Category Archives: Reunions

Happy New Year, Classmates!

Wishing USMA77 classmates a Happy New Year and a healthy and  successful 2018.  As we say a sad farewell to yet another classmate, we remember our days at West Point and we share this video memory of some of the good times we had last October as we reconnected at our Legacy reunion.  Esprit de Corps!

 

 

Updated Accommodations List for 40th Reunion

Esprit de Corps!  Registration is available online and packets have been mailed out to all classmates.  We’ve updated available accommodations as of TODAY, 9/15/17.  So many reasons to attend the 40th legacy reunion and there are still rooms available for you – but not for long.  There are a few rooms being help until next week.

Excitement is building.  Agenda is finalized. Registration is still open. Excellent options for USMA77 memorabilia.  Join us October 5 – 8th, 2017 for fellowship and updates and for reconnecting at West Point!

 

NYC Activity Possiblities for October 7th, 2017 New York City Trip Option

As our 40th Reunion agenda is being finalized and surveys are being made available to all classmates, we have created a list of some suggested New York City activities and venues you may enjoy if you participate in the evening trip on Saturday, October 7, 2017.  These suggested venues and restaurants are fairly close to the bus drop off and pick up point because of your available time in the city.  Bus will leave West Point at 4:30 PM to take you to NYC.  Plans in the city are on your own. Bus will pick you up again at 10:30 PM in New York for return trip to West Point. You may review and / or download the attractions list here.

2017 Thayer Award Announced Today

The 2017 Thayer Award recipient will be President George W. Bush.  The award will be presented on October 19, 2017, not during our Legacy Reunion Weekend.  There is an upside to that.  Read more about the award and  this year’s recipient in the press release here.

Congratulations President George W. Bush!

Rich Trotter,

USMA77, F-1/G-1

Draft Itinerary for our 40th Reunion

Draft itinerary for our 40th reunion October 5 – 8, 2017.   We hope you’ll join us.

Greetings USMA77 Classmates!   

There have been several requests for a Reunion Agenda. Please find below a rough (say again, rough) draft itinerary of the weekend.  This will be finalized in the May/June time frame so there is plenty of time for your input and suggestions.

Know that the fall/winter Corps Squad schedules are months away from being announced.  We will ask for consideration to schedule home Rugby, Sprint and Hockey games if at all possible, with our commitment to support these events by our attendance.  Thanks for your support and your suggestions!
Esprit de Corps!

rich trotter
usma77, F-1/G-1

Preliminary itinerary in progress (very rough draft)

Thursday  5 October

  • Golf outing
  • Thayer Award Parade (tentatively scheduled pending the awardee’s availability)
  • Reception at the Thayer Hotel

Friday 6 October– Activities centered around entire class gatherings

  • Morning – Memorial Service
  • Ike Hall luncheon
  • Academy and Class updates
  • Banquet at Ike Hall

Saturday 7 October

  • Morning Class Picture around the Class Tree (see pic below of our tree surrounded by Jim & Diane Malcolm’s children)
  • Meetings with Center of Oral History; Tours of Barracks
  • 3 Meals at the Mess Hall
  • Possible River Boat Cruise option
  • Tailgate at Corps Squad events in the afternoon pending schedules; hopeful for Rugby and Sprint during the day, hockey at night followed by walk down the hill to the Thayer for late night beers and fellowship, then rack.
  • Company centric opportunities on and off post.

Sunday 8 October

  • Final farewells
  • Breakfast Buffet in the Mess Hall (I have been assured the meals are slightly better at Sunday morning buffets…).  
  • Hotel Thayer Champagne Breakfast by reservation.

Click here to view and download updated available lodging opportunities and information.

Looking forward to a great Legacy Reunion!
Esprit de Corps!

Thayer Hotel is full!

