Download - Mission First 2013
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PRODUCED BY:
The Army Athletic Association
EDITED BY:
Bob Beretta
MissionFirst
P R O F I L E S
O F
A R M Y
A T H L E T I C S
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4 Introductionby Boo Corrigan
5 Forewordby Bob Beretta
6 Paige Brink“Turning The Paige”by Christian Anderson
10 Peter Carey“Man On A Mission”by Tracy Nelson
14 Dick Edell“Big Man On Campus”by Mady Salvani
18 Rich Ellerson“Answering The Call”by Christian Anderson
22 Dr. Barney Forsythe“A Frontrunner For Leadership”by Pamela Flenke
26 Lt. Col. Gaylord Greene“Going The Distance”by Pamela Flenke
30 Dick Hall“A Legend In His Own Right”by Mady Salvani
34 Kate, John, Rick and Annie Houghton“The First Family Of Army Tennis”by Pamela Flenke
38 CW5 Dan and Jane Jollota“Flying Below The Radar”by Ryan Yanoshak
42 Capt. Liz Lazarri“Born To Serve”by Tracy Nelson
46 Elizabeth LoRusso “A Mother’s Love”by Tim Volkmann
50 Lt. Col. Jennifer (Johnston)McAfee“When Tragedy Strikes”by Mady Salvani
54 Jack, Rob and Brian Riley“The Hockey Life Of Riley”by Ryan Yanoshak
58 Gen. David Rodriguez“Sense Of Duty”by Brian Gunning
62 Larraine Saavedra“Serving Up Strength”by Pamela Flenke
66 Gary Steele“Leading From The Front”by Ryan Yanoshak
70 Carl Ullrich“Blazing A Trail”by Brian Gunning
74 Haley (Edwards) Uthlaut“Down But Not Out”by Tracy Nelson
78 Lt. Col. Myreon Williams“Lean On Him”by Brian Gunning
82 Acknowledgements
84 Dedication
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T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Since our arrival at West Point more than two years ago, my
family and I have been overwhelmed by the tremendous sense of
duty that envelopes West Point.
Goodness surrounds the United States Military Academy, from
the professors to the Army officers stationed here to the civilian
workers all joining together to form a cohesive team that supports
the wonderful Corps of Cadets, who are the lifeblood of these
hallowed grounds. As athletic administrators our mission is quite
simple ... “To provide an extraordinary Division I athletic experience
that develops leaders of character committed to the values of Duty,
Honor, Country.”
Duty, Honor, Country.
Three simple words that carry an immensely powerful meaning.
Together they form much more than a motto, much more than a
slogan. No, for West Pointers, Duty, Honor, Country is a way of life.
Daily examples can be seen everywhere you turn ... you can
see that spirit in the action in the officers, you see that spirit in the
enlisted personnel assigned here, you see that spirit in our coaches,
and you can see that same spirit in the eyes of every young man and
woman that don the sacred dress gray.
Inspirational stories can be found in almost every corner of this
installation and occur daily, both and off the fields of friendly strife.
This book, so appropriately titled, Mission First, attempts to
capture a few of those individual stories of inspiration. Heartwarming
accounts of cadet-athletes, coaches, administrators and supporters
all placing the fortunes of others far ahead of their own personal
desires. These are the faces of West Point. More specifically, these are
the faces of Army Athletics.
So often we measure success by the final statistical account of a
particular game, match or invitational. We know that winning is
important to our mission. We understand and accept that
responsibility. After all, we are in a scorekeeping industry and wins
and losses matter a great deal or we wouldn’t keep score at those
events.
But we must also take time to reflect on those greater victories
that take place far away from any playing field or arena, well
removed from any scoreboard. We must make it a point to focus on
those special triumphs that are not defined by goals, baskets or runs
scored, but rather calculated by the smiles and tears of joy
associated with goodness.
College sports and the Army are in the people business and we
must never lose sight of that. The 19 stories captured here are
representative of many of the members of the Long Gray Line that
have passed through West Point’s athletic department and helped to
generate those bright numbers on scoreboards throughout their
careers as a cadet. But more importantly, these 19 individuals have
contributed so much more that transcends athletics, that crosses
cultural lines and ultimately make this world of ours a better place.
We are so proud to be able to call them our own and privileged to
have the opportunity to share their unique stories.
Here at West Point, we are very fortunate to be wrought with
amazing feats of selfless service, endless examples of a current or
former athlete or administrator placing the mission before all else. In
fact, it was challenging to whittle the lengthy list of possible stories
under consideration for our inaugural edition of Mission First down to
the ones you see chronicled here.
West Point is a place unlike any we’ve ever been, and quite
honestly, unlike any we could have ever imagined.
We hope you enjoy reading some of these wonderful accounts
half as much as Kristen, myself and our three children enjoy living
them each and every day.
Go Army!
Eugene F. Corrigan, Jr.
Director of Athletics
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Introduction
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In one of our first executive staff meetings following the 2012
Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Army Director of Athletics Boo
Corrigan held an interesting book that he had picked up during a
visit to his parents’ house. It was a very different type of publication,
something not often produced by collegiate athletic departments.
It wasn’t a media guide and it wasn’t a game program. It wasn’t
an Annual Report and it wasn’t a solicitation piece.
No, this book was something more like an item you’d see living
inside a doctor’s office or a personal den. This publication,
developed by the Notre Dame athletic department, served as a high-
end collection of profiles celebrating the lives of 20 individuals with
strong ties to Notre Dame’s athletic program. In each case, the
personality featured had overcome great odds, dealt with personal
hardship, or gone far out of their way in terms of service. In many
cases, the subjects had placed checks in all three blocks.
“Do you think we could produce something like this?” Boo
asked, sliding the book across his office meeting table. The answer
from the staff members gathered was a resounding, “Yes!”
Just like that, the concept of Mission Firstwas born.
Boo liked the criteria established by Notre Dame Athletic
Director Jack Swarbrick when considering potential feature subjects
for Notre Dame’s special endeavor, but added a West Point twist.
“When considering our story possibilities, let’s search for the
same kind of subjects — those individuals with strong ties to Army’s
athletic department who have overcome strong odds, dealt with
personal hardship or gone far out of their way in terms of service —
but let’s also focus on those individuals that have demonstrated the
character and virtues of West Point throughout their lives.”
So we set out to identify 19 special examples of individuals with
ties to the athletic department that have lived a life of Duty, Honor,
Country, that have allowed the character and virtues of West Point to
serve as a moral compass throughout their lives, that have always
placed the mission before all else.
The title for this book followed naturally — Mission First.
No other words are needed to describe the subjects featured in
our inaugural edition of this publication.
We felt a late-summmer printing for the book would be most
appropriate, a release date that would follow commencement
exercises at the United States Military Academy. As West Point added
another link to the Long Gray Line, Mission Firstwould detail the
stories of some most responsible for strengthening that chain.
The process to identify those featured in Mission Firstwas
thorough. We solicited all members of the athletic department —
from administrators, to coaches and athletes, alike, for subject
candidates. We began forming a lengthy list of potential subjects, and
carefully whittled the count before settling on our final group of 19
profiles.
We ended up with stories on 12 former cadet-athletes, one
current athletic department staff member who is preparing to retire
and three head coaches.
We focused on a family that has sent four of its members to play
tennis at West Point and a mother that has delivered four of her sons
to the Military Academy and its lacrosse program.
We featured one former head coach, two current head coaches
with strong West Point familial bloodlines, and finally we highlighted a
pair of former administrators that have positively impacted the lives
of thousands of cadets.
Many of those profiled within these pages have served the
public tirelessly, for a wide variety of causes, some here at West Point
and others in their own communities.
Some have dealt with personal hardships in their lives — from
the wretched disease, Body Myositis, to the dire diagnosis of a brain
tumor.
Several have traveled to the farthest reaches of this world of
ours, far away from American soil, with the ultimate goal of improving
the welfare of others planted firmly in their mind.
All have the common thread of selfless service woven deeply
into the fabric of their lives.
We hope you enjoy the writing in this debut edition of Mission
First. All literary work was completed by a talented staff of writers
currently or previously employed in West Point’s Office of Athletic
Communications. Many have earned awards for their journalistic
prowess over the years. They are excited to share these special
stories and have worked hard to poignantly detail their amazing
subjects.
We also hope you appreciate the photographic work contained
here. Our goal was to capture the true essence of our subjects in
their own environments, wherever that might be. And so you’ll find
photos from faraway lands like the Middle East and Germany, and
still others from our own back yard along the banks of the mighty
Hudson.
Your feedback about our new endeavor is much appreciated,
and we are always poised to receive potential story ideas for future
editions.
We hope this book finds a prominent place in your den or living
room, a noted resting area on your favorite bookshelf or work desk.
For the individuals spotlighted on these pages have filled a special
place in many of our lives, whether we knew their names before
reading their inspiring stories or not. They are the brightest beacons
of light who have helped make this world better by positioning the
greater good before all else, by always placing the mission first.
For that we should remain forever grateful.
by Bob Beretta
Executive Athletic Director
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Foreword
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s she sits inside Arvin Gymnasium and reminisces about her Army swimming
career, Paige Brink cannot help but smile. Not many athletes in any sport are able
to go out on top, the way that she did at the 2012 Patriot League Swimming and Diving
Championships.
The vivacious Brink, who instantly lights up any room she walks into, had a hand in
shattering six Academy records at the conference championships en route to earning a spot
on the All-Patriot League first team for the second time in her decorated career.
A native of Markle, Ind., Brink capped her remarkable weekend at the Patriot League
meet by winning the 100-yard freestyle in a school-record time of 50.74 seconds. She also
broke Army standards in the 200-yard individual medley (2:04.64) and 200-yard freestyle
(1:50.08).
In addition to her individual success, Brink was also a part of three Black Knight relay
teams that took down school records. She helped obliterate Academy marks in the 200-yard
freestyle relay (1:34.62), 200-yard medley relay (1:46.18) and 800-yard freestyle relay (7:35.14).
“The Academy records are amazing,” says Brink. “I especially love that we set so many
relay records, because those actually might stay around for a while. I love relay records
because it shows four girls working together to do something really big. At the same time, I
grew up believing that records are meant to be broken. I hope they stay up there for a little
bit, but I won’t be at all disappointed if they don’t.”
After all was said and done, Brink had racked up an astounding 51 points at Patriots and
helped Army achieve its highest score at the league meet (422.5) since the 2005 squad
totaled 446 markers. The lone senior on the 2011-12 squad, and one of the team’s co-
captains, Brink also took some satisfaction in leading the young Black Knights to their best
Patriot League Championship performance in seven years.
Brink’s natural ability is obvious to anyone who sees her swim. When watching her move
effortlessly through the water, it is sometimes hard to imagine that less than two years prior
she underwent surgery to alleviate soreness that developed in her left shoulder.
Brink burst onto the scene as a freshman, breaking five individual “Plebe” records and
earning a spot on the All-Patriot League first team. She also copped the conference’s Female
Rookie of the Meet award after authoring three top-six finishes at the championships.
The butterfly and freestyle specialist continued her standout career as a sophomore,
earning All-Patriot League second-team plaudits after scoring points in six different events at
the conference meet. But it was near the end of that sophomore season that Brink began to
feel soreness in her left shoulder.
When the decision was made to go ahead with the surgery, Brink was overcome by
emotion. It was at that moment that she saw her entire swimming career, which began when
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she was five years old, flash before her eyes.
“I simply could not believe it,” says
Brink, who had visions of qualifying for the
Olympics following her outstanding
freshman season. “I was supposed to go to
the NCAA Championships, and I was
supposed to break Patriot League records.
When the injury happened and we decided
to opt for surgery I was completely
devastated and very shocked.”
Brink was further discouraged when
the scheduled six-to-eight week
rehabilitation lasted twice as long and she
was forced to miss the entire first half of her
junior season.
“The surgery was invasive, and the
doctors told me that would help me heal
faster,” she says. “Then, I didn’t recover, and I
didn’t have a lot of flexibility in my shoulder.
What was supposed to be six-to-eight
weeks turned out to be an entire semester of
me trying to figure out why my shoulder
wasn’t flexible anymore, and why I couldn’t
work with it like I was used to.
“At that point, I started thinking that
something went wrong, and actually thought
that I might need another surgery. I began to
think my swimming career was over. I
thought that I was never going to recapture
the form I had established as a freshman,
and that was terrifying.”
All of her doubt and frustration melted
away, though, when she got back into the
competition pool for the first time since the
surgery in January 2011.
“My first meet back was amazing,” says
Brink. “None of the girls were around my
freshman year, so when I finally got in the
pool and swam for them, it was the best
feeling ever.”
The ultra-competitive Brink was unable
to round into top form in time for Patriots,
and she failed to earn all-conference honors
for the first time in her career, but just being
back in the pool and competing at the
conference meet after several months away
from the sport made it worthwhile.
“Even though I didn’t do well at Patriots
that year, I did better than I thought I would
after only having two months in the water,”
says Brink. “It ended up being a really, really
good year.”
Her tumultuous junior season set the
stage for a memorable senior campaign.
After seeing how fragile her career was,
and how quickly it all could be taken away,
“In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have gotten injured and I would have madeit to NCAAs. But the biggest learning experience of my life has been myinjury. At times, it was the most defeating thing I’ve ever experienced, butcoming back from it has been the most rewarding thing in the world.”
— Paige Brink
Paige stands on the medal podium after winning the 100-yard freestyle at the 2012 Patriot League Championships in Annapolis, Md.
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Brink soaked up every single moment she
had with her team in the pool as a “Firstie.”
Brink’s final season, which culminated in
her winning the last individual event of her
career, the 100-yard freestyle at the Patriot
League Championships, was difficult for
anyone to envision after all she had endured.
Standing on top of the medal stand as
the 100-yard freestyle champion after all of
the ups and downs she had experienced
over the previous 18 months was a little
surreal for Brink. She finished ninth in the
100 free at the conference meet as a junior,
but through her grit, hard work and
determination, found a way to take gold in
that same event 12 months later.
“Standing up there on the podium felt
amazing,” says Brink. “When I dove into the
water I told myself that no one was going to
take this from me. I’d been waiting four years
to get a first-place medal, and I’d been so
close a couple different times.
“I think it proved to everyone that I had
toughed it out and made it through,” adds
Brink. “To come back after the surgery and
win an event was such a huge triumph for
me over the injury. It was incredible. Now, I’ll
always have that little gold Patriot League
medal, which is the biggest thing that’s ever
happened to me.”
Brink admits that she would have liked
to have had a shot at the NCAA
Championships, and sometimes wonders
where her swimming career might have
gone had she not been injured and forced to
undergo surgery.
“In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have
gotten injured and I would have made it to
NCAAs,” reflects Brink. “But the biggest
learning experience of my life has been my
injury. At times, it was the most defeating
thing I’ve ever experienced, but coming
back from it has been the most rewarding
thing in the world. I wouldn’t change that
experience, that challenge and what I’ve
learned from it, for anything.”
Brink graduated from West Point in
2012, owning 10 Academy records, five
“Plebe” standards and that one elusive
Patriot League gold medal. And it’s a safe
bet to assume that big shining smile remains
painted on her face even today. �
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sk Peter Carey about his days at West Point and he’s quick to tell you he was a
back-up quarterback for four years and barely saw the field. Ask others who know
Peter Carey and they will tell you he was and remains a consummate leader and teammate.
Carey spent his formative years growing up in Simsbury, Conn., and playing pick-up
football with the neighborhood kids. He always knew he could put some zip on the ball and
eventually ended up being Simsbury High School’s starting signal caller in each of his final
two seasons. Carey doubled as a team captain during his senior year, just scratching the
surface of a life of leadership that would follow.
For Carey, whose grandfather served in World War II, the military had always been
something intriguing sitting in the back of his mind.
“Some boys want to grow up to be a policeman or fireman,” he says. “I guess I grew up
wanting to be a soldier. Once I started getting a bit older, my curiosity got me researching
more about leadership and the importance of the military. I was really attracted to the idea of
becoming an officer.”
Midway through his senior year at Simsbury, Carey was accepted to and planned to
attend the Virginia Military Institute. With his bags half-packed for Lexington, Va., he was
offered an appointment to the United States Military Academy Prep School (USMAPS) and
18-year-old Carey had a huge decision to make. He chose to forgo his plans to attend VMI
in favor of a prep year with the aspiration of gaining admission to the United States Military
Academy.
Carey “walked on” to the football team at USMAPS and used the year to grow and
mature both mentally and physically. On a trip to the Academy, he recalls thinking, “It is one
heck of a stretch for me to play here.”
The following fall, Carey earned a roster spot at West Point under head coach Jim Young
and continued to hold down that position over the next four years.
“I was a perennial back-up who kicked, scratched and clawed my way up to third
string,” Carey recalls with the utmost humility cutting through his voice. “By the time I was a
junior, I had a pretty good arm. But I knew the wishbone was not an offense that I was going
to excel in.
“Of course the goal was to play, but as you get older, you realize being part of a team
helps you in so many ways later in life,” Carey says. “I learned more about leadership at
Michie Stadium than anywhere else. It’s all about getting people to work together towards a
common goal and fighting through adversity. Being a cadet, that ‘never-quit’ attitude becomes
a part of who you are.”
Carey’s four-year teammate, starting offensive lineman, Steve Chalout (USMA ’92), says
“Pete didn’t see the field much, but he never lost focus on how important his role on our team
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was. His job was to get me and the rest of the
starters prepared to go against a passing
quarterback. He did it with great success
week-in and week-out.”
Commissioned as second lieutenants,
Carey, Chalout and the rest of their
teammates tossed their hats to the Michie
Stadium sky in May 1992.
