East Coast Trip Part 2: Ten Year West Point Reunion

Theresa and I went to my ten year West Point reunion earlier this year in September. About 400 of my classmates joined us there. It was a fun opportunity to catch up with friends whom I hadn't seen since I graduated, see the changes around campus, tour the campus with Theresa (she saw it in 2007), and talk to a few of the cadets from the Classes of 2012 - 2015.

I think that the most interesting part of going back to West Point for me was seeing the new additions to the campus. They built a new library building directly across from the old library, and it is really amazing. The library is beautiful; it is built in gray granite that matches exactly with the rest of the buildings on campus, and it has an awesome rooftop balcony that offers an amazing view of the plain, the Mess Hall, and Hudson River. The old library is currently being renovated into new chemistry and physics labs. Additionally, the gymnasium has been renovated. It looks to be about three times as large as it was when I was here. Some of the new features inside the gym include a six story climbing wall and a new swimming pool with many special enhancements (such as a wave machine) to mimic combat environments. Of course, the indoor obstacle course test is still part of the new gym. Finally, the 'Thayer Walkway,' a pedestrian promenade running down the road between the barracks and the academic buildings, has been completed. Ahh, how I enjoyed the sound of jackhammers right outside my window for two entire semesters as that was being constructed.

Catching up with my friends at the reunion was fun as well. I think that someone said that around 100 of my classmates, of those remaining in the Army, are now teaching at West Point. Two of my good friends, MAJ Jed Richards and MAJ Ben Hung, are among that contingent. They both received MS degrees from MIT, and they are now teaching in the systems engineering and math departments, respectively. Of course, many of my friends and classmates have also made the decision to join the civilian workforce; so it was fun finding out what they were doing as well.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from my reunion and questioned whether or not I should go. However, after attending, I can certainly say that it was well worth the trip. I'm going to be the first person in my class (most likely) to finish my PhD. My only regret is that the parade was rained out on Saturday morning! Man, I have been in so many parades, but I think that the only one I have ever actually watched was the parade that I saw during my visit to West Point when I was a high school senior. I guess I will have to wait five years for my fifteenth reunion to see my next parade.