Classmates,

Thank you for your quick response this afternoon – the Thayer Hotel room block is full! If the Thayer is still your first choice, please contact them to have your name added to the wait list, then call one of our other blocks to make a reservation. Most of the other hotels need a 24 hour notice to cancel without penalty if you do get called on the Thayer’s wait list, but the cancellation policy (and reservation information) is listed for each block on our reunion website: https://www.westpointaog.org/1977Reunion.

In my last email, I listed the dates for the reunion incorrectly. Our 40th Reunion will take place at West Point on October 5-8, 2017.

If you have reunion questions, please contact the WPAOG Alumni Events team: reunions@wpaog.org or 845.446.1649.

Esprit de Corps,
Rich Trotter
Vice President, Class Gift & Reunion Chair

USMA77 Company Class Rep Legacy Reunion Update 020217

Greetings Classmates!

Esprit de Corps!  There is much to report.  Firstly, please keep in your prayers our great classmate, Greg Gorzelnik.  Greg, suffered a stroke several weeks ago [Jan 12 or 19?].  Here is a note from his wife, Monica.

Greg had a basal ganglia hemmoragic stroke at 4:30 Thursday morning.   He was doing his usual emails when he saw he couldn’t move his mouse.  He must have called out because I woke and from then on we were very lucky with timing.   EMTs arrived w/i 15 min,, firestation is less than half a mile away so the firemen could help move Greg.  Roads to stroke center were clear, ambulance did 70-80 the whole way.    (45 + miles) You have to come here to appreciate that!  The normal fog around the Poconos held off so he was able to be stabilized and put on the air ambulance to one of the top 10 Neorosurgical centers on the east coast.
The stroke caused him to lose motor functions on his left side (he’s a lefty) and a bit of vision.  He is fully cognizant He’s fighting brain swelling and inflammation.

Right now  Greg is very weak after a hard night. They gave him a drug  to control hiccups caused by stroke blood irritating his hypothalamus and it is having other reactions.  His BP is starting to stabilize Heparin is being given and I hope to get out of ICU soon.  Maybe this week.  Then he’ll be on a regular hospital ward until the blood is reabsorbed or there is no more danger of stroke, then to an acute rehab hospital near home in Scranton. Full recovery is possible ….the next 18 months will tell.  He’s strong, smart and determined. As to your offer,  I will probably need your help keeping him in good spirits and around tailgates and 40th reunion.
Thanks for your note and prayers.

Monica

God bless the Gorzelniks.

REUNION UPDATE

1. THAYER HOTEL STATUS

After weeks working thru our AOG rep, Lexie Davis, a phonecon took place last Friday to meet with the Thayer management to discuss our contract.  The Thayer will not move on their rates.  Their position is they have already reduced rates by $50 from their standard fall wknd rate.  They are a private entity now and they fight to be in the black.  The goal was to reduce the wknd rate from $309 to $279 and asked what it would take to make that happen.  They offered a plethora of cocktail, appetizer & meal options over the wknd(again pricey).  My recommendation to our class committee was not to pressure or obligate our class in smaller groups and instead sign the contract as is with the only contracted Thayer event is the Thursday nite reception.  Know that a month long best effort was made, however, it is time to sign a contract so reservations could be made.

The class committee will either approve the request or ask that more due diligence be executed.  In either case a contract will be signed by the end of next week and a day and time will be established to begin accepting Thayer Hotel reunion reservations.  Look for that date to be between the 15th and the 28th of Feb.  We asked that the Thayer be adequately staffed to accept the calls as the rooms will probably book out within hours if not less than an hour.  Know that you will be the first group to be notified of the reservation acceptance date/time and a best effort will be made to insure all our classmates have equal opportunity to make that call.

2. OTHER HOTELS/B&B’s/VRBO.com

Through the good efforts of AOG’s Lexie Davis, and my aide, Deb Reast, we have secured 180 rooms within a ten minute drive to post.  There are another 80 rooms between ten and twenty minutes from post not counting the VRBO.com opportunities which may offer the best value and flexibility for our classmates’ dollar.  Here is the latest updated accommodations spreadsheet.   Again, the recommendation is to book plan ‘B’ room now in the event the Thayer rooms cannot be secured then cancel the plan B room if successful with the Thayer booking.

