On October 23, WPAOG presented the 15th annual Alexander Nininger Award for Valor at Arms to MAJ John A. Meyer ’05. Since 2006, this award has recognized an exemplar of heroic action in battle. In addition to recognizing the recipient for his or her bravery as an individual, the Association regards the recipient as a given year´s representative of all West Point-commissioned officers who have heroically led Soldiers in combat. In his address to the Corps of Cadets, Meyer highlighted selfless leadership, humility, and passion. Full story. Video of ceremony.

The Secretary of Defense Honorable Mark Esper ’86, visited USMA to discuss current affairs with Russia, China and U.S.-allied partners, among other things, with the Class of 2021 Cadets at Eisenhower Hall Theatre October 9-10. Establishing a rapport with the cadets, Esper stood before the podium and said, “I have a 44-page speech right here to give you guys.” The Class of 2021 applauded with enthusiasm, ready to be engrossed in Esper’s message. Full story.

On October 23, Army Director of Athletics Mike Buddie and Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced that the 121st Army-Navy Game will be played at West Point on December 12, marking the first time it has been played at a home site since World War II. The game is being moved from Philadelphia due to attendance limits placed on outdoor events in the state of Pennsylvania that would not allow the entire Corps of Cadets and Brigade of Midshipmen to attend. As the designated home team in 2020, Army West Point will host the game at historic Michie Stadium. Go Army, Beat Navy! Full story.

The Fall 2020 issue of West Point magazine is in the mail, and the digital edition is available now to read online! This issue highlights the agility and resiliency of the USCC, exploring how Cadet Summer Training moved forward in 2020 with changes to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. See how the Plebe Class of 2024 joined the Corps with new safeguards in place, from R-Day through Cadet Basic Training, March Back and A-Day. This issue also features the Legacy of Army West Point Athletics with an interview with Athletic Director Mike Buddie, profiles of West Point Olympians and memories of some of the greatest Army-Navy football games of all time. Plus, learn about the athletic achievements and legacies of the fallen graduates behind the names of Army West Point Athletic facilities, and get a preview of the new Anderson Athletic Center.

Our next West Point Entrepreneur Virtual Speaker Series event will be held on Thursday, October 29 from 2-3:30pm EDT and will feature Joseph B. Anderson Jr. ’65, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, TAG Holdings, LLC. This fireside chat will be moderated by Rob Braggs ’94, Vice President, P&C Distribution and Service Experience, USAA. Register here. If you would like to receive invitation announcements regarding future Entrepreneur events, please email us.

Between now and November 5, help Army West Point Athletics keep the streak alive and “virtually” sell out Michie Stadium for the 7th consecutive Army-Air Force matchup. By purchasing a virtual ticket, you will be making a 100% tax deductible 2020 donation to the Army A Club in support of more than 1,000 outstanding cadet-athletes. Click to purchase your virtual ticket today. Beat Air Force!

Army Football has accepted a bid to play in the Independence Bowl, becoming the first team in the country to gain a spot in the postseason. Army is slated to face a Pac-12 Conference foe in the Shreveport, Louisiana bowl game. The Black Knights are 3-0 in three previous bowl appearances under seventh-year head coach Jeff Monken. Full story.

While the pandemic did not allow for large gatherings and reunions at West Point, the Classes of 1980, 2000, and 2010 virtually presented their class gifts to LTG Darryl A. Williams ’83 and Todd Browne ’85, President and CEO of WPAOG. Tom Kilgore, who served as Class Fundraising Chairman for the Class of 1980’s successful 40th Reunion Campaign, virtually presented a 40th Reunion Gift of $1,500,000 to support the Class of 1980 Cyber Research Center Endowment. The Cyber Research Center (CRC) is one of three research centers in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and focuses on opportunities and research that span the entire continuum of cyberspace operations. Omar Ritter ’00 and Lorenzo Smith ’00 presented a 20th Reunion Gift of $500K to support the Class of 2000 Cyber Research Center Endowment for Research. CPT Rebekah Jadrnak ’10 and CPT Patrick Ryan ’10 presented a 10th Reunion Gift of $500K to support the new Cyber and Engineering Academic Center (CEAC) at West Point. Thank you for your support. These generous gifts will leave a lasting impact at the Academy. Full story.

The order period for Gym A Shirts ends on October 31st. Don’t miss this opportunity to purchase your personalized tee. Order shirts with your last name, Beat Navy, or company now. For the first time ever, they are available in youth sizes! Shop for holiday gifts or stock up for yourself. Pre-orders close on 10/31 with a mid-December delivery date. This customized West Point gear is worth the wait! Order at WPAOGGiftShop.com or call 1.800.426.4725.

In the “Top 25 Universities According to Alumni Rankings” published in Forbes this week, West Point ranks seventh on the list, ahead of universities such as Cornell, Harvard, Stanford and Berkeley. A study published in the Journal of Consumer Affairs entitled “Assessing The Validity of Consumer Ratings for Higher Education” analyzes data collected from the Strada-Gallup Education Consumer Survey, a large-scale, representative survey of U.S. adults. Data analyzed come from 146,345 college graduates from 2,989 colleges and universities, of which there were enough respondents from 496 institutions to provide reliable alumni ratings. Dr. Jonathan Rothwell, the lead author and a Senior Economist at Gallup, created an index of alumni ratings. Unlike the highest-profile rankings today, Rothwell’s ratings were comprised 100% of these alumni ratings. Full story.

West Point in the fall is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Although you may not be able to visit right now, we hope you will take a moment to enjoy our album of wonderful images of the season at your Rockbound Highland Home. We look forward to seeing everyone again soon. Click to view West Point fall photos.

WPAOG’s Army-Navy Tailgate will take place on Saturday, December 12th starting at 1:30pm EST, and registration is now open. Don’t miss this opportunity to virtually share America’s Game with fellow Army fans! The first 1500 guests to register by November 19th will receive 2 Army-Navy Spirit Buttons per household. Registration closes December 6th. GO ARMY, BEAT NAVY! Click now to register.

In an all-new update of WPAOG’s most historic publication, the 2020 Register of Graduates & Former Cadets contains more than 77,000 individual entries recording the names, classes and careers of every West Point graduate from 1802 to 2020. The 2020 Edition features a premium “Red Sash” red cloth binding embossed with gold foil, suitable for display in your office or home library. Early Bird pricing is $115 (plus tax for applicable states). After March 31, 2021 the price will increase to $150! So order now online or call us Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm at 800.426.4725.

Reserve your space in the Spring 2021 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 Fall 2020 issue to discover and support these books. Learn more about this and other WPAOG advertising and sponsorship opportunities.