Carey, who branched Infantry, soon
attended Airborne School, Officer Basic
Course and Ranger School before eventually
joining the 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Brigade
at Fort Hood, Texas. As a mechanized
platoon leader and executive officer, his
infantry company was deployed to Kuwait as
part of a rapid deployment force in 1995.
With his first taste of a short deployment
under way, Carey made the decision to
extend the minimum five-year active duty
commitment all cadets must make. He
returned to Fort Benning, Ga., for additional
training and was promoted to captain. Carey
spent the better part of the next two years
in Korea.
Carey was selected to serve in the Joint
Security Area of the demilitarized zone
between North and South Korea. He was an
assistant operations officer of the most
forward deployed American unit on the
peninsula, with responsibility for maintaining
the integrity of Pammunjom. He then
became a company commander of an air
assault light infantry company in the 2nd
Infantry Division.
Carey returned stateside with the idea
that he would soon turn the page on his
military career and begin the civilian
chapter of his life. He spent the ensuing year
working with the 42nd Infantry Division, a
New York National Guard unit.
After working for a high-tech services
company in Northern California for about a
year, Carey began his first year of business
school at the University of Southern
California (USC). A summer internship at
Bear Stearns in New York City eventually led
to a job after his completion of a Master of
Business Administration from USC.
With a bright future in the financial
sector, Carey’s sense of duty never wavered.
He was a student at USC when the events of
Sept. 11, 2001, silenced the nation.
“One of my former classmates was in
charge of Infantry personnel. I remember
calling him at 11 o’clock on September 12,”
he recalls. “I said, ‘If you need me to come
back in, I’m healthy and ready to go.’”
Carey’s was one of about 200 similar
phone calls the personnel officer said he
had already received that morning.
“I hung up the phone and thought to
myself, ‘Wow. That kind of commitment to
the nation, especially in time of peril, says
a great deal about West Point and the
individuals that graduate from there,” he says.
Carey’s professional career, meanwhile,
was going well. He was enjoying success as
a bond salesman with Bear Stearns in the
early stages of a very successful career in
the fast-paced New York financial world.
“The war kept ticking on in Iraq and it
wasn’t going as well as people wanted it to
go,” Carey says. “As I talked to more and
more guys, it became obvious to me that
they needed people. The burden of
responsibility was falling on fewer and fewer
soldiers. Units were just turning around and
going back.”
When the New York National Guard
began to mobilize, Carey made a “cold call”
and left a voice message to say he had
worked with the National Guard five years
prior and simply wanted to talk about a
couple of things. The following day, he
received a phone call back from Maj. Henry
Pettit, head officer for recruitment in the state
of New York, and who ironically had served
with Carey five years prior.
The two met for lunch at Smith and
Wollensky in midtown Manhattan where
Carey made his intentions clear.
“It wasn’t like I thought I alone was
going to make a difference,” he says. “I just
felt I had something to contribute.”
“I didn’t tell anyone about this until it was
a ‘done-deal’ because I wanted it to be my
decision,” says Carey, who was still single at
the time. “Once I did, a lot of people thought
“One of my former classmates was in charge of Infantry personnel. I remember calling him at 11 o’clock on September 12. I said, ‘If you needme to come back in, I’m healthy and ready to go.’”
— Peter Carey
(PICTURED BELOW) Carey spent four yearsas a member of the Army football teambefore graduating from West Point in 1992.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Carey on the streets ofManhattan where he now calls home.
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I was crazy. I hit my family with a ton of
bricks. I put them through a lot, but at the
end of the day, I think they understood. “
Chalout says, “Pete’s red, white and blue
blood runs very deep. While his decision
didn’t shock me, I was honored to know a
guy who would take that type of stance.”
In addition to Chalout, Carey called
another close friend and former classmate,
Scott Belveal (USMA ’92), to tell him about
the decision. The two had been friends for
nearly two decades at that point, having met
while both playing football at USMAPS.
“Pete always held the idea of service to
this nation in a very high regard,” Belveal
says. “The circumstances had become such
that he thought he could help out and make
a difference. That’s who Pete is.”
Carey hadn’t put on a military uniform
in five years, but within a matter of a few
months he left Bear Stearns, raised his hand
in a New York City armory and had orders to
report to Fort Drum, N.Y., for a month-long
training on July 5, 2005.
By August 3, Carey touched down in
Kuwait and three days later he arrived in Iraq.
“I felt every bit of my age and break in
service when I got there,” Carey jokes.
Stationed in one of the most war-
ravaged regions of Iraq, Carey spent the
majority of a nearly year-long deployment in
Samarra, heading up the advisory team that
worked hand-in-hand with an Iraqi Army
battalion.
“That’s where the rubber met the road,
Carey recalls. “You’re on the ground in a
tough part of the country in a very
demanding counter-insurgency fight. There
were a lot of guys who served in Samarra
over the years to include a lot of West
Pointers, and every one of them knows
what I am talking about.
“The guys I served with on the
advisory team were simply outstanding,” he
continues. “Some of them were on their
second and third tours. Yet mission after
mission, day after day, I asked them to go
deeper into their well of courage and they
always responded. It was an honor to serve
with them.”
Carey touched back on U.S. soil and
returned to Bear Stearns to resume his
financial career. He then received a career
opportunity to restructure the New York
Common Retirement Fund’s $5 billion hedge
fund portfolio. Like everything else in his life,
he did so successfully amidst great adversity
with the organization in the middle of a
corruption scandal and the market crisis of
2008. For his efforts, he and his team were
recognized by Institutional Investor as “Best
Public Plan Hedge Fund Program Of 2010.”
That resounding achievement helped
propel Cary into his current position as a
principal with Archview Investment Group.
He also got married. He and his wife, Abby,
now reside in Manhattan and are expecting
their first child in August 2013.
Carey also continues his service as a
board member on the Investment
Committee for the West Point Endowment.
While the casual Army football fan may
not remember Peter Carey for gaudy
statistics or wins over Navy, they should take
notice of his name now. After experiencing a
call to duty and having the fortitude to act
upon it, he is the epitome of what West
Point’s mission is all about. The Academy
should be proud to call Peter Carey one of
its own. �
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ational Lacrosse Hall of Famer Dick Edell, affectionately known as “Big Man,” is one
of collegiate lacrosse’s all-time winningest coaches. However, the battles he fought
on the sidelines are nothing compared to what he’s faced every day since being diagnosed
in 2001 with Body Myositis — a wretched disease that gradually destroys muscle fiber and
tissues.
The disabling medical condition hasn’t changed Edell’s zest for life, though. He always
has a story to tell, a smile on his face and a laughter that comes from deep within. That makes
you forget his illness as you listen to him spin a yarn from his treasure chest of stories.
One of the most respected and beloved coaches in the game of collegiate lacrosse,
Edell spent over 29 years on the sidelines at West Point and the University of Maryland,
reaching the NCAA Final Four six times and playing in three NCAA Finals. During his seven
seasons at Army and 18 at Maryland, he coached in two of the largest rivalries in the nation
— Army vs. Navy and Johns Hopkins vs. Maryland.
When Edell was elected to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004, he became the
11th member associated with the Army lacrosse program to be so honored. His 282 career
wins ranked fifth on the all-time NCAA charts. He patrolled Army’s sideline from 1977 to
1983, posting a 66-24 mark and leading the Black Knights to the NCAA Tournament four
times overall, including each of his final three seasons at West Point.
The two-time national Coach of the Year, once at Army and once at Maryland, was never
an assistant coach. Edell made his coaching debut as the freshman mentor at Towson
University, his alma mater. His first head coaching position was at the University of Maryland-
Baltimore County (UMBC). Edell left his mark at Army as a leader and mentor to cadets at an
institution that breeds leaders.
“When I first came to West Point in 1977, the lacrosse position was under the Office of
Physical Education,” explains Edell. “I interviewed with Jim Anderson and his deputy,
Al Rushatz.”
Edell was hired, but in addition to coaching, he would also serve as a physical education
instructor in one of four sports — boxing, wrestling, gymnastics or swimming — and it
entailed working six days a week, Monday through Saturday.
“At 6-5 and over 220 pounds, I couldn’t see myself in gymnastics,” Edell recalls. “Since I
was managing a pool that summer, I was sent to Denny Forbes, head of the swimming
committee, to be tested. I told him I didn’t have a suit. Denny threw me a rubber band
(Speedo). I changed downstairs and set a speed record from the locker room to the pool. I
would have dropped dead if I was seen. After the pool test, I was told I would be a good
wrestling instructor.”
Edell got a reprieve the following year with the arrival of Gen. (ret.) Ray Murphy as the
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head of West Point’s Office of the Director of
Intercollegiate Athletics. Murphy wanted
Edell to take over the soccer program with
the retirement of Army’s legendary head
coach Joe Palone. Murphy had checked out
Edell’s resume that showed he was equally
successful in that sport, having led UMBC to
the Division II national title in 1975.
“I agreed to do both sports and it was
one of the hardest things I ever did,” says
Edell. “For three years I was the head coach
for two sports and was going all year long
between in-season and out-of-season sports.
They were the three fastest years of my life.
My kids went from ages three to six and I
don’t remember four and five.”
West Point proved to be a special place
for Edell and his family. He felt privileged to
coach the kind of young men that West Point
produces, and as a family man, there was no
better place to raise his children.
“I never before or never after coached
kids that played the game as hard as they
did at Army,” adds Edell. “This was a group
of kids that was so close, and that closeness
is still evident today.”
When Edell took over as Army’s
lacrosse coach, he retained the coaching
staff because all were in the military. He
inherited Dave Slafkosky and former Army
attackman Tommy Cafaro, one of the most
prolific scorers in school history.
“It was a blessing because I had
Tommy, who lived it as a student and an
athlete, and ‘Slof,’ who had already worked it.
They helped me bridge the gap from a
civilian college to West Point, and I don’t
think we skipped a beat.
“The best piece of coaching advice
came from Mike Krzyzewski (Army
basketball head coach from 1975-80). He
said ‘Remember one thing — the first
tendency when you see these guys at 4
o’clock is to put your arm around them and
comfort them a little bit because they have
been hassled all day. You want to be the
loudest voice they hear that day. You have to
fight off that impulse to ease up. You want to
be as demanding.’ Had I not heard that from
Mike and gone off to practice, especially
with the ‘Plebes,’ we never would have
achieved what we did.”
With the success Edell enjoyed at West
Point, Maryland came calling and would not
take no for an answer.
“The hardest decision I ever made in
my life was to leave West Point,” he states.
“Maryland gave me everything I asked for
at the interview, and it was a chance to come
home. My dad had passed away prior to that,
and to come back for my mom and give her
a chance to watch her grandchildren grow
up was a part of that decision. It was very
tough to leave West Point, and it is a place
that will always be a part of our life even
though we were only there for seven years.”
Edell continued that success for 18
years at Maryland, leading the Terps to
six Final Fours and three National
Championship games. It was a different
environment for Edell and his family at
College Park. But at the height of his success
at Maryland, Edell started noticing how
difficult it was to get in and out of his car.
Walking upstairs became very challenging
and he started losing his balance at times.
“My leg would give out and I would fall
down,” admits Edell. “I was embarrassed to
talk about it, sort of hiding it. I fell down a few
times and my wife, Delores, saw it and said
“I enjoyed coaching and miss doing something I loved for 35 years withpeople I enjoyed doing it with. Do I miss it? … Damn right! But you dealwith what you are faced with and that is what I am doing.”
— Dick Edell
17
that we have to get this checked out. It was in
the fall and I said I would check on it during
Christmas vacation. When that time came,
I pushed it back to the summer.”
Edell’s situation worsened. When
Slafkosky’s oldest son was killed in an
automobile accident, Dick was asked to
do the eulogy for the coach’s son.
“I was in the pulpit of a Catholic Church
in Gainesville, Md. — foreign territory to me.
I thought I would be struck by lightning. It
was very emotional and after I finished and
stepped down my leg gave out and I fell out
of the pulpit. Delores said, ‘That’s it, you are
going to the doctor tomorrow.’ ”
Edell wanted to keep his condition a
secret, so the Maryland athletic trainer set up
an appointment in Baltimore. On the first
weekend of May 2001, Edell, his wife and his
mother heard the doctor’s prognosis.
“The good news is it is not going to kill
you, but it is going to cripple you,” said the
doctor. “The bad news is there is no cure.”
Over the summer Edell made a decision that
he would step down from coaching.
“I have always asked for 110 percent of
anyone who has ever played for me, but also
I have always been willing to give 110 percent
to them. I could not do that anymore.”
In the fall of 2001, Edell resigned,
leaving the sport he loved with a great deal
of dignity.
“Honestly it was a relief when I made
that decision in a lot of ways. It was the
greatest weight off my shoulders that I
carried for over a year as I kept trying to
hide something. Now, I could focus on the
situation.
“I enjoyed coaching and miss doing
something I loved for 35 years with people I
enjoyed doing it with. Do I miss it? … Damn
right! But you deal with what you are faced
with and that is what I am doing.”
Edell worked with a Maryland radio
station for a short period, an enjoyable time
for him. But even that became difficult as his
condition worsened, forcing him to use a
motorized wheelchair.
The “Big Man,” who underwent a heart
procedure in the spring of 2012, still enjoys
every day, helped by his family, four children
and five grandchildren, his former players
and friends. If you think you are having a bad
day and need someone to pick you up, just
make a phone call to Edell. He will find a
way to cheer you up with his captivating
sense of humor.
Even the wicked disease that has
claimed many of his past motor skills cannot
steal that away. �
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(PICTURED BELOW AND RIGHT) Dick served asArmy’s head lacrosse coach for seven yearsbefore holding the same role at the Universityof Maryland for 18 years.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) The Edell family gatheringfor Thanksgiving dinner in November 2011.
19
ich Ellerson sits at his desk and gazes out his window at historic Michie Stadium. He
doesn’t get too many of these quiet moments, but when he does, he almost always
seems to find himself thinking about what a tremendous honor it is to preside over one of the
most tradition-rich programs in all of college football.
It is during these times of internal reflection that Army’s fifth-year head football coach
often thinks about his life’s journey and how he ended up on the banks of the Hudson River.
Ellerson’s coaching career, which spans five decades, was spent primarily on the other side
of the country. He calls Tucson, Ariz., home and he attended the University of Hawai’i. But
despite numerous ties to the west coast, Ellerson has always had a soft spot in his heart for
West Point.
It probably should not come as much of a surprise to those who truly know Ellerson that
he ended up at the United States Military Academy. Most who know where he came from
understand that Ellerson was born to coach at West Point and lead the Army football team.
Ellerson, whose father graduated from West Point in 1935, was born in Japan and grew
up in an Army home. His older brothers, John and Jeffrey, were classmates at the Academy
and graduated together in the spring of 1963. John spent a year at the U.S. Military Academy
Prep School before starring on the Army football team. He capped his gridiron career as
team captain of the 1962 squad before going on to become a major general in the U.S. Army.
Jeffrey, meanwhile, arrived at the Academy directly out of high school and became a
brigade boxer at West Point. Following graduation, he served a long military career before
retiring as a full colonel.
Rich Ellerson was just four years old when John was off at West Point enjoying his
standout football career. The Ellerson family was overseas during the time both John and
Jeffrey were at the Academy, and they were unable to make it to West Point to watch John play.
No matter, young Rich looked up to West Pointers, both those who competed on the
“fields of friendly strife” and those who did not.
“I was just becoming aware as a child while John is having this ‘Oh-my-goodness’
football career at West Point,” says Rich. “John and Jeff were both real heroes to us. Growing
up in an Army home, all of my heroes were West Point grads.”
Ellerson, who played college football at Hawai’i, began his coaching career as a
graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1977.
After nearly 25 years of coaching, Ellerson ended up at California Polytechnic State
University, where he built the Mustangs into a Football Championship Subdivision
powerhouse during his seven seasons as head coach in San Luis Obispo. Throughout his
career, Ellerson continually kept tabs on the Army football program. He had grown up as an
Army fan, and he simply could not turn that off.
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“Army Football was always something I
followed,” says Ellerson. “I grew up following
it, and I continued to follow it as a coach.”
Before he signed his last contract at Cal
Poly, Ellerson made sure that it included a
provision that allowed him to leave the
Mustangs’ head job for the same position at
either West Point or the University of Arizona
without penalty. The head coaching job at
Army was always a position that intrigued
Ellerson, and he figured it would be a good
idea to keep that door open, just in case.
That decision proved to be prophetic,
because not long thereafter, Army was
looking for a new head coach to lead its
storied football program. When the
Academy offered Ellerson the job, it didn’t
take long for him to accept.
“Part of the appeal (at West Point) is that
it is a challenge,” says Ellerson. “Obviously,
we’ve struggled and it was hurtful to me that
we’ve struggled so hard and so often. I grew
up an Army fan, and I’ve always believed in
West Point. I believe in what it does, and to
be a part of that was always compelling.”
When former West Point Superintendent
Gen. Franklin Hagenbeck spelled out the job
description for the Army head football
coach, the totality of it all blew Ellerson away.
“His approach was that we all have the
same job description,” remembers Ellerson.
“I had the same job description as the guys
in the Department of Physical Education and
the guys in the Physics department. The first
line in all of our job descriptions is exactly
the same: Build leaders of character. That, to
me, growing up in an Army family and a West
Point family, is about as prestigious a job
description as I can imagine. It doesn’t get
any better than that. In my opinion, that is the
most prestigious job description in the world.”
It did not take long for Ellerson to get
Army back on track, as the Black Knights’
new field general led Army to its first bowl
“I have the same job description as the guys in the Department ofPhysical Education and the guys in the Physics department. The first line inall of our job descriptions is exactly the same: Build leaders of character.That, to me, growing up in an Army family and a West Point family, isabout as prestigious a job description as I can imagine. It doesn’t get anybetter than that.”