3. PARADE

Rick Lynch offered to reach out to the Supe and share our class wish for a parade.  Here is Rick’s note on his conversation with LTG Caslen.

Rich

Spoke with LTG Caslen.  Parade on Saturday 7 October is not an option for several reasons:
1)  It is a long weekend for the cadets.  Most will be gone
2)  No precedent for doing this….and AOG doesn’t want to set a precedent.  They want to encourage reunions to be held on football weekends
Bob did advocate attendance at the Thayer Award parade for those interested in seeing a parade.  Tentatively scheduled for Thursday, 5 October.  He also reminded me that all of the academy leadership will be gone that weekend…..attending the away football game.  Won’t be anyone available to give our class an academy update.
Take care and God bless.

rick lynch

Should the Thayer Award Parade take place on the 5th, AOG will arrange for our class to have our own section in the stands.  Please note that the 5th is a tentative date based on the availability of the recipient.

4. THURSDAY NITE RECEPTION

Classmate Scott Anders suggested the possibility of eating in the Mess Hall Thursday nite for the Thayer Award Ceremony.  Scott’s idea was run up the flagpole.  Here is the AOG note after doing some homework.

On Jan 30, 2017, at 10:08 AM, Lexie Davis <alexis.davis@wpaog.org> wrote:

 Hi, Rich –
 I’ve forwarded the inquiry about the Class attending the Thayer Award dinner in the Mess Hall to Vince McDermott.  He’ll speak with the Academy and WPAOG’s President about it, but he and I did speak this morning and your Class would be able to attend the parade (you would all be seated in a section in the bleachers), but we’d recommend that after the parade the Class would return to the Thayer Hotel for your Welcome Reception.  October 5 is still a tentative date for the Thayer Award until the recipient is announced and confirms that he or she is able to receive the award on that date, and we really don’t know how long that process will take – all depends on the recipient.  Also, we expect 300 of your classmates and guests to attend the Thursday evening event, and I think it is unlikely that they’d offer 300 seats in the Mess Hall for your Class since that would displace 300 cadets.  Again, I think it is unlikely, but you never know unless you ask, so again, I did forward that info to Vince and he’ll talk to the right people, but he and I both think you should continue efforts with the Thayer Hotel and having your mixer there.  I will check with the Thayer Hotel to see if the Thayer Award is presented on October 5, could they broadcast the dinner/speech at your mixer.
 Please let me know how you would like to proceed with the Thayer Hotel.
 Thank you!
 Lexie

My response-

Hi Lexie and Marc,

 Thanks for your note.  This is perfect due diligence and it is appreciated.  You are right, pls ask!  I spoke with Marc as I was getting on the plane and he felt that in the Mess Hall we most likely would be viewing the ceremonies on a big screen anyway.  The Thayer would offer a better set up and we could possibly arrange to view the ceremony on a screen there as well.

rich

My best guess as of now is that the better option is to have the Thursday nite reception at the Thayer unless we are assured of a close front view of the poop deck in the Mess Hall.  will keep you posted.

5. SATURDAY CLASS CENTRIC GATHERINGS

On a football wknd reunion, options are limited but the day’s events are well scripted and it makes for easy planning.  This reunion’s Saturday’s offerings will be varied and many.  The only class centric offerings to date will be corps squad events.  Unlike football, all other fall sports schedules do not come out till late spring.  Several of our classmates have suggested rally points, tailgate parties and reception rooms secured for gatherings around rugby and/or sprint football in the afternoon and hockey at nite(near the Thayer).  The intent is to do just that so long as the schedule gods look kindly on us.

