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USMA1982 list

USMA1982-FORUM list

September 2003

Dear Select Few:

It’s after Labor Day. I hope everyone is settled into school, academic work, new assignments, or other fulfilling vocations. When the class officers and I start planning these twice-annual letters, I always think there won’t be much information to share or projects we need help with. Well, with nearly a year into our terms of service to “The Select Few”, we continue to learn.

Well Done, LTC Dominic Baragona!

First, it is important, and very saddening, to inform you of our first combat casualty. In May, LTC Dominic Baragona was killed in Iraq. Many of you with current email addresses reminded us of your poignant memories of his selfless service. LTC Baragona rests in Arlington Cemetery and is survived by his parents and siblings. LTC (ret) Telemachus Halkias is writing “Rocky’s” memorial article for Assembly magazine.

Long Gray Line Endowment

We are all members of the Association of Graduates. I’m certain most of us have received AOG assistance and services over the past 21 years—career transition assistance, reunion planning, classmate death notification, local West Point Society support, to name a few (for more details go to www.aog.usma.edu). The Long Gray Line Endowment pays all of the operating expenses for these services. Unlike other great colleges, USMA does not have a large endowment to provide continuously improving services and support to our alumni. There is a strong need to grow the Long Gray Line Endowment now.

Our class leads. We set the standard by presenting the first ever 10th reunion gift. We set the standard by being the first ever class to raise money for an unrestricted gift to USMA ($500K at our 20th reunion). Now it’s time for The Select Few to set the standard once again by giving to our Long Gray Line Endowment, a fund that helps all graduates in all facets of the lives and chosen careers.

After receiving endorsement from some of our class lead donors, your class officers and I propose a gift of $82K to the Long Gray Line Endowment. We have sufficient funds in our Class Gift Account to support this additional gift. Our Gift Account balance as of July 31, 2003, is $174,568.96; the projected collections and pledges for the next 12 months is $72,000. Let’s put part of our Class Gift Fund to work for our classmates and our fellow graduates. Please join me and your class officers in support of this initiative.

Voting deadline is Friday, October 10, 2003. The ballot is a self-addressed postcard included in the mailing. LTC Mat Moten has graciously agreed to count the ballots.

Chief Information Officer

Class Vice-President John Hill presents the following thoughts on creating an official CIO position in our class organization. There has been a suggestion that the class create a Class Information Officer (CIO) position. If you have an opinion, particularly on what duties the CIO should perform for the class, please send them to the me at <John.Hill@usma.edu>."

Class Gift Account Balance

(as of July 31, 2003)

Class Treasurer, LTC Ritz Ryan reports:  Class Gift Account $174,568.96

Assembly Magazine Subscription Rates

Class Scribe, LTC Jay Jennings:
As requested, Assembly stats: We currently have 333 subscribers. That includes a few non-grads - some of whom are the most active contributors to the Class Notes. Our total is the top figure between the Classes of 1979 to 2003. '78 has 379, and beginning at '73,
older class totals begin to creep above our total. I am very pleased with this support – but there is always room for improvement.

Beat Navy!
Jay

Terry Kelly NOK project

Terry Kelly volunteered to lead a project to find next-of-kin of our fallen classmates. He sends this message—

If you have contact information for the next of kin of our deceased classmates,
please share it with Terry Kelly (B-2) at tkelly@rand.org . He will
keep this information up to date for the class. Some of you may also want
the class to keep contact information for your next of kin, should anything
happen to you. That way we can make sure they find out about class news and
events. If you and your NOK wish to share this information, please send it
to Kelly as well (if possible include an email address for your NOK).

Distinguished Graduate Nomination

Each year, every graduated class is asked to nominate a graduate whose life best exemplifies the West Point motto, “Duty, Honor, Country”. This year, John Lock identified Colonel Ralph Puckett, USMA ’49, as a graduate from whom we can all draw inspiration and motivation. A copy of the nomination letter is located on our class website (Puckett Distinguished Graduate Nomination). Let your class officers know of other outstanding graduates worthy of Distinguished Graduate nomination!

Best regards,

Ellen Houlihan
President, USMA 1982

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