— Rich Ellerson
(PICTURED ABOVE) John Ellerson (87) withGen. Douglas MacArthur and former headfootball coach Paul Dietzel along the Armysideline in 1962.
(PICTURED BOTTOM LEFT) John Ellerson servedas Army’s team captain in 1962 beforereaching the rank of major general in theU.S. Army.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Rich Ellerson led Armyto a berth in the 2010 Bell Helicopter ArmedForces Bowl in just his second season at theBlack Knights’ helm.
21
victory in a quarter century following the
2010 campaign. Army finished a 7-6 season
by knocking off SMU, 16-14, in the Bell
Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl in Dallas,
Texas. It was the Black Knights’ first
postseason bowl appearance in more than
a decade.
Ellerson had been a part of several
major bowl victories while a member of the
coaching staff at Arizona, but he had never
experienced anything like winning a bowl
game as the head coach of the Army team.
“That was about as good a feeling as
I’ve ever had on a field after a game,” says
Ellerson. “I’ve been a part of some big wins,
but I don’t know if I’ve ever felt anything quite
like that day. To see the extended Army
football family have a gushing of emotion like
that was really something to experience.”
Through Army slipped to 3-9 in 2011
and 2-10 in 2012, Ellerson seems happy with
where the program is headed as he begins
his fifth season along the Black Knights’
sidelines.
“I’m pleased with the direction of the
program, but I’m frustrated with the lack of
success on the scoreboard” says Ellerson.
“We knew that 2011 was going to be
especially challenging, but we did some of
the harder things we needed to do.
Unfortunately, we missed on a couple of
crucial issues that kept us from having a
chance to continue to feed that momentum.
“In terms of the recruiting and the
internal development and some of the other
things we’re doing, that’s all in place,” adds
Ellerson. “The trajectory is still very positive,
and the arrow is going to stay up. There is no
doubt that we’re a better football team than
we were. We’re a more physically mature
team, but we’re still going to be a relatively
young team. I think our success this year is
still going to be fragile, but less so because
we’re a little bit more veteran than we were a
year ago. How well we manage the internal
development of our younger cadets will
really be important this year.”
As long as Ellerson is in charge, Army
fans can rest assured knowing that the
program is in capable hands. The Black
Knights’ current mentor navigated his entire
coaching career with West Point in the back
of his mind, and he’s doing the necessary
things to bring Army Football back to
prominence. �
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n March 5, 1946, Winston Churchill gave his renowned “Iron Curtain” speech at
Missouri’s Westminster College. Referencing the newly founded United Nations,
Churchill stated, “…We must be certain that our temple is built, not upon shifting sands or
quagmires, but upon a rock.”
Today, Westminster College is led by President Dr. George “Barney” Forsythe, a 1970
graduate of the United States Military Academy. The solid foundation, or “rock,” of Forsythe’s
life and career thus far has been a commitment to leadership.
A self-proclaimed “Army brat,” Barney’s father was a career Army officer. His father’s
career kept the family moving, as Barney’s formative high school years were split between
Fort Benning, Ga., and Schofield Barracks, Hawai’i. Despite the transient nature of his
childhood, Barney always knew what he wanted to do with his life.
“I knew I wanted to be an Army officer all my life,” says Forsythe. “It was fair to say I was
a late-bloomer, so I never thought I’d ever be able to go to West Point. As an ‘only child,’ I
grew up with a close relationship with my parents, and from birth, I saw my father in senior
leadership positions. He spent a lot of time talking about leadership and sharing his
experiences with me.”
An average student in high school who didn’t do much in the way of extracurricular
activities, Barney discovered a talent during a fitness test sophomore year which would
eventually pave the way for his admission to West Point. Forced to run the 100-yard dash in
gym class, Barney beat out the school’s top sprinter, catching the eye of the track and field
coach. By junior year, Barney was a Hawai’i state champion sprinter.
Barney’s athletic triumphs gave him the confidence to succeed in the classroom,
improving his grades by the time his family was once again transferred to Fort Benning for
his senior year. With track merits stacking up and academics coming together, combined
with his father’s aide being a West Point graduate with a personal relationship to track coach
Carleton Crowell, the stars started to align for Barney and West Point.
“As I began to develop as an athlete and mature as a student, things came together. I
always had this sense that coach Crowell recruited ‘good kids.’ He looked for youngsters with
some track talent but really looked for kids who wanted to be Army officers that he could
develop into track athletes. That was the biggest break I have ever had, or at least one of the
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top two or three; which is why I stayed
involved with the track team when I was on
the faculty and staff at West Point.”
Barney ran a variety of events while a
member of Army’s track team, ranging from
the 60-yard dash to the quarter mile as well
as any number of relays. With “Plebes” not
allowed to compete in varsity athletics at that
time, Barney enjoyed a successful three-year
career. A number of his highlights were
associated with never losing a “Star Meet”
to Navy.
“One of my most vivid memories of
Army-Navy competition, and I have lots of
them, is when I set the Academy record in
the 600-yard run,” says Barney. “I tied it my
junior year at Army and broke it my senior
year down at Navy and it was their field
house record for several decades.
“They stopped running the 600 yards in
the 1980s and went to the 500 meters. I’d like
to say I retired the 600-yard record,” jokes
Forsythe. “I’ll never forget the morning of that
meet, coach Crowell came in and read
letters and telegrams from graduates
deployed all over the world, in Vietnam and
everything, saying, ‘Go Army, Beat Navy,’
wishing us good luck. It really hit home that
this was a big family and there were people
all over the world that knew this was the
Army-Navy meet and cared about what we
were doing. I was blown away. We set the
relay record that day.”
Barney still holds the indoor 600-yard
record while also being a member of the top
mile indoor relay team.
After graduating from West Point,
Barney served with the Berlin Brigade in
Germany, gaining command of a company
very early in his career as a lieutenant
before being promoted to captain. When
given the option to command a Ranger
company or return stateside to attend
graduate school and become a teacher,
Forsythe chose the latter.
“I knew that I wanted to go back to West
Point,” says Forsythe. “I was one of those
strange cadets that loved my cadet days and
loved West Point. I’ve had a ‘love relationship’
with West Point and knew that I wanted to go
back for a teaching assignment.”
Barney immediately got involved with
the track and cross country programs,
serving as an officer representative and
scoring official at home meets when the
demands of raising a family proved to be too
“Intercollegiate athletics, when done right, can be a wonderful laboratoryfor developing leadership and character.”
— Dr. Barney Forsythe
(PICTURED BELOW) Barney (center) participatesin the ribbon-cutting ceremony for JeffersonHall in September 2008.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Forsythe (bottom row, far left) is shown in his role as Head OfficerRepresentative for Army’s track and fieldsquad in 1979.
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strenuous to maintain the role of an officer
representative.
After attending the Army War College,
Barney looked at the leadership program at
West Point and realized there was one facet
missing from the development curriculum.
“We recognized we needed to add to
the leadership portfolio some research
activities; to not only apply knowledge
locally at West Point, but to begin to generate
knowledge that would inform Army policy
and practice as well. We set up the Center
for Leadership and Organizations
Research…and began studying leadership
and leader development both in the Corps
of Cadets and beyond in the Army.
“The Army’s approach to leadership up
to the mid-1990s was a training-dominated
paradigm. We began to introduce the notion
of leader development as a lifespan kind of
experience which is now fully embedded in
Army doctrine.”
Forsythe’s work with leadership soon
started to take on a global feel. The college
professor was requested by the Defense
Attaché to develop a leadership program at
the Military Academy in Bangladesh, while
also helping to assess the problems with the
Los Angeles Police Department following the
L.A. riots and Rodney King controversy. His
work with the LAPD ended up translating
into what is now West Point’s leadership
program for police forces.
Most recently, Forsythe, who was West
Point’s Vice Dean at the time, traveled to
Afghanistan to develop a concept for a
military academy with the support of West
Point and the Air Force Academy. The
National Military Academy of Afghanistan
opened in 2005 and graduated its first class
in 2009.
“In many ways, that individual project
was the most satisfying of my career. In a
very short period of time we developed a
model and West Point and the Air Force
Academy went ‘All-In’ and made it a reality.”
With the goal of becoming a dean at a
liberal arts college, Forsythe retired as vice
dean of West Point and from the Army with
the rank of brigadier general in 2005. The
president at Westminster College at the time
was Fletcher Lamkin, who served as dean at
West Point while Forsythe was vice dean.
Forsythe was tabbed Westminster’s chief
academic officer, and when Lamkin retired
in 2007, Forsythe was named interim
president before taking the permanent reins
in 2008.
“If you look at Westminster’s mission,
the first two verbs are educate and inspire,
and also contains leadership and character.
It looks a lot like the West Point mission and I
felt like I could learn a lot and make a
contribution at the same time.”
Now the head of a liberal arts college of
over 1,000 students, he reflects on who and
what molded him into the leader he is today.
In that list, Forsythe includes his “three-star”
General father, who wrote to him every
Sunday during his cadet years, even during
consecutive tours in Vietnam. “I have a
collection of letters of a father mentoring a
son who wants to grow up to be an Army
officer. Even long distance, he was
my mentor.”
Forsythe’s years competing for the
Army track team under Army Hall of Fame
Coach Carleton Crowell proved to be some
of the most influential
as well.
“Coach Crowell, my track coach, was a
great mentor to me early on. His approach
to leadership has been an inspiration to me.
He would do his job but be very respectful.
He was a gentleman. He knew how to
motivate people in a quiet, confident and
competent style.
“Intercollegiate athletics, when done
right, can be a wonderful laboratory for
developing leadership and character,”
Forsythe continues. “There is a sense of
mission and focus. There’s a sense of
subordinating your self-interest for the
common good. There’s self-discipline both
in terms of the training required and the
preparation for and competing, all of
which are really important aspects of
being a leader.”
More than 67 years after Churchill
made his famous speech at Westminster, the
college’s president, Dr. Barney Forsythe, has
shown how building upon a strong
foundation can help someone reach heights
an “Army brat” never dreamt he could. �
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he 1992 Army-Navy football game ranks among the best in series history. In front of a
crowd of over 65,000 at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, Army overcame a 17-point
second-half deficit to beat Navy, 25-24. The win began a streak of five straight for the Black
Knights, their longest victory string in series history.
What many remember from that game was Patmon Malcolm’s 49-yard game-winning
field goal with 12 seconds left. But what got Army to within two points, 24-22, with just under
7:30 remaining in the final quarter remains on the record books today.
Brent Musberger was calling the game for ABC Sports: “From their own 31-yard line …
Roper to throw it … over the middle … wide open was Gaylord Greene! And Greene takes it
for the touchdown! 68 yards! And Gaylord Greene, from Santa Ana, California, has given West
Point a fresh life.”
Gaylord Greene’s 68-yard touchdown catch from Rick Roper goes down as Army’s
longest pass play ever in an Army-Navy game. The long pass is practically a foreign concept
to fans of the service academies, just as much now as it was back then. In 2012, the Black
Knights and Midshipmen ranked last and fourth-to-last, respectively, among all 120 Football
Bowl Championship Subdivision programs in passing yards per game. In 1992, it wasn’t
much different. Army ranked third from the bottom.
Now, 20 years later, when asking Greene about the play, he’s humbled by it. “I was a
blocking receiver, that’s why I was so open!” Greene jokes. “The biggest thing I carry with
me is that I had the opportunity to do something for my team, to really contribute. It was my
last game and as a receiver, it was my only touchdown. I take that with me.
“But right now, it’s for my kids. Every now and then they can see it on ESPN Classic, which
is awesome for them. I just think of the kids being able to do that and how we’re blessed.”
It wasn’t a straight road that brought Greene to the east coast in the fall of 1988. Growing
up in Santa Ana, Greene had no prior military service in his family and his only interaction with
the military was with Marines stationed at nearby Camp Pendleton and Tustin Marine Base.
In 1983, Army and Navy played their first and only game west of the Mississippi River,
40 miles north of Santa Ana in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl.
“There were a couple key things that got me to look at the Army. When they played the
Army-Navy game at the Rose Bowl, bringing it to the west coast; and my brother attending the
(United States Military Academy) Prep School. I was also selected to go to California Boys
State my junior year, where there was a West Point recruiter. That was one of my first contacts.”
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Despite Army football coaches visiting
Greene’s high school, Orange Lutheran, he
wasn’t recruited. Greene attended the U.S.
Military Academy Prep School like his older
brother, but was more interested in track, as
West Point’s head coach, Ron Bazil, had
shown him interest. But after a late growth
spurt, Greene gave up on his track career
and focused on football.
“I ran at the prep school but gave it up
after that. I got too big. I got to the prep
school at about six-feet tall, 180 pounds and
left six-foot-three and over 200.”
Greene went on to play three seasons of
football at West Point, capped by that ever-
famous play. But like many cadets, his
experience wasn’t without challenges and
difficulties. He credits the relationships he
built along the way with getting him through
those rough patches.
“From Reception Day, you learn from
‘reporting to the man in the red sash.’ You
come to a place you don’t know anything
about but yet you keep taking it a minute, an
hour, a day, a week, a month at a time and
next thing you know, you’ve gone through
this awesome process. And you can’t put it
all together because to you, you just went
through it a day at a time.
“As a ‘Plebe,’ you’re going through it
and you can’t look around, you’re always
‘eyes forward.’ Then you go to practice and
just making eye contact with someone can
make your day, in the context of West Point.
West Point teaches you to be communal and
build relationships because that’s what you
have to do here. You build relationships or you
fail. Especially as a football player. They’re
just another family. It’s one of the largest
teams on campus and that’s how many
brothers you have. You take care of each
other and assure that everyone is competing
towards that ultimate goal of winning.”
With the addition of his teammates,
coaches and officer representatives, Greene
credits Col. Fred Black as one of his main
mentors while attending West Point. “He was
my mentor since ‘Day One’. He monitored
me, kept me on the right path and knew
things I didn’t think he knew. Now that I’m
back at West Point, I know how he knew!”
jokes Greene.
Today, Greene is that all-knowing
adviser to countless cadets. He returned to
West Point in 2003 with a master’s degree in
business administration from James Madison
University after spending time at Fort Sill,
Okla., Fort Lewis, Wash., Copenhagen, and
Germany. Upon his return to the banks of the
Hudson, Greene served as a minority
admissions officer.
“My view of West Point changed when I
returned to work with minority admissions,”
says Greene, who currently holds the rank of
lieutenant colonel. “As a mid-grade officer I
was put in the middle of the strategic part of
West Point. The mission of minority
admissions is to ensure our officer corps
reflects our military.”
(PICTURED AT LEFT) Gaylord is shown at BasicTraining ceremonies at Fort Benning in March2012.
(PICTURED ABOVE) Greene earned two varsityletters in football during his career as a WestPoint cadet.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Gaylord roams the playingfield at Fort Benning in March 2012 prior toArmy’s spring football game.
“Sometimes you’ll meet folks in eighth grade who say, ‘Wow, I didn’t knowthis existed and I want it,’ and you watch them matriculate. In some cases,kids who would have never had the opportunity if someone hadn’treached out to them, and that’s what’s awesome about the [minorityoutreach] program.”
— Lt. Col. Gaylord Greene
29
Greene has spent time with cadet
candidates throughout the United States,
Europe, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
“A lot of those kids go on to the prep school,
then to West Point, and now I’m at the point
where those folks are lieutenants and
captains and majors, which makes me feel
really old,” jokes Greene. “But you can see
the development process and it’s rewarding
beyond measure, to really be where it starts,
and admissions is the core of it.
“Sometimes you’ll meet folks in eighth
grade who say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know this
existed and I want it,’ and you watch them
matriculate. In some cases, kids who would
have never had the opportunity if someone
hadn’t reached out to them, and that’s what’s
awesome about the program.”
One of the products of the minority
outreach program was former football
standout Josh McNary (USMA ’11). McNary,
who graduated as the Black Knights’ all-time
sacks leader and was recently signed to a
free agent contract by the Indianapolis Colts,
wasn’t a result of football recruiting, but
rather got involved with West Point through
attending a minority admissions event
before visiting the Academy and then
“walking on” to the USMAPS team. Greene
playfully calls McNary his recruit.
“We still have a special relationship
today; we’ve maintained that mentorship
despite my responsibilities now,” says
Greene. “And it’s not just him or just minority
players, it’s all players. Working with
operations and helping the cadets navigate
because I know sometimes the perception is
that football players are getting out of stuff,
but it’s quite the opposite. They’re doing a lot
more, and you have to help them manage
that. That’s what we try to do and assure that
they are successful.”
With his responsibilities now shifted
away from minority admissions to operations
with the football team, as well as admission
matters with the men’s and women’s
basketball, hockey and lacrosse programs,
Greene enjoys the constantly changing
nature of his job, but remains committed to
working with the cadets.
“On a daily basis, my challenges
change; it’s whatever fire is going to come
up. It could be that one of our recruits got
injured and now isn’t qualified medically —
what do we do? It could be our cadets’ six-
week grade reports — making sure they’re
doing what they need to do. Or getting an
athletic intern — helping them focus and
manage where they’re going. It changes
daily but I enjoy it. It’s fun.”
And while countless cadets can rely on
Greene to be their advisor, the former Army
wide receiver says he maintains the same
type of relationships with those who have
guided him throughout the years.
“As you get older and your scope of
influence becomes more diverse, your
mentorship and your sounding boards
become just as diverse. Part of my job
experience, my time at West Point and in the
military has really afforded me the ability to
have a battery of folks as mentors.”
While Greene is no longer making
game-changing touchdown catches, he is
going the distance with West Point’s Corps of
Cadets, building relationships to strengthen
the Long Gray Line. After all, it was the
strength of the relationships he made
throughout his time here that got him
through and keeps him going today.
“Those relationships made me work
harder to make sure I was doing what I
needed to do to be here and stay here
and perform well here. You remember
the games — the wins, the losses, and
you remember the hard work. But I really
go back to relationships. You remember
the friends you would do anything for.
