President Donald Trump will serve as the commencement speaker at the Class of 2020 graduation ceremony at West Point, New York, on June 13. “We are honored to host the Commander-in -Chief as we celebrate the many accomplishments of our graduating class,” said LTG Darryl A. Williams ’83, 60th Superintendent. The Class will return to campus in time for the June 13 graduation ceremony, which will look different from recent graduation ceremonies due to current force health protection requirements. The size and scope of the graduation ceremony will be determined by safety considerations for cadets and the entire West Point community, and the academy leadership is conducting a thorough analysis and plan for the safe return of the Corps of Cadets. For updates on academy operations, restrictions or cancellations go to WestPoint.edu/coronavirus.

As part of our vision to be the most connected alumni body in the world, WPAOG is activating a forum to help you stay connected during this time – Gripping Hands. Hosted on our new Sallyport platform, the Gripping Hands program can assist the Long Gray Line in the times of greatest need such as natural disasters, economic events, and the current global pandemic. You may also contact us at grippinghands@wpaog.org to volunteer or ask for assistance. Graduates who have not already activated their Sallyport account should log in using the email address you have on file with WPAOG and it will prompt you to set up a password. If you login with an address not matching our records, the Alumni Services staff will reach out to you for confirmation details prior to activating.

Sign up for the new WPAOG Career Services text messaging system! Get instant alerts about hot jobs, webinars, job fairs and other career related activities! Text keyword “careerservices” to 51555 to automatically subscribe. Also, registration is now open for the Washington, DC Virtual SACC (Service Academy Career Conference) on June 11-12! Click here to register.

West Point Astronaut Andrew Morgan ’98 returned to Earth on April 17, after 272 days in space aboard the International Space Station. His mission, which began July 20, 2019, coincided with the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing. Morgan also shares the distinction of landing on Earth exactly 50 years to the day after the tense but triumphant Apollo 13 landing. USMA 1998: Look closely at the cap he put on after taking off his helmet! Duty Will Not Wait!Photo.

WPAOG has an Army of Volunteers to thank! Your generous contribution of time and energy volunteering with us makes it possible for WPAOG to do what we do. We put together a video in the office to show our appreciation for YOU! (Don't worry - we filmed it before we began working remotely due to COVID-19.) Thank you to all our dedicated WPAOG volunteers! If you’d like to volunteer, please visit us online to see all of the great opportunities available.

During the first two remote lessons of his plebe math class, LTC Charles Sulewski ’96 found the cadets to be too quiet. They weren’t engaging in the way they did in a typical classroom environment, and there was limited interaction throughout the lesson. So, when the cadets logged on for the third lesson, they found something a little different waiting for them. Sulewski, who plays in the math department’s band and has a piano, violin and guitar in his home office, welcomed the cadets to class with a medley of Billy Joel’s “Miami 2017” and Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” on the piano. The idea was to use music to get the cadets talking. He then invited the members of the class to logon 5-10 minutes before each lesson and for one of them to do a “show and tell” for the rest of the class. From his mini concert, the idea has caught on like wildfire. Full story.

Our Communications & Marketing team is proud to bring you the latest print edition of West Point magazine, accomplishing our mission under unique working conditions. This issue was in layout when WPAOG began working from home due to COVID-19 requirements, and the entire team worked tirelessly to complete our editorial review and upload the magazine to the printer while working remotely. Much of the content for our “Corps 2020” issue was written and photographed during late winter and early spring, and we hope you enjoy this flashback to cadet life as it was from January through spring break. Expect your copy in the mailbox in the next two weeks! The digital edition is available online now. As a multimedia supplement to our “Feeding the Corps” article, watch our one minute time-lapse video of the Corps eating lunch in the Mess Hall.

The West Point Society of Connecticut made history by hosting the first-ever virtual Founders Day on April 4. Instead of canceling or postponing their celebration, these innovative grads and guests got together online for an otherwise “traditional” Founders Day, complete with a toast, a video message from Superintendent LTG Darryl Williams ’83, remarks by USMA speaker COL Greg Boylan ’94, greetings from the oldest and youngest graduates present, and finishing up by singing the Alma Mater. Club President Scott Anders ’77 even donned black tie attire for his role as emcee. This creative virtual event was the first of its kind since the suspension of public events and travel during March and April, a time when West Point grads worldwide usually gather to mark the 1802 establishment of the Academy at their local Founders Day celebrations. View story video.

In 2020, the WPAOG Nominating Committee will nominate graduates for five Director positions and six Advisor-at-Large positions. To apply for a nomination, please see the instructions posted on the WPAOG website. The deadline for graduates to submit their completed applications (to include a nomination letter from another graduate) is July 1. The 2020 election process will conclude on November 17 at 5pm EST, at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Graduates at Herbert Alumni Center. Interested graduates may email Laurie.Fontana@wpaog.org or call 845.446.1523 for more information.

On April 17, the West Point Band posted this inspiring music video with this message:
“And when the night is cloudy, There is still a light that shines on me, Shine on until tomorrow, Let it be. From the entire West Point family — sending a message of hope, unity, and love to our global community. We may be facing difficult times, but never forget that we’re facing them together. Stay safe, stay strong — we’re here for you and we’ll get through this. - There will be an answer, let it be.” The song features performances by West Point Band members SSG Emily McAleesejergins, vocals and  SSG Bryan Ponton, keyboard, and Cadets Dion Perinon ’20, cello, and Spencer Cowen ‘22, guitar.

The WPAOG Gift Shop has the best new styles from Under Armour with something for everyone. Our new Skybox Tees feel like a t-shirt and breathe like mesh, while our Ladies’ Varsity Hood is the perfect hybrid of a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. Shop these great Under Armour styles, along with the best selection of Army and West Point gear, 24/7 at WPAOGGiftShop.com.

Missing that feeling you can only get when you're at West Point? Try using these virtual backdrops that can change your location in an instant. Take a meeting at Trophy Point or chat with family and friends in the Mess Hall while you Skype or Zoom (Instead of that white wall behind your desk). Most of us are now communicating with our family, friends and co-workers on some kind of smart device. So change it up or just have some fun with these West Point images that you can download or save to your desktop and smart phone. Download backgrounds.

Looking for an activity to do while you’re home? The designer of the 2020 Army West Point Spirit Button will receive two free tickets to attend the GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY TAILGATE on December 12! All 1,500 attendees at the tailgate will receive the winner’s button. For instructions on the button design content, click here. Digital entries only.

TAPS, the official memorial magazine of the Long Gray Line, contains the fascinating and inspiring life stories of West Point graduates. Advance orders for the 2020 edition may now be placed online. We are now accepting Memorial Articles for the 2021 edition. Guidance on submitting articles may be found online or by calling 845.446.1647.

Don’t worry, it’ll still be found in West Point magazine, but beginning this fall it will now appear in the Fall and Spring issues instead of Winter and Summer. This gives people time to consider your books for holiday gifts! Reserve your space in the Fall 2020 West Point Authors Bookshelf, a specially-priced advertising section in West Point magazine showcasing books by West Point affiliated authors. Check out the latest West Point Bookshelf in the Winter 2020 issue to discover and support these books. Learn more about this and other WPAOG advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

We’ve almost reached our goal of 10,000 followers! Stay up to date on the latest West Point alumni news! From exclusive photography to information on upcoming alumni events, like and share our posts and videos with fellow Old Grads.