Greg Gorzelnik, a few weeks back, approached the hockey and rugby coaches to see if they could request home dates for their teams that day.  Pls know that should we be fortunate with these corps squad games/matches, we will arrange for tailgates for sprint or rugby and do our best to secure a good size reception room at the Kinsey Center for hockey.

Thanks to all for sharing your support for these ideas.

6. ON POST ENTRY

Pls go to this link to see the latest protocol for on post entry.  Important.  thanks  http://www.westpointaog.org/page.aspx?pid=3201&storyid21242=18269&ncs21242=3&erid=19678618&trid=20477c74-4aec-47aa-b2e7-60cb06accbf3

7.  CLASS AUTHORS

Pat Linehan has offered to be the point person to gather a list of works by our class authors.  If you or anyone classmate you know has written anything that was published pls let Pat know at prpjtdkl@aol.com.  Our hope is to have a Friday table with copies of our class authors’ books to be purchased and put on our class book shelves at home.  thanks, Pat, for taking this on!

8. CLASS GIFT

Please visit USMA77.com to see the advantages of utilizing stocks as opportunities for our class gift.  If you haven’t made your gift, pls consider doing so early and often.  THANK YOU if you have already given and, if possible, pls send more our way.  It is greatly appreciated.

Appreciate you taking on the role of company class rep.  It is so important to reach out to our classmates regularly and encourage the best attendance possible for our Legacy 40th.  Esprit de Corps!

rich

USMA77, F-1/G-1

40th Reunion Lodging Opportunities

Greetings USMA77 Classmates!

Esprit de Corps!  Our lodging mission is to drive as many rooms as close as possible to USMA.  Our social coordinator, Deb Reast, and our AOG representative, Lexie Davis, have performed an exhaustive search for available lodging in the area and have created the attached spreadsheet below.  For the convenience of less-experienced spreadsheet users it is tabbed by room availability(updated regularly between now and the reunion), an alpha listing, lodging miles from USMA, lodging drive time to USMA and lodging rates.  

Please visit the websites of the lodging sites you are considering.  Also included are several bed & breakfast lodges.  These work especially well for small groups of (company or team) classmates who prefer a place to themselves.

Also for your consideration is VRBO.com.  This is a website dedicated to renting out homes of varying sizes from cottages to estates.  You will have all the amenities of home because it is, in fact, someone’s home.  Some homes will sleep only 2-4 people while other homes can accommodate a dozen or more folks.

Please make a reservation ASAP.  Even if the first option is a room at the Thayer, consider making a plan B reservation now and you can cancel later once your Thayer room is reserved.  October on the Hudson is a very busy time, as every proprietor has reiterated.  Hotels within 30 minutes of West Point are limited and rooms sell out early. Right now there are excellent choices available to us. 

Making a reservation as soon as possible is suggested.  Every hotel and B&B has a cancellation policy, in the unlikely event your plans change.

Click here to view and download the updated available lodging opportunities and information. This download is updated regularly. Here is a preview of the spreadsheet:

Name Minimum rate Minutes to USMA
Thayer Hotel varied 0
Hilton Garden Inn Nanuet $135 42
Hampton Inn $249 16
Crowne Plaza Suffern $129 38
Five Star Inn West Point (IHG) $146 5
Hampton Inn & Suites $129 35
Bear Mountain Inn $259 21
Bear Mountain Inn – COTTAGES $149 21
Courtyard Newburgh $199 26
Homewood Suites $219 23
The Cromwell Manor $190 9
La Bel Worstel $160 5
The Hudson Rivercrest $175 7
Stockbridge Ramsdell House on Hudson $125 20
Overlook on Hudson TBA 9
The Garrison $175 23
Four Points by Sheraton $109 30
The Bird & Bottle Inn TBA 25
The Pig Hill Inn TBA 26
The Storm King Lodge $189 14

Looking forward to a great Legacy Reunion!  Esprit de Corps!

rich trotter, usma77, F-1/G-1