That’s what I take most out of my time
at West Point.” �
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t was 43 years ago when a 20-year-old Vietnam veteran, Dick Hall, was looking for a fresh
career start after serving his country during a time of war. A native of Highland Falls, N.Y.,
Hall found a job opportunity in the Army Athletic Association equipment room where he
supplied essential gear for cadet-athletes who were preparing to become the United States
Army’s future leaders at the U.S. Military Academy.
Hall, who is set to retire from the Army Athletic Association this fall, loved his job from the
start and turned the opportunity into a satisfying career. He began on Nov. 30, 1970, the
Monday after the Army-Navy football game. His office was in Arvin Gymnasium, where Hall’s
personal touch, respect and pride in the cadets he served made it all worthwhile. It wasn’t
easy. There was gear to prepare, uniforms, helmets, and other equipment to hand out on a
daily basis. Doing 500 pounds of laundry was also part of a
day’s work.
Today, spread sheets and scanners help alleviate a percentage of the work that keeps
the staff busy outfitting 25 intercollegiate athletic teams throughout the year. But the everyday
process is still the same. Army athletes pick up and return athletic gear and equipment.
Clothes still need to be laundered.
Hall continues to greet cadets and visitors the same way he did on his first day on the job
43 years ago — with a firm handshake and a genuine smile.
Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen, a former football star and now the Superintendent of the U.S.
Military Academy, described why Hall is so exceptional. “Dick is a special person,” says
Caslen. “He is a lifetime friend to all of us old Army football players. He was always cheerful
and always optimistic. We knew Dick was there supporting Army Football, whether winning
or losing, and in rain or in snow. Dick was reliable, dependable and a caring person with a
huge heart!
“Even after we all graduated, Dick would keep in touch. And especially when we were
deployed, we knew Dick would keep us motivated and informed of all that was going on. A
lifetime friend to us old players, he epitomizes the ethic of selfless service, and duty to nation.
He is a legend in his own right.”
Caslen’s complimentary words along with the notes that Hall has received over the years
from former athletes helped make the job special in spite of the downside. At times it was a
seven-day-a-week job taking away from time for his family.
“I missed a lot of time with my children when they were growing up,” recalls Hall. “Over
the years I invited players, who I considered my sons, over to my house for dinner, and my
daughter, Kelly, would call them her uncles.
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“It was a great environment for my
children. My son (Kenny) and daughter are
both teachers in the Highland Falls school
system. Being around the athletes rubbed off
on them and had a positive influence as both
also coach sports in addition to teaching.”
Hall’s office is adorned with letters and
flags from former players. There are 17
General Officers in the U.S. Army numbered
among a never-ending list of Army athletes
he calls his extended family. Among them
are three of the highest ranking officers in
the U.S. Army, including Gen. Martin
Dempsey (USMA ’74), Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Ray Odierno (USMA
’76), Army Chief of Staff; and Gen. David
Rodriguez (USMA ’76), Commanding
General, U.S. Africa Command. Hall still
remembers their cadet days at West Point.
Dempsey starred in cross country and track;
Odierno played baseball and football; and
Rodriguez lettered in football.
Hall’s easy-going manner provided a
long-lasting friendship to those young men
and women that played a formidable role in
their maturation process as cadets, officers
and leaders of our country.
In January 2007, Odierno sent Hall a
flag that had flown over the Multi-National
Corps Iraq Headquarters in Bagdad. His
note read, “It is one of Saddam’s old Palaces.
It’s known as Camp Victory! Thanks for all
your support. You are a great friend.”
The next month, Hall received a note
from Maj. Gen. Fuzzy Webster (USMA ‘74)
stating, “Thank you for your service to the
Nation these many years as you helped
coach, teach, train, and equip our future
leaders. Just as you did with us — Webster,
Hines, Portante, Odierno, Caslen, Bogosian.
On your behalf I flew this flag over our
headquarters in Baghdad in 2005 … it’s an
honor to know you, Dick. Thanks for all you do.”
Caslen sent a flag to Hall in March 2011.
“We Caslens are honored to send this to you
in honor of your faithful service and
unwavering support of so many West Point
athletes and Lieutenants … you are the best!
Thanks for all you do, Dick. God bless.”
The path that Hall chose might never
have happened had his father, George, been
able to convince his son to become a state
trooper when he returned home after
finishing his 14-month tour in Vietnam. The
younger Hall served as a member of the
military police, and his father felt he should
continue his career in law enforcement.
“I did not know what I wanted to do, but
I was not interested in becoming a state
trooper,” says Hall. “A friend of mine, Annie
Ruscelli, heard about an opening in the
equipment room. I went in two days later,
applied for the job and was hired.”
Hall worked for Roy Cooper for three
years before taking over from him in 1973.
While Hall was busy learning the everyday
responsibilities involved in taking care of 800
athletes, he developed a friendship with the
cadets he saw on a daily basis with his
closest bonds formed with the members
of the football team.
“I would see the players every day
as they came up to the window in the
equipment room,” says Hall. “I was the same
age as they were, so it was easy for me to
talk to them about their classes, how practice
went, what a great job they did in the game
and just things in general getting to know
who they were.”
West Point seniors Jack Roth and John
Simar, along with “Plebes” Caslen and
Bobby Johnson, straight out of “Beast
Barracks,” were among the first football
players with whom Hall developed a close
friendship. That was tightened when three
members of that group returned to West
Point in an administrative capacity.
Simar was an assistant football coach;
Caslen returned as the Commandant of
Cadets and Johnson as the Deputy
Admissions Officer. Johnson was a non-
playing team captain his senior year (1974)
“He is a lifetime friend to all of us old Army football players. He was always cheerful and always optimistic. We knew Dick was there supporting Army Football, whether winning or losing, and in rain or in snow. Dick was reliable, dependable and a caring person with a huge heart! ”
— Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen
33
for head coach Homer Smith after being
diagnosed with cancer in his arm. His team-
mates elected him captain, but he did not
want to hold that position if he could not play.
Hall’s advice was, “If all your teammates
think that much of your leadership that they
want you to be a captain, that is what you are
going to do.”
“Dick’s words meant everything to me,”
remembers Johnson, “and helped me do the
harder right than to pursue a lesser path.
While in Walter Reed (Army Medical
Center) for the entire summer, I had to first
deal with the fact that I had cancer and could
not play football again. Dick let me know that
there were other ways to lead and that my
responsibility was to the team and not
myself. His words allowed me to be the
captain of the team and show my support in
everything I did. His words got me through
one of the most challenging times in my life
and I will forever be indebted to him.”
Facility upgrade projects began in the
1980s, and sometimes with progress comes
small setbacks. With the changes, Hall saw a
bit of the ability to lend his personal touch
impacted. It started with the opening of the
Michie Stadium Annex. Holleder Center
brought additional changes with the hockey
and basketball teams calling the sparkling
new facility “home.” With the football,
basketball and hockey athletes no longer
reporting to Arvin Gymnasium on a daily
basis for their practice clothing, Hall moved
six of his staff members to work solely out of
the Michie Stadium facility as Arvin
Gymnasium no longer handled all of the
athletic teams’ needs. As the main contact for
football, Hall was one of those relocated.
Though Hall was able to continue his
relationship with the football team, the
personal touch he established with all 25
teams was harder to maintain as fewer
players came to the equipment room near
Michie Stadium.
“When the Michie Stadium Annex
opened, we moved several members of that
staff there and kept a small group at Arvin,”
explains Hall. “It made sense to have two
places with football, basketball and hockey
drawing equipment out of the Michie
Stadium Annex and Arvin Gym taking care
of the Olympic sports.”
With a reclassification of positions, Hall
moved back to Arvin Gymnasium in 2004.
He stays in touch with the football players of
the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s through e-mails,
phone calls and as an honorary member of
the Army Football Letterman’s Club. Every
year this group of former coaches, players
and officer representatives get together in
the summer for a weekend filled with story-
telling, golf and friendship renewals.
“Last year was our 16th year holding
this outing, and we had 270 players and
former coaches and staff return,” says Hall.
“A few years ago, I was among a group of
four made an honorary member of the
football team. It meant a lot to me, and it is
a great distinction and a humbling
experience.”
Those former coaches and players are
just as proud to be associated with Dick Hall
since this selfless Highland Falls resident is a
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Dick has been a fixture in Army’s equipment room for more than four decades. For years, hewas entrusted with the honor of holding the special “I Want an Officer …” plaque that Army’sfootball players have traditionally touched upon entering the playing field on game days. He willretire later this fall.
35
he 2011-12 season marked the first time in nearly a decade that the West Point tennis
courts were void of a Houghton family member. Kate, John, Rick and Annie Houghton
had ruled the Army courts the previous eight years. Together they combined for more
accolades, records and accomplishments than any other family before them. And it’s hard to
imagine any family lineage coming close to matching the legacy created by the Houghtons
any time soon.
The Houghton family accomplishments span the tennis courts, the classroom and United
States Corps of Cadets. By the numbers, the four Houghton siblings have combined for 253
team victories, 198 singles wins, 166 doubles wins, 13 marks that list in Army’s record books
and three that rank at No. 1, in addition to 10 Patriot League team titles, 10 NCAA berths,
seven All-Patriot League certificates, six 20-win seasons, five Player of the Month awards, four
Black Knight Awards, three conference Player of the Year citations, three Academic Honor Roll
certificates, three team captains, two league tournament Most Valuable Players, two
Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) regional rankings, one conference Rookie of the Year
citing, one Rotary Scholarship recipient, one Rhodes Scholar candidate, two U.S. Army
captains and two first lieutenants.
The children of Steve, an attorney, and Mary, an assistant U.S. Attorney, each member
of the Houghton clan picked up tennis rackets in their hometown of Sewickley, Pa., a small
suburb of Pittsburgh, at an early age thanks to their father’s influence. The Houghton patriarch
played tennis in high school and encouraged the kids to play, unbeknownst to him that he and
Mary were raising some of the most successful cadet-athletes West Point would ever
experience.
The three older Houghton children were bitten by the “tennis bug” by around the age of
eight, while Annie, the youngest, caught on to the sport by age four. They would all go on to
be mentored by Quaker Valley High School coach Ed Perry, a retired colonel who first
introduced the idea of serving their country to a family which had no previous military ties.
“Coach Perry was a terrific influence on our kids,” says Steve. “We knew about West
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Point, we knew a little bit about it, but we
hadn’t really discussed it much before coach
Perry came on board. He encouraged Kate
to check it out, she had been intrigued by
the school at first solely based on academics
and not for tennis. Once she visited, she just
loved the place.
“West Point knocks anyone over, it’s just
such an extraordinary place,” continues
Steve. “As parents, we felt great about Kate
going to West Point. We felt it was a terrific
privilege; the calling to serve our country
was great. With my wife being an Assistant
U.S. Attorney, we have a great commitment to
government service, so the opportunity for
our kids to attend West Point was welcomed.”
But Kate’s plan to attend the U.S. Military
Academy got derailed for a year after
suffering a knee injury which required
surgery prior to the start of Cadet Basic
Training. Kate delayed her enrollment until
the fall of 2003, when she would be joined
by younger brother, John. Kate attended
Western Reserve Academy outside of
Cleveland, Ohio, enhancing her already
impressive academic transcripts with
Advanced Placement classes in calculus
and chemistry, while strengthening her
knee in order to take the courts at Army’s
Lichtenberg and Malek Tennis centers.
Meanwhile, back in Sewickley, John
and Rick were helping Quaker Valley win
the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic
Association state championship while Annie
was about to gear up for her first year of
high school. John, who was listed as No. 4
singles player in the Middle States region
and 80th nationally, decided to join Kate as a
member of West Point’s Class of 2009. Kate,
who had played on the boys’ team at Quaker
Valley at the No. 2 spot, was eager to get
back to tennis as well as reunite with a family
member.
“We’re a really close-knit family,” explains
Kate. “I considered [being delayed a year] a
blessing in disguise because then John and
I got to be classmates for the first time at
West Point. It was so nice. We studied a lot
together when we had the same core
classes. It was nice going through the
experience with a sibling.”
Both Houghtons hit the ground running
in their first seasons at the Academy, with
John ranking second on the men’s team in
singles wins and Kate ranking as the second-
best among “Plebes” on the women’s team
behind Alie del Moral, who still holds the
Army record for single-season victories.
The following two years (2005 and
2006) saw both Army tennis teams gain
automatic bids to the NCAA Championships.
While John earned a host of Patriot League
honors, Kate’s seasons were cut short due to
injury. Back home in Sewickley, Annie became
the first girl to win a Pennsylvania boys’
singles district championship (2005) and
Rick was getting ready to become the third
Houghton to embark on a West Point career.
Rick, always the intellectual member of
the group, established himself more in the
classroom than on the tennis courts. A three-
time Patriot League honor roll selection,
Rick’s tennis career was limited due to injury,
but he performed exceptionally in the
“They say, ‘Those who can’t do, teach,’ but at West Point, ‘Those who have done, teach.’ Our children came away with such humility andunderstanding thanks to the continued development of character andleadership. Those intangibles somehow become tangible when you go to West Point.”
— Steve Houghton
(PICTURED ABOVE) (From left) John, Annie, Kateand her husband Maj. Jared Little, and RickHoughton pose for a picture following Annie’sgraduation from West Point in May 2011.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE TOP) (From left) John,Annie and Rick Houghton enjoy a specialmoment at Annie’s bar-pinning ceremonyfollowing commencement exercises.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE BOTTOM) Annie, hermother, Mary, and father, Steve, take time outfor a photo during Graduation Dinner.
37
classroom. A Rhodes Scholarship candidate,
he would go on to graduate from West Point
with honors and accept a Rotary Scholarship,
which gave him the opportunity to complete
a master’s degree in history at the
prestigious University of Oxford in England.
With the youngest member of the
Houghton family making her college
decision in the spring of 2007, John and Kate
were tabbed team captains. Kate and the
Army women won their third straight
conference title, while John, Rick and the
Army men came up short in the title match
against arch-rival Navy.
Despite interest from numerous
colleges, Annie chose to extend the
Houghton family’s run along the banks of the
Hudson by choosing to attend West Point.
Kate and John would be around for Annie’s
freshman year at the Academy, serving as
athletic interns before reporting to duty.
Annie would go on to become the most
decorated tennis player in Army history,
men’s or women’s. In 2011, she graduated
with the Army records for career singles
wins, single-season dual wins and career
wins at No. 1, while also listing among the
best in single-season wins in doubles and
singles, as well as career doubles victories.
She is the only three-time Patriot League
Player of the Year in conference history, as
well as the first to be named Player and
Rookie of the Year in the same season. Annie
is also the only women’s tennis player in
program history to garner a regional ranking
by the ITA, after being tabbed No. 20 in the
Northeast singles poll in April 2010.
Six years after graduating, Capt. Kate
Houghton is stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash.,
after serving tours in both Iraq and Korea in
the Medical Services branch.
John, branching Air Defense Artillery
(ADA), left the Academy with a trio of marks
that rank in the Army men’s tennis record
book. He stands 12th in career singles wins,
16th in single-season wins, and 11th in
career doubles victories. He served three
years in Germany at Kaiserslautern, while
also being deployed to Israel and Poland.
Currently, Capt. John Houghton is stationed
at Fort Sill, Okla.
After completing his degree at Oxford,
1st Lt. Rick Houghton also branched ADA
and is serving in Kaiserslautern following a
stint in Poland.
After serving as the women’s tennis
athletic intern for most of the 2011-12
season, 2nd Lt. Annie Houghton, who
branched Adjutant General, joined her older
sister at Fort Lewis and has since been
promoted to first lieutenant.
With all four of their kids now graduated
from the U.S. Military Academy, Steve and
Mary Houghton look at the experience they
shared with their children with nothing
but pride.
“With tennis, all four of them had very
different abilities and skills, but they all really
enjoyed working and playing for teams
under head coaches Paul Peck and Jim
Poling,” says Steve. “They have been terrific
influences on our children. The thing that
impressed us as parents was they both have
terrific Army service records — coach
Poling in Vietnam and coach Peck in the Gulf
War. They’re both decorated soldiers. To us,
that meant everything.
“The credibility that brings to their role
as coaches at West Point just can’t be beat.
You don’t see it in every sport, but in tennis
at West Point there are coaches who have
served their country and have the
leadership training through the military and
have contributed in a big way. I can’t say
enough about that.
“They say, ‘Those who can’t do, teach,’
but at West Point, ‘Those who have done,
teach.’ Our children came away with such
humility and understanding thanks to the
continued development of character and
leadership. Those intangibles somehow
become tangible when you go to West
Point.” �
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hen Chief Warrant Officer 5 Dan Jollota and his wife, Lt. Col. (ret.) Jane, decided
to make the career move to the United States Military Academy, the goal was
to help cadets.
Jane was a West Point graduate, Dan a veteran Army officer and both had been
deployed numerous times. Each had a unique take on life in the military and wanted to share
their experience with cadets and their families.
Dan and Jane met in Korea in the late-1980s where they were both stationed. What
started as a friendship led to marriage and a family that includes son, Sean, a junior member
of the Army lacrosse team and daughter, Erin, a freshman at West Point who is playing
women's lacrosse.
Jane was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1983, joined the Aviation branch and
retired from the U.S. Army reserves when the family arrived at West Point in 2006. Dan was
the West Point Aviation Detachment Commander in charge of two helicopters and two
airplanes, while Jane first volunteered in the community and then accepted a position as the
Cadet Hostess.
The family also decided to live on post for the first time in their military careers and
really feel part of the West Point community.
The Jollota family quickly became involved by sponsoring cadets, and they opened the
doors to their home for any cadet.
The marriage of two helicopter pilots wasn’t easy, especially with both deploying often.
