com/watch?v=23BHioBHD4Y. TOP PHOTO BY CLASS OF 2013 CADET MATTHEW BUNKER BOTTOM PHOTO IS A COURTESY PHOTO 2 May 5, 2011 News and Features Pointer View Motorists and bicyclists: sharing safety of the road Submitted by the or belt. Use white headlights and red taillights West Point Safety Office when riding at night; • Use a bell or horn. Your bell alerts It’s that time of the year when we pull our drivers, pedestrians and other cyclists to your bikes out of the garage and head out on the presence. It is required by law; road. However, each year, more than half a • Never carry another person on your million bicyclists visit the hospital when they bicycle; “meet the pavement.” • Keep your bike in good repair—adjust Accidents and injuries can happen it to fit you and keep it working properly. anytime, anywhere. People often think Check brakes and tires regularly. Routine they’re safe because they “just ride around the maintenance is simple and you can learn to neighborhood.” Unfortunately, most serious do it yourself. crashes occur on quiet neighborhood streets. Safety tips for drivers Bicyclists must obey the rules of the road, • Look before you open your door. Don’t Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, speaks with like drivers of any motor vehicle, and must rely only on your rearview mirrors—turn cadets during his last visit to West Point in May 2008. Mullen is scheduled to be treated as equal users by all other vehicles. your head to look for bicyclists, skaters and be the graduation speaker this year. ERIC S. BARTELT/PV The best way to avoid collisions is to scooter operators who maybe alongside or be prepared and be aware of other vehicles approaching; around you. Avoid common bicyclist errors • Make sure there is at least four feet and common motorist errors committed between you and cyclists. Cyclists may have Adm. Mullen to speak at around bicyclists. to maneuver unexpectedly to avoid road Safety tips for bicyclists conditions that you can’t see. Don’t tailgate, • Always wear a properly fitted-helmet, especially in bad weather; West Point Graduation no matter how short the trip. Never wear • Lay off the horn. Cars are loud and headphones while riding a bike; cyclists can hear you coming. Don’t honk at West Point Media Relations Bureau of Personnel, in the Office of the • Ride predictably—act like a good driver. cyclists unless they are in immediate danger. Press Release Secretary of Defense and on the Navy staff. Drivers are used to the patterns of other Riding defensively and scanning the road He was the 32nd Vice Chief of Naval drivers. Ride in a straight line, obey traffic can improve your safety. Learning how to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Operations from August 2003 to October signs and signals, and do not weave in and share the road safely could save your life. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, will be the 2004. out of traffic; graduation speaker for the U.S. Military His last operational assignment was as • Always use hand and arm signals. Academy’s Class of 2011 commencement commander of NATO Joint Force Command Riding predictably reduces your chances of ceremony May 21. Naples, U.S. Naval Forces Europe. Mullen a crash with a motor vehicle; Mullen, who has served as the 17th is a graduate of the Advanced Management • Look, signal and look again before Chairman since October 2007, has been a Program at the Harvard Business School changing lanes or making a turn. Establish strong advocate and champion of the U.S. and earned a Master of Science degree eye contact with drivers. Seeing a driver is Army and all its campaigns around the world. in Operations Research from the Naval often not enough. Make sure drivers see you He serves as the principal military advisor Postgraduate School. before executing a turn or riding in front of a to the president, the Secretary of Defense, the Prior to becoming chairman, Mullen turning car. Give pedestrians the right-of-way; National Security Council and the Homeland served as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations. • Watch out for opening car doors. Be Security Council. More than 1,000 cadets are expected to prepared for the possibility that a car door A native of Los Angeles, Mullen graduated graduate and be commissioned as second may be opened in your path; from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968. lieutenants in the U.S. Army after completing • Stay visible. Wear brightly colored He has served in leadership positions their 47-month leadership experience at West clothing for daytime riding. At night, wear at the U.S. Naval Academy, in the Navy’s Point. reflective materials such as a reflective vest OINTER IEW ® P V 40 Mulberry Street, Middletown, NY 10940 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- recordonline.com ment of the Army or West Point. The Pointer View ® is an unofficial publication authorized by AR 360-1. The editorial content of the Pointer View is the respon- For information, call (845) 341-1100 sibility of the West Point Public Affairs Office, Bldg. 600, West Point, New York 10996, (845) 938-2015. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or The Pointer View is printed weekly by the Times Herald-Record, a private firm in no way connected with the Department supplements, does not constitute endorsement of the products or services ad- of the Army, under exclusive contract with West Point. The Times Herald-Record is responsible for all commercial advertising. vertised by the U.S. Army or the Times Herald-Record. Lt. Gen. David H. Huntoon, Jr. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, Eric S. Bartelt use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, Superintendent marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor Managing Editor, 938-2015 of the purchaser, user, or patron. A confirmed violation or rejection of this policy of equal opportunity by an Lt. Col. Sherri Reed advertiser will result in the refusal to print advertising from that source. Public Affairs Officer Mike Strasser Assistant Editor, 938-3079 Linda L. Mastin Command Information Branch Chief Kathy Eastwood Staff Writer, 938-3684 See SUDOKU PUZZLE, Page 11 938-8366 Website: www.pointerview.com Pointer View News and Features May 5, 2011 3 Projects Day features best of cadet ingenuity Story and photo by Mike Strasser double major) and James Raub (information Assistant Editor technology major). Their project, STITCH, or Supplying Technical Imagery to Command Sometimes simplicity lends itself to Headquarters, employs a high-tech, low- ingenious solutions. That was the case when cost and lightweight backpack transportable Class of 2012 Cadet Gerrit Van Ommering unmanned aerial vehicle system that collects designed a better defensive barrier. and then stitches terrain photos together Working with Class of 2012 Cadets Justin autonomously. This creates a current, high- Weeks, Josh Peterson and resolution geo- Josh Paulson, the team used a Read more online rectified photo- current model HESCO sand- Additional content to this story, including mosaic map of a filled barrier and modified it the Boeing Competition is available at several-mile radius to reduce the need for heavy www.pointerview.com and on army.mil. around the Soldiers’ equipment and extensive area of operations. construction time. The team, with advisors Col. Grant Jacoby The design was showcased April 28 at and Dr. Chris Okasaki, also returned from the Projects Day, which featured more than 300 MIT SDC with the “Most Innovative” award capstone projects, senior theses and research from Gore Creative Technologies Worldwide. activities from West Point cadets and invited They will attend the 11th annual RIT Student colleges and academies. Design Contest Saturday. Additionally, the barrier design yielded It’s on Projects Day that cadets can Class of 2012 Cadet Gerrit Van Ommering explains the modifications he made to the top prize at the 2011 MIT Soldier Design demonstrate the chemistry behind beer and the HESCO defensive barrier. The design was showcased April 28 at Projects Day Competition, where three other West Point how math can benefit a football team. Class of where more than 300 capstone projects, senior theses and research activities teams also received awards for their projects. 2011 Cadets Nelson Simmons and Anthony were showcased during the annual public display of intellectual capital.