They were married in September 1990, shortly after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Jane
was deployed and Dan was on post at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he was involved with the
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment in addition to support groups for Jane’s unit.
Soon after, Dan and Jane deployed to Somalia, leaving Sean in the care of Jane’s parents.
That situation, coupled with the birth of Erin in 1995, led to Jane’s resignation from active duty.
The family then moved to Virginia before deciding to relocate to West Point.
Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen, then-Commandant of Cadets and now Superintendent at West
Point, talked to Dan to gauge Jane’s interest in the Cadet Hostess position shortly after they
took their new posts. She applied for the job and was accepted during the hiring process.
“The job was a lot of fun,” says Jane. “It was really neat to be a graduate and be able to
share my experiences with the cadets. I worked in a lot of capacities, including all of the class
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events and summer training social etiquette
classes. Having been in the Army so long, it
was a bit out of my comfort zone in some
ways, but it was a great way to interact with
cadets and teach them life skills that they
could carry throughout their Army career
and their life.”
While Jane was involved as the Cadet
Hostess, Dan worked with the hockey team
as an officer representative. While it was rare
for a non-academic staff member to be an
officer representative, Dan’s love of hockey
and passion for helping people made him a
perfect fit for the job.
“When we decided to explore moving
to West Point, we did an assessment of what
we wanted to accomplish,” says Jane. “We
were members of the Special Operations
community and we had never lived on a
military post. When I was a cadet, I saw my
classmates get close to their sponsors and
thought it was really cool. We wanted to be
on post and interact with cadets. We felt
through the sponsorship program that we
could help make the cadet’s life a little
better. And it did. The rewards our family got
through building relationships and getting to
know families was tremendous. It was a very
rewarding experience for our children and
for us to give back, and it was absolutely the
highlight of our time at West Point.”
Dan sent an e-mail to head hockey
coach Brian Riley to express his interest in
helping hockey players and the two quickly
hit it off.
Josh Kassel, Army’s lone Division I
hockey All-American, was the first cadet the
Jollotas sponsored and the relationship
continues to this day. With Josh deployed as
a helicopter pilot, the Kassels visited the
Jollotas’ home in Maryland.
The number of cadets visiting the Jollota
household quickly grew and a Wednesday-
before-Thanksgiving dinner expanded to a
crowd of double digits so the hockey players
would have a traditional meal before
departing for games that weekend while
the Jollotas were at West Point.
“It was such a wonderful time,” says
Dan. “It was time-consuming but so worth it.
We really got close to a number of families.
It was such a valuable and beneficial
experience dealing with the cadets.”
Dan’s role with the hockey team grew when
he was elected president of the Army
Hockey Parents Association in 2006.
“I wanted to link the past, present and
future players together,” says Dan. “And we
wanted to provide support for old players to
come back and see what the team was up
to. It is such a passionate family and linking
the past and present was really special.”
Dan’s path from Detroit to West Point is
a tale in military excellence. The son of a
police officer, Dan enrolled in college with
the thoughts of becoming a certified public
accountant. Six months in, he decided it
wasn’t for him and chose the Army for a
structure and discipline change. His first
assignment was with the military police, a
stretch that lasted two years. He decided to
pursue Combat Engineering, Airborne and
Special Forces and eventually started
jumping out of airplanes.
He joined Special Forces and was
“We felt through the sponsorship program that we could help make thecadet’s life a little better. And it did. The rewards our family got throughbuilding relationships and getting to know families was tremendous.”
— Jane Jollota
(PICTURED BELOW) Dan served as an officerrepresentative and head of the Army HockeyParents Association for three years.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) (From left) Dan, Sean,Erin, and Jane Jollota following a lacrossegame at Michie Stadium in 2012.
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selected for the Golden Knights, spending
nearly four years with the parachute squad
during which he learned about Aviation.
Despite being enlisted in the Army for
nearly 12 years, Jollota went to Flight School,
a rare move for a senior enlisted non-
commissioned officer.
His Aviation career has taken him all
over the world and even earned him
mention in “Black Hawk Down,” a film that
documents the brave rescue of two soldiers
opposite a large force of heavily-armed
Somalis. Jollota piloted one of the helicopters
during that mission.
Jane is from upstate New York and while
she was recruited to play softball at West
Point, she chose to play lacrosse at the
Academy. Coming from a family with four
brothers, she enjoyed the physical
challenges of West Point and embarked
on a military career at a time few women
were choosing that career path.
“One of the reasons we wanted to
sponsor cadets was to help them through
the process,” says Jane. “I didn’t know much
about branches and posts. It is big decision
and we felt like we could provide some
good information about military careers. We
felt it was important for us to make sure our
cadets had people to talk to when they were
considering branches.”
Jane was debating between branching
Military Intelligence or Aviation and
Transportation before pursuing a flying
career.
“Jane was a phenomenal officer,” Dan
says. “When I walked off my first Aviation
assignment in Korea, Jane was one of the first
people I met. I had more than 12 years in the
Army and didn’t deal with too many females.
Jane struck me as a confident, competent
officer that stemmed not only from her
upbringing but also her West Point
experience. I watched her work and her
work ethic and it all stems from the
academic and leadership environment
she was involved in. It has made her the
person she is today.”
Jane led assault companies during
her military career and like Dan has
been deployed a number of times. Their
experiences in combat made them a
great resource for fellow families.
“Since 1983, post-Vietnam, Jane and I
have been involved in every deployment
with the exception of Grenada,” says Dan.
“It started in 1989 in Panama, then Jane was
deployed during Desert Shield/Desert
Storm. I went to Iraq and we were both in
Somalia. I was in Haiti and then Bosnia and
then the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns.”
Those experiences as well as a life-long
service led the family to West Point.
“West Point is certainly on the top of our
list of tours,” Jane says. “We had no idea of
the impact the cadets and their families
would have on our lives. “
“Jane offered so much,” Dan says.
“She was in the fourth class of women at
West Point; embarked on a military career;
became a mom; had to make some tough
decisions; served as a reservist; retired
and now works as a government service
employee. She brought an amazing amount
of information to these young female cadets.
She also has a wonderful perspective on
family life and all of the experiences
involved.”
Currently, Jane works with an Army unit
as a training manager while Dan is assigned
to an Army organization as a fixed wing pilot
and serves as Operations Officer. Their
home remains open for cadets, military
members’ families and anyone looking for
a great meal, just like when they were at
West Point. �
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Born To serveBy Tracy nelson
iz Lazzari is one of the most motivated, compassionate and driven people I have
ever had the pleasure of not only coaching, but knowing as a person. She puts
her heart and soul into everything she does. Simply put, she is the epitome of the
type of leader West Point aims to mold.” – Army volleyball head coach Alma Kovaci
Elizabeth Lazzari was raised on the sandy beaches of California and grew up playing
volleyball any chance she got. Just over two decades later, Lazzari was commanding a
platoon in sands of a whole different variety.
One of only three players in Army volleyball history to serve as a two-time team captain,
Lazzari’s list of accomplishments is equally historic and impressive. A former Junior Olympics
gold medalist, she is the only volleyball player in West Point history to win the prestigious
Army Athletic Association Trophy. She was also the first to represent Army at the United States
Women’s National Volleyball Team open tryouts. A three-time All-Patriot League performer
and 2005 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, Lazzari is one of just three players in Army’s 33-
year history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career.
The list goes on but the verdict remains the same. Lazzari graduated as one of the most
decorated, well-rounded players to ever don a Black Knights uniform. Those who know her
were certain she would go on to embody that same drive and spirit when she joined the
“Big Army.”
Commissioned as a second lieutenant during graduation exercises in May 2009, Lazzari
remained at West Point as an athletic intern with the volleyball team. In her seven months
assisting on the sidelines, the new officer helped guide Army to its first Patriot League title in
15 years and its only trip to the NCAA Division I Tournament.
The next five months were over in the blink of an eye, as Lazzari successfully completed
stops at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, La., and Fort Campbell, Ky., for Air
Assault School before landing in Sharana, Afghanistan, for her first deployment. Lazzari, who
has now reached the rank of captain, had entered the Medical Service branch of the U.S.
Army and commanded a unit of 40 soldiers consisting of both medics and providers.
“I hadn’t had a lot of time with my soldiers prior to heading into deployment,” Lazzari
says, who was a fresh-faced 23-year-old when she arrived in Afghanistan. “It forces you to
grow up really quickly. All 40 of my soldiers were looking to me to make hard decisions and
give them guidance. Deployment forced me to develop a little bit faster than I would have if I
had more ‘Garrison time.’ Once you’re deployed, decisions you make could mean life or
death. You’re managing these soldiers’ lives and making them into a team.”
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Lazzari’s “team” was based out of
Sharana, one of the larger Forward
Operating Bases (FOB) in Afghanistan and
the capital of Paktika province. There she
took command as the post’s clinic Officer In
Charge (OIC) where she oversaw a wealth
of medics, along with doctors, nurses, a
physical therapist, dentist, behavioral health
specialist and two physician’s assistants —
all of whom out-ranked her.
In addition to her day-to-day duties as
the clinic OIC, Lazzari spent some of her
time with an attached surgical unit that
completed medical procedures for anyone
in the Sharana area of operations. Among the
most frequent procedures were amputations
and intricate surgeries to repair hands and
other limbs.
“One of the main reasons I chose
Medical Service was because our mission is
clear and it never changes,” Lazzari says.
“Our mission is to provide care and save
lives — no matter what the circumstances.
“While nobody enjoys seeing hurt or
dead people, it made me feel like I could
explain our purpose to my platoon,” she
adds. “I think for a lot of people, it’s difficult to
define a purpose of any war and what it
really is all about.”
Soon after her arrival in Afghanistan,
Lazzari began working with an Army ODA
(Operational Detachment Alpha) team,
which wanted to start doing medical
missions focused on the female population
in Sharana and the outlying areas. In the
early stages, she provided supplies and
answered questions. That was not enough —
Lazzari wanted to make a difference, and it
showed.
When the Special Forces ODA unit
began the planning process for the medical
missions, Lazzari came to mind as the ideal
lieutenant to call upon for assistance.
“I went out on the first mission and
brought female providers and medics
along,” she recalls. “I provided the security
piece, which involved patting down the
females prior to their receiving treatment. As
everyone is aware, men are not allowed to
touch their women in that culture, so that was
the whole reason I was brought in.
“A lot of the women have very serious,
chronic conditions and because they are
women, they don’t have much access to
care,” she adds. “It’s also a very poor region.
In general, some of the conditions that our
providers were seeing, in our country, a
patient would have been immediately
transported to a hospital and put on weeks
and weeks of treatment.
For us, it was difficult because we didn’t
have that kind of authority or access.
It was more a case of ‘If you do X, Y and Z,
it will help with pain.’”
“One of the main reasons I chose Medical Service was because ourmission is clear and it never changes. Our mission is to provide care and save lives – no matter what the circumstances.”
— Capt. Elizabeth Lazzari
(PICTURED BELOW) Liz distributes supplies towomen and children during her deployment toSharana, Afghanistan, in the fall of 2011.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Lazzari celebrates a pointduring her playing days on the volleyball courtat West Point.
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The missions themselves typically
lasted about eight hours and involved
treating females and their children for
ailments ranging from ear wax build-up in
babies to congestive heart failure in the
elderly. With each case, the medical team
did as much as possible to alleviate the
problem and did so using only medication
available locally.
“We never issued American
medication,” Lazzari explains. “We only went
out and bought medicine on their economy
so that it was a sustainable thing that could
be resupplied at a local pharmacy. That also
diminished the amount of care we could
provide because we didn’t have access to all
of the medicine that we would normally. We
did as much as we possibly could.”
Lazzari says sometimes, the patients
just want to be given something — even if it
was a couple of M&Ms like one provider
used to bring along in the rare case that
absolutely nothing could be done. They
simply want hope that what’s ailing them
may subside.
“The missions were so helpful for the
medical professionals in the region because
they could get a survey of sorts of the major
health concerns in that particular area,”
Lazzari says. “They were then able to
provide the local doctors and female
midwives with guidance on what medication
or supplies to buy more of based on the
population.”
While Lazzari embraced her role in the
medical missions themselves, it was after
her security work finished that she really had
the chance to make an impression.
“Once I was finished with security
checks and nobody else was coming
through, a lot of the kids would be waiting
in the area outside for their parents to finish
at the clinic,” Lazzari says. “I brought
volleyballs with me on my missions, just a
couple in a sack, and handed them out to
the kids. The interesting thing being in
Afghanistan is they actually know how to play
volleyball. When I threw the ball to them,
they instinctively passed it back to me.
“I’m sure it’s the same with all American
women, but the children seemed to be
fascinated by me because I walked right
alongside with the men for work-related
activity,” she remembers. “They are just like
American children, playing and doing the
same things. They just don’t have as many
resources available to them. I think it was
important for me to see that and relate to
them. Seeing the little girls broke my heart
because I know how undervalued women
are in their country. It’s a very poor area; a lot
of the little girls didn’t have shoes. They are
still the most adorable, beautiful little girls.”
Such missions continued throughout
the majority of Lazzari’s deployment, which
eventually grew to her involvement in the
Female Engagement Team (FET) over her
last two months in Sharana. With roots in
the United States Marine Corps, the FET
conducts outreach primarily through
interaction with women and children to learn
about and report information on the local
population. That information is then used to
implement community development
programs that will serve the needs of that
specific local area.
After a year-long deployment, Lazzari
returned from Afghanistan in July 2011. She
made a stop in Fort Campbell, Ky., and was
recently stationed in Korea where she
served as the HHD Commander for the
168th Multi-Functional Medical Battalion. In
July 2013, Lazzari headed back to her
Golden State roots at the United States Army
Garrison Presidio of Monterey.
It’s ironic that when asked at the
beginning of her “Firstie” year at West Point
what her hopes were for the future, Lazzari
said the following:
“I want to accomplish a lot of different
things. But in the end, I hope to live each day
to the fullest, capture each moment and
bring more love into the world — all in an
effort to make it a better place. That is the
greatest accomplishment I can hope for.”
Liz Lazzari can consider her mission
complete. �
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ending your child to attend the world’s premier military institution would give just
about any parent a reason for pause. In an ever-shifting world climate where the
specter of combat is illustrated in our daily headlines, the prospect of watching your son or
daughter train at an academy dedicated solely to producing the future leaders of our nation’s
Army is not always easy to accept.
Meet Elizabeth LoRusso — a wife, mother and high school teacher who has spent the
last 28 years raising a family on the north shore of central Long Island. All born within a five-
year span, her four boys — Nicholas, Kevin, Brian and Larry — grew up like any other set of
brothers, playing sports and getting into adventures in their small hamlet of Rocky Point, N.Y.
However, the common thread that ties her boys even tighter together is that of the United
States Military Academy and the exceptional experience that all four endured, not only in the
classrooms of its hallowed walls, but on the lacrosse field as well.
“When I first heard West Point was interested in Nicholas, it was very exciting but very
scary,” reminisces Elizabeth. “I was always apprehensive about the boys going into the
military because there are obvious dangers in doing that. If it was up to me, they would all be
living at home and I’d be tucking them in every night. But kids grow up and I was really
honored that the toughest school in the country wanted my sons. There aren’t a lot of people
who can make it into West Point. It’s amazing that I have four.”
The LoRusso brothers grew up at the epicenter of a neighborhood full of kids their age
on a street that was transformed daily into a hockey rink, a football field or some other type of
arena for the myriad of games conceived by their young minds. No matter the contest,
competition was always the name of the game.
“All of these games usually started a lot of fights,” smiles Brian. “Being as competitive as
we all were, you never wanted to be the one that was sitting out. While a lot of games ended
with bloody lips or noses, it was always a lot of fun. We always competed in everything we
did, whether it was between us brothers, or against the other kids.”
Internal competition in the LoRusso house was a way of life. If one brother could do 10
pull-ups, the other needed to do 11. Spontaneous push-up competitions during television
commercials were a common occurrence. It was Mom, however, that stressed the value in
sticking together as brothers early on.
“My rules were you just weren’t allowed to fight with each other. We used to sing a little
song that went, ‘We’re the LoRusso brothers, you don’t mess with us, because we’re rough
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and we’re tough and we always stick
together.’ I wanted them to learn to watch out
for each other, and they did. You knew you
were going to be messing with all of them if
you tried to mess with one. I remember one
time when Larry got in trouble at school for
pushing another boy down that had shoved
one of his older brothers. He was only in first
grade.”
Adds Brian, “Mom was the enforcer, the
peacemaker and everything in between.
She definitely kept everything together. She
was the strongest lady I know in terms of
being able to deal with us. I’m not sure how
she was able to do that since we were such
little ‘terrorizers’ growing up.
“Along with our father, she encouraged
us to do a lot of different things and really
focused on making sure we built a good
relationship as brothers growing up. She
really stressed how important it was that we
always rely on, and look out for one another
and be best friends. We still are to this day.
A lot of that has to do with her.“
The boys were encouraged to play
a wide variety of sports by both of their
parents. Elizabeth grew up competing in
gymnastics, while their father, Larry Sr.,
competed in a broad range of sports,
including competitive body building. The
boys learned at a young age valuable
lessons in what it took to be successful
by listening to their parents’ stories and
following their example.
Says Larry Jr. about his elder
namesake, “I remember when he would get
up at 4 o’clock in the morning to go work out
and then he would go to work. He would
come home and then go work out again.
He was in great shape and was pretty
intimidating. You definitely didn’t want to get
into any trouble with him at that point.”
Family also played a large role when it
came to choosing their favorite sport —
lacrosse. While the brothers grew up playing
organized football, wrestling and soccer, it
was lacrosse that ran in their family’s blood.
The boys’ first idol was their mother’s cousin,
Greg Kulesa, who was an All-America goalie
in high school as well as at nearby Adelphi
University, where they watched him win a
pair of national championships. Greg’s
mother, Marj, also bought each of her
grandnephews their first lacrosse stick when
they made their First Holy Communion.
These special occasions were always
celebrated in many ways, but none were
bigger than unwrapping their very own
stick.
It was Mom, however, that offered the
boys their first bit of coaching.
“I told them that they had a very big
advantage. ‘You know each other very well
and know what the other guy is going to do.
So you should all play different positions so
you can move the ball up the field well when
you are all able to play together when you
get older.’ So, we wound up with a goalie
(Nick), a defenseman (Larry) and two
midfielders (Kevin, Brian).”
West Point started recruiting Nick
during his junior year of high school. When
he came back from his first visit, he knew it
was exactly where he wanted to go. Over the
next four years, Kevin was also recruited by
the Black Knights, followed by Brian and
Larry as well. Several other schools showed
interest in Larry’s lacrosse talents, but there
was no way he could be the only brother that
didn’t go to West Point. For each brother,
their college search ended up not going
much past the shores of the Hudson River.
“During high school, the boys played a
lot of games in a lot of different places so we
would always go check other schools out,”
says Elizabeth. “Being the oldest, Nick
probably did the most looking around, but it
always ended up being West Point. They all
said the idea of going into the military was
appealing because of the ‘fun’ things you got
to do like blow things up, shoot guns and
jump out of helicopters.”
Before any of her sons made their final
decisions, Elizabeth always made sure all
four knew that they had several options
when it came to choosing a school to attend.
Even with the growing prospect that a free
education was a possibility for them at West
Point, she assured them she would work
another job to help pay for them to go to
another school if that is what they wanted.
“Like any mother, she was nervous,”
explains Kevin. “She didn’t necessarily want
her boys going in the Army after school was
over. She was very protective of us and said
we didn’t have to do anything we didn’t want
to. Now, I think she is pretty happy we all
went to West Point and in the end, sees how
much of a good thing it has been.”
“Bringing Nick up on ‘R-Day’ was
exciting but also scary and overwhelming at
the same time,” recalls Elizabeth. “Here we
were, dropping him off at a prestigious
school, but it definitely wasn’t what I would
“When I first heard West Point was interested in Nicholas, it was veryexciting but very scary. I was always apprehensive about the boys goinginto the military because there are obvious dangers in doing that. If it wasup to me, they would all be living at home and I’d be tucking them inevery night.”
— Elizabeth LoRusso
49
imagine the typical first day of college is
normally like. Hearing the, ‘You have
one minute to say your goodbyes’
announcement before he left us was like
having my heart ripped out. You hear rumors
about what is going to happen to your son
and how they might not make it through, but
then you learn that the Army really is being
careful with the cadets and see the support
they have, and it makes you rest a bit easier.”
Over the course of a nine-year span
since Nick first started at West Point, there
have only been a handful of Army lacrosse
games that have not been attended by at
least one of the LoRusso parents. From
Colorado and Minnesota, to Texas, Florida
and everywhere in between, the boys have
always appreciated how amazing it has been
to look up and see a familiar face in the stands
every single time they set foot on the field.
“I realize how fortunate we have been
to have one or both of them at every one of
our games,” says Larry. “There are some
guys who don’t even get to see their parents
at all during the season because they don’t
have the time to travel. My brothers and I all
know how lucky we really have been that
they are able to do that.”
Adds Kevin, “Even after a tough loss,
my mom was always the first one there to
give me a hug and tell me how great I did,
even when I didn’t have my best game. Both
my parents were always very supportive.”
When she was not traipsing around the
country watching her sons play, Elizabeth
teaches Family and Consumer Science
courses at Longwood High School.
Appropriately enough, she also teaches
Parenting and Child Development classes
to her high school students.
“She is one of the most driven people I
know,” explains Brian. “I remember when
she was working on her master’s degree
while we were all little kids running around.
She was able to follow her dream and still
hasn’t stopped taking classes even after all
this time. Between online and night classes,
I can’t remember a year when she has
decided not to take something else. She
wants to further herself and be the best there
is. I’ve met her students before and they all
talk about how awesome she is and how
much they love her. I guess we were her
practice growing up, trying to teach us
everything. I think she did a great job.”
An era came to an end in the spring of
2012 as Larry and Brian not only played their
final games in an Army uniform, but followed
in the footsteps of Nick (USMA ’07) and
Kevin (USMA ’09) and received their
diplomas. All four LoRusso brothers are now
currently serving our U.S. Army.
“It’s emotional because I can’t believe
we don’t have games to go to any more. It
was bittersweet because it was such a
wonderful experience for us for so many
years. We’ve met a lot of great people and
became friends with the other boys on the
team and their parents from year to year. I
still communicate with the mothers of former
players and we keep a running list of who is
deployed and where everyone is going. It is
a constant reminder that, even if your kid isn’t
at war right now, other boys that have
become part of our family are. We live close
enough to West Point that many of them have
been at my house through the years. It is so
nice to know that it is another type of
motherhood for all the mothers of the team
because I know our boys would be
welcome at any of their houses as well.”
No other mother in the history of West
Point has ever sent more of her sons to train
at this great American institution. And no
other mother could feel the same about
the person all of her sons have become.
“I’m just really proud of my kids. I
always just wanted to raise good people and
that’s what they are. The fact they wanted to
serve their country and understood the
commitments they were making, especially
the younger two who had two older brothers
that could come home and tell them the truth
behind closed doors when Mommy wasn’t
listening, means the world. It helped that
they really wanted to do it, even though there
was a time I might have tried to talk them out
of it. Now I see the men they have become.
And I’m very proud.” �
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(PICTURED ABOVE) The LoRusso Family gathers at their Long Island home during the holidaysin 2008. Elizabeth and her husband, Larry Sr., are surrounded by sons (clockwise from left)Brian, Kevin, Larry and Nick.
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n April 1994, Jen (Johnston) McAfee and her best friend, Darlene Dondero, were juniors
at the United States Military Academy and members of the Army softball team. Both
were looking forward to home-cooked meals Easter weekend with a few of their teammates
at Dondero’s home in Ringwood, N.J.
The two were upperclassmen at West Point, enjoying some of the privileges that come
with the added responsibilities and leadership roles they held within the United States Corps
of Cadets and as members of the Army softball team.
Unfortunately life has a way of throwing a curve ball at times. Easter weekend started off
on a joyous note for McAfee and Dondero, but ended tragically.
On Good Friday, Dondero’s mother, Marilyn, and father, Bob, drove to West Point’s
Central Area to pick up the entire softball team for a brief respite from the barracks with
dinner at their home and an overnight stay. Saturday morning, after a hearty breakfast, they
made the 45-minute return trek to West Point for a doubleheader at Buffalo Soldier Field
against Lehigh.
McAfee was the starting shortstop and Dondero was a member of the pitching staff. That
doubleheader would be the last time Dondero would step onto Army’s softball field. It would
be several months before McAfee ever returned to the diamond.
Seven players made the return trip to the Dondero’s home Saturday to join Darlene’s
family for Easter dinner on Sunday. The Donderos got the crew up early the next morning for
Sunrise Service at the Wanaque Reservoir followed by an Easter egg hunt and a full course
dinner augmented by members of the Dondero family, to include Darlene’s grandmother,
aunt, and cousins.
Just a few hours later on Route 293, a major passageway between West Point and the
NewYork State Thruway, Darlene was fatally injured when the car in which she was riding
struck a tree.
“Darlene’s dad had three to four players in his car in front of us, and I was with Darlene
and her mother,” reflects McAfee, who originally was in the front seat, but ultimately deferred
the spot to her friend.
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“I don’t remember anything other than
they had to use the Jaws of Life to get
Darlene out of the car.”
McAfee was asleep in the back seat
and suffered extensive injures after going
through the rear window on the passenger
side. Those injuries required a plate to be
inserted into her left arm, screws in her right
hand and a rod in her leg. She also sustained
a head injury.
“I went halfway out of the window and
did all the damage to myself when I raised
my arms,” explains McAfee. “That is how I
broke my left arm and right hand, and my
right leg was pinned under Darlene’s feet
with my left leg hanging out.
“I was first taken to West Point’s Keller
Army Community Hospital, and then
transferred to the Westchester Trauma
Center where my parents met me that night
after flying in from Arizona. I didn’t know
about Darlene until I woke up in the ICU at
Keller.”
The first decision that McAfee made
after being told that Darlene did not survive
the crash was to announce she planned to
go to her funeral at the Cadet Chapel.
The doctors at Keller Army Community
Hospital refused her request, but orthopedic
surgeon Dr. John Uhorchak sided with
McAfee, knowing how important it was for
her to be there. Despite her limited mobility,
McAfee attended the funeral and gravesite
service of her best friend at the West Point
Cemetery on a hospital bed.
It was a long road back to recovery,
aggravated further when McAfee was told
shortly after the accident she would just have
to sign some paperwork to get out of the
Army and West Point. That was not an option
that she had any desire to consider. Instead
it just made her more resolute about
remaining a member of the Corps.
“I told them, ‘I don’t plan on quitting,’”
remembers McAfee. “I came to West Point to
become an officer and I planned to finish and
serve. I asked them, ‘What is Option B?’ They
said I could be a December graduate. Again
I said, ‘No,’ and asked, ‘What about Plan C?’
“That option had my professors coming
to the hospital where I did my studies and
took my WPRs (written partial reviews).
About a month later, Dr. Uhorchak allowed
me to go to classes, but I lived in the hospital
until the end of the school year.”
“What Jen had to overcome and what she did to lead by example wasinspirational. What everyone took away from that accident because ofwhat we experienced was that softball was just a game and that life wasso much more important.”
— Jim Flowers
(PICTURED BELOW) Jen (standing, fifth from left)poses with her teammates and members of the1994 Army softball team.
(PICTURED RIGHT) McAfee (right) and DarleneDondero were close friends prior to Dondero’stragic death in 1994.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Jen (standing) adorned thecover of the 1995 Army’s women’s softballmedia guide along with Brigitte Yuskis.
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While McAfee was recuperating in the
hospital, her teammates wore a patch with
the No. 17 on their uniforms to honor
Dondero the next two seasons.
“The 1994 season started off with high
hopes and great expectations,” recalls Jim
Flowers, who coached Army from 1991 to
2009. “We took the week off after the accident
and used it for team bonding and taking care
of all those things when you have a crisis.”
While McAfee’s teammates returned to
Buffalo Soldier Field after the accident, she
did not step onto the playing field until the
fall of her senior year after spending the
summer at Fort Bragg, N.C., participating in
Cadet Troop Leadership Training. She took
that first step with her teammates, but still
missed having her best friend by her side.
“It was sad,” says McAfee with a lump in
her throat. “We all missed her, and I felt like I
had a hole in my heart. Coach Flowers was
solemn, but he handled it well. We all played for
Darlene and everyone picked each other up.”
It was a frustrating time for McAfee, who
still was not 100 percent due to the steel rod
that had been placed in her leg and limited
her lateral motion and ability to run. Flowers
knew how important it was to keep his
senior co-captain in the lineup, and she split
time at second base and at designated
player. She batted .500 at the Patriot League
Tournament that season and closed out the
year as Army’s runs batted in leader with 14.
“What Jen had to overcome and what she
did to lead by example was inspirational,”
explains Flowers. “What everyone took away
from that accident because of what we
experienced was that softball was just a
game and that life was so much more
important … being together, doing things
together and enjoying things together.”
Next stop for McAfee was graduation
and those four years came rushing back
with memories of her “Plebe” summer in
1991 when she became instant friends with
Darlene. They helped each other through a
challenging “Plebe” year; spent their first
two years in the same regiment; and roomed
together on softball road trips.
“It is hard to stay close to your friends
across the years,” notes McAfee. “If the
circumstances were different, I know that I
would still be close with ‘Dar’ today. We used
to talk all the time. When I would be home
on leave in Arizona and she was at home in
New Jersey, we called each other up. One
time I forgot about the time difference and
called her in the middle of the night.”
A few months after picking up her
bachelor of science degree in Spanish
and Portuguese, the newly commissioned
Military Intelligence Officer at Ft. Huachuca,
Ariz., returned to the Northeast for a special
appearance in Cape Cod, Mass. McAfee
was presented with the Eastern College
Athletic Conference Award of Valor, which
is presented to an athlete “whose courage,
motivation and relentless determination
serves as an inspiration to all.”
“I felt several others could have
received that award,” recalls McAfee.
“I was able to keep driving on with the
support of my family and friends, my
teammates and Darlene’s parents. It was
sad, though, because it brought back
memories. I know Darlene would have
been a wonderful leader because she
cared a lot about people.
“I think things happen for a reason. It
helped make me a strong and compassionate
leader. I feel you have to understand what
your troops are going through and know
their situations. That came to my own
attention during my first assignment when
my company commander could not
understand why I was barely passing the
Physical Training run. I didn’t tell him about
the rod in my leg because I didn’t want to
make excuses. When he found out, he was
apologetic, but you can’t make an opinion
of people until you realize the ‘whole
person’ concept. “
Leadership was in McAfee’s blood and
her military career took off. It has been an
exciting and enjoyable journey as she heads
into her 19th year in the Army. In between
assignments that included a tour in Hawai’i
and another in the war zone of Iraq, McAfee
was able to take a few more swings with the
bat. She was a member of the All-Army
women’s softball team that won the gold
medal in 2004 after defeating Air Force, Navy
and the Marines. That led to an invite to the
All-Armed Forces Team and the opportunity
to play in the National Tournament in
Oklahoma City where she posted the team’s
highest batting average (.412).
“I love being in the Army and I love being
with the soldiers. I will stay as long I can make a
difference and help soldiers be successful.”
McAfee, who was promoted to
lieutenant colonel in 2011, took command of
the Phoenix Recruiting Battalion in July 2012,
consisting of six companies, 30 recruiting
stations, 29 Department of the Army civilian
workers and 330 soldiers throughout
Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas and
Nevada covering 250,000 square miles.
Tragedy affects people in various ways.
The loss of Jen McAfee’s best friend helped
make her a strong and compassionate officer
who leads by example. That is just what she
has done every day since that horrible
Easter weekend two decades ago. �
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ow, 93 years young and living on Cape Cod in his native Massachusetts, Jack Riley still
lights up when he talks about the United States Military Academy.
An Olympic gold medal-winning coach, an Olympic player and a member of numerous
halls of fame, Riley is quick to point out how special a place West Point is, saying, “I loved
every minute of it.”
Jack Riley’s resume is well known. Coached at Army for 36 years, winning 542 games.
Led the United States Olympic team to a gold medal in 1960, beating Czechoslovakia,
Sweden, Germany, Russia and Canada. Inducted in the inaugural class of the Army Sports
Hall of Fame and chosen for a bevy of other national honors.
When Jack Riley announced his retirement in 1986, the head coaching job at Army
stayed in the Riley family where it has remained for the past 62 years. His sons, Rob and then
Brian, took responsibility heading a program that dates back to 1904.
Jack Riley’s tenure as head coach was the start of an amazing legacy at West Point, first
at Smith Rink and now at Tate Rink. Jack posted 542 wins, Rob won 257 games during his
18 years behind the bench and Brian won his 100th game early in the 2012-13 season.
“I’m not surprised they got into coaching but I never pushed it,” says Jack. “We talk all
the time, especially after games. They know more about the game than I do but I still want to
hear all about it.”
The Riley legacy got its start at West Point, but it wasn’t easy for the decorated Navy
pilot. Jack was approached by then-Athletic Director Col. Earl Blaik about a position in
Army’s athletic department. Blaik wanted Jack to coach the hockey team and spend time
in Washington, D.C., helping cadet-athletes gain admittance to West Point.
“I didn’t really want to be a hockey coach,” explains Riley, a member of the 1948
Olympic squad that finished fourth despite leading the St. Moritz, Switzerland, Olympic
Games in goals. “I was still pursuing the Olympics, but I took the job. I remember playing
against the cadets (Jack is a Dartmouth graduate) and how hard they worked, so I took it.”
Jack’s job was split between coaching the ice hockey team and helping gain the
necessary letters of recommendations for consideration for cadets’ acceptance at West Point.
The start of his coaching career wasn’t Hall of Fame worthy with five wins in his first two
seasons, but six straight winning years followed and made people take notice of his prowess
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behind the bench.
Jack Riley had season tickets to Boston
Bruins games as a youngster and spent all of
his time trying to talk to management and
coaches about breakout plays and coaching
philosophies, instead of chasing autographs.
Walter Brown was the owner of the
Bruins and got to know Riley, an eager
hockey student. As the head of the Amateur
Hockey Association, it was Brown who chose
Riley to coach the 1960 United States
Olympic team.
Riley readily accepted the job and
knew it would be a tremendous challenge,
bringing players together from across the
country to form a single unit against
international competition. The majority of the
training took place at the large sheet of ice at
West Point’s Smith Rink. Riley molded the
players into a cohesive unit, utilizing Red,
White and Blue lines instead of the usual first,
second and third lines and enforced a no-
smoking or drinking policy, something not
unexpected from a man who has never
taken a drink or smoked a cigarette.
Riley chose to add the Cleary brothers,
Bill and Bob, and cut Herb Brooks, in a move
made famous in Disney’s “Miracle on Ice”
film about the Brooks-coached 1980 gold
medal-winning squad. The Clearys
combined for 12 goals during the Olympics
and Brooks used the experience to win his
own gold medal.
While the 1980 team has gained
notoriety as the “Miracle On Ice,” it was the
1960 team that beat Russia, Canada and the
Czechs and secured the country’s first
Olympic gold medal. The 1980 team had a
Disney movie and TBS special; the 1960
squad was featured in a book published by
Harvey Shapiro three years ago, “1960:
Miracle at Squaw Valley,” a project that began
when Shapiro was behind Riley in line at a
Massachusetts grocery store.
Riley’s Red, White and Blue squad
claimed the gold medal with a come-from-
“Certainly here at West Point, being a coach is both very rewarding and humbling. As you know, in some small way you are helping to prepare your players for when they graduate to be the leaders of ournation’s sons and daughters.”
— Brian Riley
(PICTURED AT LEFT) Jack Riley is shown duringhis 36-year tenure as head coach at Army.
(PICTURED ABOVE) Jack (third from left)dropped the ceremonial first puck as Armyand Royal Military College renewed theirhockey rivalry in February 2012. Brian(second from right) participated in theceremony as well.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) The Riley familycelebrates Jack’s 90th birthday duringAugust 2010.
57
behind 9-4 victory over the Czechs, the
gold-medal favorite.
Riley stored his gold medal in his
dresser, an easy find for his sons who
brought it out to show neighbors and friends.
While it now resides in a safety deposit box,
the gold medal was the talk of the
neighborhood.
Riley’s neighbors at West Point included
some of the most well-known names in
coaching: Vince Lombardi, Bob Knight, Mike
Krzyzewski, Bill Parcels, Joe Palone and Eric
Tipton to name a few.
“I never thought I would last as long as I
did at West Point,” admits Jack. “But I fell in
love with the place and the cadets. The way
they played and gave all they had was
amazing. I had a fantastic time at West Point
and enjoyed every minute of it. I think my
family did too.”
Riley’s children were surrounded by
some of the top minds in coaching so it’s not
a surprise that two of his children followed
his footsteps.
While Rob and Brian continued to serve
at West Point, all five siblings were Division I
hockey players and captains of their
respective teams. Jay (Harvard), Rob and
Mark (Boston College), Brian (Brown) and
Mary Beth (St. Lawrence) were all
tremendous players and students.
“What I remember most about growing
up at West Point was the opportunities to be
around cadets,” says Brian. “We were able to
come up to the rink and basically had what
turned out to be, in addition to my three
older brothers, 25 older brothers. Army
Hockey was what we lived for and it was a
great experience. Growing up on Bartlett
Loop, with all of the other coaches’ kids was
great too. I was on the sidelines for Army
football games filling water coolers. You were
able to be a part of so many neat things.”
Rob took over when Jack retired and
won at least eight games in all 18 of his
seasons. Brian learned the collegiate
coaching game as his brother’s assistant and
then stepped in when Rob retired to pursue
interests outside of hockey.
“One of the great things for me was
working with my dad and the transition from
Smith Rink to Tate Rink,” says Rob. “I was
able to spend so many years coaching with
Brian, too, and the family aspect has always
been a very important piece. Most
important was the daily interaction with the
cadets that we got to know and watch grow
up. To watch these young men come in and
four years later see the finished product was
really exciting.”
The entire family and the bulk of the
hockey community gathered in 2010 to
celebrate Jack’s 90th birthday and his
contributions to hockey. In addition to special
pucks, RILEY #90 jerseys were provided for
an alumni game, and a host of familiar faces
were on hand for a dinner, all of whom
signed a giant birthday card. Former Army
Director of Athletics Carl Ullrich and fellow
Olympic coaches Murray Williamson, Tim
Taylor and Lou Vairo were also in
attendance.
Brian recently completed his ninth
season as Army head coach and led the
Black Knights to their first championship, the
2007-08 regular season Atlantic Hockey
Association title. He is a three-time selection
as Atlantic Hockey Association Coach of the
Year.
Rob, meanwhile, returned to athletics.
He spent two years as the head coach of the
NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets top minor
league affiliate in Springfield, Mass., before
accepting the Athletic Director’s position at
Regis College.
“I knew I wanted to be around sports
but never grew up thinking I wanted to be a
coach,” says Brian. “It was during college
that I realized that the coaching direction was
a path I wanted to take. I felt that it would
allow me to still be around the game and
experience everything that comes with
being involved with a game that has meant
so much to me and my family. Certainly here
at West Point, being a coach is both very
rewarding and humbling. As you know, in
some small way you are helping to prepare
your players for when they graduate to be
the leaders of our nation’s sons and
daughters.” �
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s the 19th commander of the United States Forces Command, the Army’s largest
organization, Gen. David Rodriguez was responsible for training, readying and
equipping 265,000 active component soldiers and 560,000 soldiers in the Army National
Guard and United States Army Reserve. The 1976 West Point graduate and football
letterwinner worked every day to instill the values of, “resolute strength and unyielding
determination,” that bond the 820,000 people under his command. However, his greatest
success during his 36-year military career may be passing along those same values to one
soldier — his son, Andrew Rodriguez.
A member of the West Point Class of 2012, Andrew distinguished himself as one of the
most decorated football players in Army history. In December 2011, the academic All-
American, who boasted a better than 4.0 grade point average, became the first West Point
player to take home the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy, presented
annually to the nation’s top football playing scholar-athlete. Just three months later, Andrew put
his name among the nation’s all-time great athletes, a list that includes former Army stars Felix
“Doc” Blanchard and Y. Arnold Tucker, by claiming the Amateur Athletic Union’s James E.
Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States. Army’s leading tackler as a
sophomore in 2009, Andrew missed the entire 2010 season with a career-threatening back
injury. He returned in 2011 to start 11 games.
“I think his personal comeback from injury reflects his personal philosophy,” Gen.
Rodriguez, now serving as the Commander of Unites States Africa Command, explains. “He
is tough and perseveres. He strives to be the best and to work very hard. His final year at
West Point certainly reflects that work ethic and dedication.”
That work ethic and dedication can be traced back to the guidance and instruction
Andrew received during his time traveling the world as the youngest of four siblings in a
military family, including one older sister who graduated from West Point in 2006. Living on
Army posts for his entire childhood, a young Andrew was able to witness the values
necessary in order to serve in the armed forces.
“He has grown up around the Army with assignments at Fort Bragg, the Pentagon and
military bases around the world,” Rodriguez says of his son. “He also knew about family
separations. He was only three months old when I was deployed to Operation Desert Storm
in 1990, and was 13 when I went back there in 2003. Growing up, he’d go to work with me
sometimes as well as visiting injured soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the
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Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He
knew about the values, the personal
dedication and sacrifice it takes to pursue a
career in our armed forces.”
The elder Rodriguez was also raised
with an appreciation for the military lifestyle.
A native of West Chester, Penn., he, like most
other families in the tight-knit, working-class
community, had relatives who served during
World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
“We all knew someone who served
in the armed forces,” Rodriguez recalls.
“Schools like nearby West Chester
University offer Army ROTC. The Veterans
of Foreign Wars Post 106 has been operating
there since 1899 and hosts a picnic on
Memorial Day to honor the fallen. My father
was in the Army and part of the occupation
army of Japan.”
After earning two varsity letters in
football and receiving all-conference honors
in baseball at Henderson High School,
Rodriguez was recruited to play football for
head coach Tom Cahill at West Point. Along
with his exposure to military life, students at
Henderson were instilled with similar values
as cadets at West Point. Henderson’s ideals
of “lessons of life and truth” and “knowledge
to serve, to each a loyal heart,” which are
included in the school’s alma mater, were
great introductions for the Academy’s ideals
of, “Duty, Honor, Country.” Rodriguez was a
four-year member of the Army football team,
earning his first varsity letter as a senior in
1975. He embarked on his military career
after graduating in the spring of 1976 and
was commissioned in the Infantry branch of
the U.S. Army.
Rodriguez continued his education,
earning a Master of Arts in National Security
and Strategic Studies from the United States
Naval War College and a Master of Military
Art and Science from the United States Army
Command and General Staff College.
During his highly-decorated career,
Rodriguez has earned the Defense
Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished
Service Medal, Defense Superior Service
Medal, Legion of Merit (with 4 Oak Leaf
Clusters), Bronze Star Medal (with Oak Leaf
Cluster), Defense Meritorious Medal,
Meritorious Service Medal (with 4 Oak Leaf
Clusters), Joint Service Commendation
Medal, Army Commendation Medal
(with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Service
Achievement Medal, numerous foreign
awards, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert
Infantryman Badge, Master Parachutist
Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Ranger Tab.
In his more than 35 years of military
service, Rodriguez has experienced nearly
every aspect of being an Infantry leader and
commander. His combat experience began
during the Gulf War as a G-3 Planner for the
XVIII Airborne Corps during Operation Just
Cause (1989-90). He also served as an
Operations Officer for the 1st Battalion, 505th
Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd
Airborne during operations Desert Shield
and Desert Storm (1990-91). Rodriguez
returned to the Middle East as an Assistant
Division Commander of the 4th Infantry
Division (Mechanized) in 2002.
After several other high-ranking
leadership details, Gen. David Petraeus
tabbed Rodriguez as Deputy Commander,
United States Forces Afghanistan. In that role,
the then-“three-star” general was
responsible for developing the operational
plan for what has become known as the
“Afghan Surge,” the deployment of 30,000
additional troops in 2009.
“He’ll never tell you that this whole thing
was his baby,” his top aide at the time, Col.
Kimberly Field, told Newsweek magazine.
“But it was.”
Described as “low-key” and “humble”
by some of his subordinates, Rodriguez took
a philosophical and inclusive approach to
one of the most important plans in recent
“I was proud and honored that my children all made great careerchoices, both military and civilian. All four are terrific citizens, and Ginnyand I couldn’t be prouder of them, including two choosing to go to West Point.”
— Gen. David Rodriguez
(PICTURED BELOW) Rodriguez exchanges ahandshake with former Private 1st Class“Babe” Heffron of E Co., 506th ParachuteInfantry (The “Band of Brothers”) during areception at the Union League of Philadelphiaon Veterans Day in November 2011.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE TOP) Rodriguez with hisson, Andrew, and wife, Ginny, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City for the 2011 NationalFootball Foundation Awards Dinner.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE BOTTOM) (From left)Rodriguez and Gen. Robert Cone, CommandingGeneral, United States Army Training andDoctrine Command.
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military history.
“I tell everybody, ‘If we used our two
ears and one mouth in the same ratio we had
them, we would be better off,’” he told
Newsweek in that same June 26, 2011 article.
It is that sense of selfless duty that
Rodriguez and his wife, Ginny, have passed
down to their son. While standing in front of
an audience that included a “Who’s Who” of
amateur athletics after accepting the Sullivan
Award, the younger Rodriguez chose not to
tout his own accomplishments, but instead
honored those who helped shape his life
and the men and women he will soon be
leading.
"This award is a tribute to all the people
who have helped me throughout my life,"
Rodriguez told the audience at the New York
Athletic Club. "I had the opportunity to play
for all the servicemen and servicewomen
who watched us every week. That's who my
teammates and I played for, and this award
goes out to them."
Humility is not the only trait that Andrew,
who graduated ranked third in West Point’s
Class of 2012, has inherited from his family. A
recognized leader both within the United
States Corps of Cadets and the football
team, Rodriguez was chosen as a team
captain by his teammates despite his
uncertain playing status entering the 2011
season. A quiet leader, Rodriguez has
modeled his leadership style from
everything he was able to observe as a
youngster.
“Andrew is a fantastic son!” the proud
father says. “He told a sports reporter back
in 2007 that many of the lessons he learned
growing up around the Army he tries to
carry over into his athletics. The Army is
really based on leadership. He said in that
interview, as I recall, that he got to see first-
hand the type of leadership it takes to be
successful. Lead by example, be the best,
work the hardest, do everything and inspire
others to follow you.”
For an officer with such a decorated
and well-known, father, the expectations
would seem daunting at times, but the
younger Rodriguez has been able to put that
potentially heavy burden aside and build
his own list of credentials.
“I really don’t feel any pressure,”
Andrew says of his father’s high-profile
military career. “I’m sure there are some
people who know who he is and know who
I am and the relationship that will have their
expectations change, but I can’t control that.
I really don’t feel any pressure. I just try to go
out and do my best.”
While Andrew garnered most of the
headlines for his athletic and academic
prowess, the family patriarch can point to all
four of his children and their ability to
overcome obstacles as a sense of pride.
“I was proud and honored that my
children all made great career choices, both
military and civilian,” Rodriguez says. “All
four are terrific citizens, and Ginny and I
couldn’t be prouder of them, including two
choosing to go to West Point. As one can
imagine, it’s always a personal challenge to
move and change school systems and
athletic teams as a military family and all our
children proved adaptable and overcame
the challenges very well.” �
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ennis matches are full of volleys. The goal of the volley is to put the opposing player
back on their heels, to become the aggressor and control the match. Sometimes the
opposition serves up a lob for you to smash, and sometimes the ball takes an unexpected
bounce. How you react to the unexpected bounce can define the match. It can also define
you as a person.
In October 1996, one of those unexpected bounces struck former Army women’s tennis
team co-captain Larraine Saavedra and her family.
Larraine is the middle child of Carlos, a former collegiate tennis player at Kean
University, and Linda Saavedra, then an executive at telecommunications giant MCI
Worldcom. Along with her older brother, also named Carlos, and younger sister, Natalia,
the family was living happily in Elizabeth, N.J.
The two older Saavedra children took up tennis at a young age, thanks to the influence
of their father and grandfather.
“My brother was so athletic when we were little,” says Larraine. “Whether it was learning
how to ride a bike without training wheels or always beating me on the tennis court; he just
did it so easily.”
Then life served one of those bad bounces. Little Carlos was constantly nauseous and
wouldn’t stop vomiting. The doctors initially thought he had some sort of virus that would
eventually clear up. It didn’t. In addition to the vomiting, one of his eyes started to close. After
a series of CAT scans and MRIs, specialists in New Jersey discovered a tumor.
Six-year-old Carlos was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma tumor in the stem of his
brain, the most common type of malignant brain tumor in children and, depending on at what
stage the tumor is detected, could have a mortality rate as high as 70 percent.
Carlos underwent emergency surgery that lasted over 15 hours, during which the
doctors couldn’t stop his brain from bleeding, halting the progress of the operation. At that
point, the doctors came out and told the Saavedra parents they were going to lose their only
son. Overwhelmed with the thought, they both fainted.
Miraculously when they awoke, the doctors told them the bleeding inexplicably stopped
and they could finish the surgery. This would be the first of four operations Carlos would
endure over the coming years.
In an effort to obtain the best possible care, Carlos and his mother moved to Memphis,
Tenn. They lived at the Ronald McDonald House while Carlos received treatment at St. Jude’s
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Children’s Hospital. Linda and Carlos lived in
Memphis for over a year and a half as he
underwent three additional surgeries.
Why her active, older brother and
mother weren’t home confused and angered
young Larraine. “They came home for
Christmas and I remember asking my mom
why they weren’t home, why they couldn’t go
to a hospital closer to home, why they left,
and so on. My mom said to me, ‘Larraine, if
you had to shave all of your hair off, if you
had no eyebrows, no eyelashes and were
very sick, would you want Mommy to be
with you or would you want Mommy to be at
home with your brother and sister?’ I think
that’s when I realized what was going on. She
put it in perspective for me.”
Larraine and the family that remained
in New Jersey spent a lot of time over the
following months going back and forth to
Tennessee to visit Carlos and Linda,
especially after his surgeries.
“I remember after he came out of one
of his surgeries and he couldn’t speak at all.
He couldn’t hold his head up, he couldn’t
walk. It was like he wasn’t there and I was
devastated. I looked at my older brother who
had always been so active and I just thought,
‘Oh my gosh, this is really serious.’ I think
that’s when I really understood his illness.”
But from devastation to hope is a
shorter distance than some might realize
and for Larraine and her older brother
Carlos, it was realized through a simple
children’s toy.
“Someone had bought him a Mr. and
Mrs. Potatohead set and I was playing
around with it while he laid in bed, not being
able to speak. I held up Mrs. Potatohead’s
pocketbook and showed it to Carlos and
kept saying, ‘Pocketbook, pocketbook,
pocketbook,’ trying to get him to speak.
A while later out of the blue he just said,
‘Pocketbook!’ and I yelled, ‘Oh my gosh!’
At that moment I thought he was going to
be okay. And he was, and he’s a miracle
to everyone.”
Eventually, cleared from the tumor,
eight-year-old Carlos and his mother were
able to move back home. But life wasn’t quite
back to the pace of a casual volley. The once
super-active little boy was physically
weakened and now dealing with a learning
disability, causing Carlos to drop down to
Larraine’s class in school.
Despite being younger, Larraine
quickly found herself in a big sister’s role,
a role she embraced, a role that would also
lay the groundwork for her future career
as a leader.
“I welcomed the idea of being the
‘older sister’ because we were all just so
grateful to have him home, so nothing else
mattered. He’s a miracle so we look up to
him anyway. He’s the strength of our family.
“The situation caused me to grow up
a little faster, not necessarily faster than I
wanted to, but just faster. I took on a lot
responsibility, and I enjoyed it and that’s
probably what has gotten me into the
leadership position I’m in now.”
The family relocated to Boca Raton, Fla.,
after Larraine and Carlos finished sixth
grade, and stayed there for over six years.
Carlos experienced a couple complications
over that time, blood clots in his brain
resulting in slurred speech, and losing the
ability to hear in his left ear, both effects of
the aggressive radiation chemotherapy
“I welcomed the idea of being the ‘older sister’ because we were all justso grateful to have him home, so nothing else mattered. He’s a miracle sowe look up to him anyway. He’s the strength of our family.”
— Larraine Saavedra
(PICTURED BELOW) The Saavedra family atWest Point’s Malek Tennis Center.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Larraine served asco-captain of Army’s women’s tennis teamthis season.
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treatments he suffered through. Despite the
setbacks, he was able to graduate from West
Boca Raton High School alongside Larraine
in the spring of 2009.
That summer, Larraine headed north to
West Point, spurring a recruiting attempt by
the U.S. Naval Academy and its women’s
tennis program about to begin its inaugural
season of intercollegiate competition.
“I was originally recruited by the
head coach at the University of Maryland-
Baltimore County, who then took the head
coaching position at Navy. I went on a visit
and didn’t really like it that much. I didn’t
want to walk into a new program. A little
while later I was playing a tournament in
Florida that (former Army teammate) Erin
Colton was also playing at and Army coach
Paul Peck was there to give Erin her
acceptance letter to West Point. My mom
started talking to him, saying I was getting
recruited by Navy but our family didn’t have
many military ties with the exception of her
cousin.”
In a small twist of a fate, Col. Jeff Lieb,
Linda Saavedra’s cousin and Larraine’s
closest military tie, was an Army buddy of
Peck’s as the pair had served together in the
First Gulf War. Larraine spoke with Lieb
about the Army and Peck, and was intrigued.
After visiting the Academy, she was sold on
West Point.
“I loved it. I loved the tradition. I loved
that I would get to serve my country. I loved
that I would get to lead.”
Three years later, Larraine was in a
prime leadership position as a senior co-
captain of the Army women’s tennis team,
alongside Colton. The pair was appointed
captains prior to their junior seasons,
marking the first time in 15 years the Black
Knights were captained by juniors, a role for
which Larraine has spent nearly a lifetime
preparing.
“I like to lead by example. I look back
at times in the hospital with my brother and
saw all the kids around us that didn’t survive,
or that were paralyzed. My brother could
have easily been paralyzed. I’m so grateful
for everything I have, for my athleticism, the
ability to run and compete. It gives me such
drive and appreciation and I think my
teammates see that.”
Larraine and her family have channeled
that commitment to life elsewhere as well,
establishing the Carlos Raymond Saavedra
(CRS) Foundation, which raises money for
the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
and families going through similar struggles
the Saavedras went through when Carlos
was sick.
“The great thing about St. Jude’s is
everything is paid for, from food to housing
to treatment to medicine. Everything. And
everything they pay for is through donations,
so it’s really important for us to give back to
them. We also know that some people can’t
get to St. Jude’s so that’s why we wanted to
be able to give to them as well.”
Beginning with Carlos’ 21st birthday
celebration last year, then adding a golf
tournament last fall and most recently his
22nd birthday formal dinner, the three events
have grossed over $30,000 for charity.
With Carlos’ health stabilized, the
CRS Foundation flourishing, and the Army
women’s tennis team recently winning an
ninth straight Patriot League title, it’s fair to
say Larraine and the Saavedra family have
recovered from the bad bounce they were
served and they are firmly in control of this
match. �
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ary Steele is still using the skills he learned during his time at West Point and as an
officer in the United States Army. Now retired after a military and business career,
Steele serves as a consultant and still falls back on the foundation set while at the U.S. Military
Academy.
A three-year letterwinner as a tight end on the Army football team, Steele is a member
of West Point’s Class of 1970. He retired as a colonel after a military career that spanned 23
years. He utilized his military training in the business world before his civilian retirement and
was elected to the Army Sports Hall of Fame in May 2013.
While he still consults on a few projects, Steele is enjoying his retirement. It allows him a
chance to watch his daughter, Sage, an ESPN SportsCenter anchor, follow the Baltimore
Ravens where his son, Chad, works in the Media Relations Department, track his son,
Courtney, a fashion model or spend time with his four grandchildren.
The son of an Army veteran, Steele entered West Point following a year at a preparatory
school in New York. He faced the usual struggles that most “Plebes” have to overcome and
then starred on the football field where he was West Point’s first African-American
letterwinner in the sport of football.
“I was aware of being the first, but it didn’t have a major impact on me,” says Steele.
“And it was because of the way I was raised. I was born in New York City, went to Germany
where the services were integrated, spent time in Japan and then went to Fort Dix, N.J., in a
military environment. It was a very multi-cultural experience. At West Point, we were all out
there having fun. For me, I didn’t really give it that much thought; I was trying to beat out one
of my football teammates. I happened to be the one in the queue when the military and West
Point made its decision. If it hadn’t been me, it would have been someone else.”
Steele was all set to accept a scholarship to Penn State University after a standout career
at Woodrow Wilson High School in Levittown, Pa., before a coach showed up at his school and
talked about West Point. Steele had seen the show “Men of West Point,” and was intrigued
enough to explore. His father, Maj. Frank Steele, was a Buffalo Soldier who served his first
duty station at West Point. Steele decided to spend a prep year at Manlius and complete the
application process to West Point.
“What I remember most about my Academy experience was the camaraderie,” says
Steele. “We are all in the same pot together. We learned rather quickly it was all about the
team. It wasn’t about you, it was about teamwork. “
Steele, who still remains close friends with former teammates and classmates, caught 25
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passes for 346 yards and two touchdowns in
his first season in 1966, posted 14 receptions
for 269 yards and a pair of scores as a junior
and capped his career with a team-high 27
catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns
during his “Firstie” season. Playing during a
time when freshmen were not eligible to
compete, he was the only player on his team
to start all 30 games and concluded his
career with 66 catches for 1,111 yards and
seven touchdowns.
“I struggled academically,” says Steele.
“The effort to try and balance the three
rigors of cadetship, academic focus and the
athletic piece was a real challenge. My
strongest memories are the friendships
formed because of the challenge presented
to each cadet.
“What I learned then is certainly
applicable today,” continues Steele. “Basic
leadership fundamentals are needed in
organizations across our country today. They
still need the basic leadership principles I
learned 40 years ago.”
With the support and assistance of his
brother, Michael, a 1969 West Point
graduate, Steele was commissioned as a
second lieutenant in 1970 and began his
military career as an Infantry officer. His first
assignment was in the Canal Zone in
Panama as a platoon leader before being
asked to return to West Point and serve on
the football coaching staff. With an inkling
that a civilian career as a coach was
possible, Steele accepted the assignment but
ultimately chose another path for his career.
Steele decided to branch transfer to
Adjutant General Corps to prepare for life
after the military, the same branch in which
his father served.
Gary then spent 18 years in the Adjutant
General branch, first in Greece after
graduating with honors from the Greek
language course and then in Belgium
working with NATO. He spent five years in
Fort Carson, Colo., and then was selected
to battalion command at Fort Benjamin
Harrison, Ind. He retired as a “full-bird”
colonel after being selected as a member
of the doctrine writing team that provided
revisions of Army FM-100-5 FM Operations,
a manual that describes how the Army thinks
about the conduct of operations.
With a sparkling background from West
Point and the military, Steele went to work for
the Kansas City, Mo., School District, after an
Army officer reached out seeking an
Associate Superintendent for Human
Resources.
After overseeing Human Resources in
the district for more than 22 years, Steele
was offered a position in Connecticut before
moving to Pfizer in New York City. At Pfizer,
Steele was Director of Human Resources for
the European Region Animal Health
Business Unit before retiring in 2008 as a
Director of Organizational Effectiveness at
the corporate headquarters.
“I can’t tell you how many times in my military and civilian careers when I have faced challenges that I think back to the experiences I had as acadet and as an Army officer and realize how West Point has preparedme for those challenges.”
— Gary Steele
(PICTURED AT LEFT) Gary hauled in seventouchdown passes and started every gameduring the final three years of his West Pointcareer.
(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Steele became the firstAfrican-American to earn a varsity letter infootball at West Point, accomplishing the featin 1966.
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“Pfizer really gave me the opportunity
to use all of the skills, leadership,
organizational training, language skills and
knowledge and ability that I learned in the
Army and at West Point,” says Steele. “My
areas were focused on organizational
effectiveness, looking at systems processes,
coaching, leadership, performance and
management. Certainly in a 23-year military
career that is kind of what you live and
breathe. My father was right; the majority of
my skills were very transferable from the
military to civilian sector.”
Despite a busy schedule heavy with
travel and caring for the needs of his family,
Steele still makes time to give back. Steele’s
class helps sponsor the National Conference
on Ethics in America, an annual gathering at
West Point to promote awareness among
undergraduate students of ethical issues in
collegiate communities and professional
career fields. More than 180 students from
60 academic institutions participate annually
with mentors from a variety of backgrounds
to discuss moral and ethical challenges.
According to the conference website, the
goal is to challenge the delegates to think
critically about relevant topics and to
facilitate dialogue that lays the groundwork
to build upon.”
Not only does Steele’s class sponsor the
event, he has also served as a facilitator on
numerous occasions.
“West Point has given me so much,”
says Steele. “I don’t know where I would be
without it. The conference is a very powerful
thing. Upon arrival, most of the attendees
don’t have a clue about West Point but they
are immersed in the cadet experience.
These young men and women leave the
conference and go back to their schools and
homes to think and discuss honor, integrity,
leadership and how to use critical thinking.
It’s interesting to think of the impact we have
on so many folks each year. “
Steele continues to follow Army athletics
and the football team, visits West Point as
often as he can and stays active with the
National Conference on Ethics in America
while enjoying retirement.
“I can’t tell you how many times in my
military and civilian careers when I have
faced challenges that I think back to the
experiences I had as a cadet and as an
Army officer, and realize how West Point
prepared me for those challenges.” �
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hether it was serving his country in both the United States Navy and the U.S.
Marine Corps, helping his devoted wife of more than 60 years raise five children,
guiding collegiate crew teams, or directing Army Athletics as the first civilian athletic director,
Carl Ullrich has led a life of service.
Born in Ridgewood, N.J., Ullrich played football and lacrosse as a high school athlete
before enlisting in the Navy during the latter stages of World War II. After his service, he
enrolled at Cornell University and joined the Marine Corps Reserves. He continued his
athletic participation as a member of the Big Red’s crew team and helped the team win
the 1949 national championship.
With the outbreak of the Korean War, Ullrich was called into active duty by the Marines
in 1950. He served in the conflict as both a platoon leader and company commander,
experiences that shaped his future leadership style.
“The Marine Corps was a great part of my life,” Ullrich recalls. “I wouldn’t trade that
for anything. It was very much the same as coaching and the same as trying to be an
administrator. You try to build a family atmosphere and build a situation where we are all
working together. If an organization is going to be successful, there has to be a discipline
there that everybody feels — that there is a right way to do things and a wrong way to do
things. Even under the worst conditions, that discipline has to come out and you have to
behave and do the right thing no matter what.”
While Ullrich’s service in Korea laid the foundation for his professional development, the
defining moment of his personal life occurred after he left the military. Upon his return to the
United States, he began a teaching career at a private high school on Long Island. It was
there that Ullrich met his wife, Becky, who was also a teacher at the school. The two have
been inseparable ever since, raising three sons and two daughters.
“Becky is the best thing that ever happened to me,” Ullrich says lovingly. “I had some
real hesitations about leaving the Marine Corps because I loved it. It’s a good thing I did get
out because I probably wouldn’t have met her. She was certainly the best thing that ever
happened to me. She was an ideal coach’s wife without any hesitation. I lucked out. I
probably didn’t deserve her. She was a great part of the experience every place I worked.”
Those places included coaching stints at Cornell, Columbia University and Boston
University, but it was his decision to take the varsity crew head coaching job at the U.S. Naval
Academy that would begin the transition from coach to administrator. Working with new
Navy Athletic Director Bo Coppedge, Ullrich was almost immediately put in charge of the
recruiting office. He wore both hats for several years, but finally chose the administrative path.
After a total of 11 years in Annapolis, the Ullrichs packed their bags and headed for
Kalamazoo, Mich., where Carl was hired as athletic director at Western Michigan University.
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Their time with the Broncos, while enjoyable,
proved short. After just one year at WMU,
Ullrich received word that there might be an
opportunity at West Point. Up until that time,
however, the athletic department was run by
officers who would rotate every two to three
years. Despite some initial resistance, an old
friend advised Ullrich to pursue the job.
“I heard that Army was going to make
a change, but I was told that there was no
sense in expressing any interest because
they weren’t going to hire a civilian,” Ullrich
recalls. “Bo Coppedge called me after that
and told me he wanted me to apply. I didn’t
have a resume. I was very happy where I was,
but I did write a letter to the superintendent
and said I would be interested. I interviewed
with General (Andrew) Goodpaster, who
was just a wonderful man. He called me at
the office and said, ‘Carl, I want you to give
me an answer right away, do you want to
be the Army athletic director?’ Of course,
I said, ‘Yes.’”
Despite what would ultimately be a 10-
year, hall of fame career at Army, the first few
seasons at West Point were challenging for
the Ullrich family. While Carl made difficult
decisions in order to transform the athletic
department into a modern organization,
Becky served as a sympathetic ear when he
returned home from the office.
“I had to make a lot of changes that fall,”
Ullrich recalls. “I asked a lot of colonels to
move on who had been in charge of various
aspects of the program. I did have to make
those changes because the athletic depart-
ment was not as I visualized an athletic
department had to be. The first couple or
three years at West Point were the unhappiest
years of my career. I was fortunate to be able
to go home at night to a wonderful wife who
would listen to all my troubles.”
Part of Ullrich’s vision for the athletic
department revolved around generating a
family atmosphere among the staff. Having
been a student-athlete, coach and
administrator, he brought a unique
perspective on how to treat his staff members.
“I loved them just like my family, some
of them like my kids,” Ullrich says. “They
were all great people. They were working so
hard to get the job done. Having been a
coach, I knew it wasn’t easy so I tried to give
them the best support I could. I wanted to let
them know that I was there for them, and I
was ready to do whatever I could to make
their job easier. Sometimes you couldn’t do
what they asked you to do, but at least the
effort was there. I hoped they felt that.”
Judging from the recollections of former
employees that served under his leadership,
Ullrich’s philosophy certainly did make the
impact he was striving for.
“He was everywhere. He knew every athlete by name. He knew everyformer athlete that he met by name. He attended so many sporting eventsthat the rumor was he was cloned because he couldn’t possibly beeverywhere he was.”
— Carol Bush
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“I think he led by example,” Carol Bush,
Army’s current assistant athletic director for
game operations who began her career in
the athletic department’s ticket office, says.
“He treated everybody equally. He
recognized us as professionals within our
field. If anything came up, he came to you for
advice. He always made sure you were
included in whatever decision needed to be
made. There was great communication
among all the departments. You felt
comfortable talking to him. Even if there was
a problem, you felt comfortable telling him
and you knew everything would be handled
in the most professional way.
“He was everywhere. He knew every
athlete by name. He knew every former
athlete that he met by name. He attended so
many sporting events that the rumor was he
was cloned because he couldn’t possibly be
everywhere he was.”
While there were several changes and
improvements made during his 10 years at
West Point, Ullrich may be most well known
for one personnel decision that altered the
course of Army Football. On the heels of five
straight losing seasons, Ullrich determined
he needed to make a coaching change after
his third year on campus. His decision to hire
Jim Young propelled the Black Knights to
three bowl games and three Commander In
Chief’s Trophy titles in Young’s eight seasons.
The Army field boss was inducted into the
National Football Foundation’s College
Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
Despite the eventual success, the first
season did not result in the turnaround
Ullrich and Young were hoping for.
“I’ll never forget that first year because
if you look back you’ll see that Jim (Young)
was 2-9, and there were a lot of folks who
wanted to fire both of us,” Ullrich remembers.
“He had been out of coaching for a year, and
a lot of folks wondered why we would want
to hire a guy like that. To me, that was one of
his greatest strengths. Having gone through
it myself, I know how much I missed it. Here
was a guy who dropped out of coaching,
realized he made a mistake and really
missed it. How could you find a better guy
than that? Of course, he came in and just
worked so hard. I’ll never forget the work
ethic. I just knew that we were going to turn it
around. Of course, the second year was a
great year, and Jim was just the finest coach
you could have there.”
Ullrich decided to retire from West Point
in 1990, but his career as an athletic
administrator was far from over. He took over
as the first full-time executive director of the
newly formed Patriot League, a position he
held until 1993. After deciding to give up the
conference job, he and his wife retired to
North Carolina. While helping run the
swimming pool at nearby St. Andrew’s
College, Ullrich was asked to fill in as the
school’s athletic director. He held the
position twice, serving from 1995 to 1997
and 2002 to 2004. He finally decided to retire
for good and moved to his current home in
Virginia Beach, Va., to be closer to family.
In 2007, Ullrich took his rightful place
among the greats of Army Athletics with his
induction into the Army Sports Hall of Fame.
In yet another sign of respect, Ullrich, the first
administrator to be included in the hall of
fame, was chosen to speak on behalf of the
induction class at the annual dinner.
“I knew there were still some graduates
who were not necessarily supportive of me
and of the time I spent there even though we
did some good things,” Ullrich says. “I
remember e-mailing (former Army Athletic
Director) Kevin Anderson and telling him that
if there were any graduates who were on
him about me going into the hall of fame, that
he should change his mind. I had no idea
about the committee selection or anything
like that. I really was flabbergasted. I felt so
honored. It’s brought tears to my eyes on
more than one occasion.”
With more than 20 years worth of
perspective, Ullrich still believes his legacy
at West Point comes down to one decision.
“Without any question, hiring Jim Young,”
Ullrich says of his top accomplishment at
West Point. “There were a lot of things that
were good, and I’ll remember those folks
forever as being a second family. The chance
to turn the Army athletic program into a real
athletic organization is what I remember
the best.” �
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(PICTURED OPPOSITE) Carl became the firstadministrator to be inducted into the ArmySports Hall of Fame when he was so honoredin 2007.
(PICTURED AT RIGHT) West Point SuperintendentLt. Gen. Willard W. Scott Jr. (seated, far right)officially accepts Army’s invitation to the 1985Peach Bowl with Ullrich (standing on right) andJim Young (standing on left) looking on.
75
hen tragedy strikes, it’s human nature to respond in one of two ways: one can let
a great misfortune get the best of them, or they rise above. In many ways, that
reaction can define a person’s character.
For Haley Uthlaut, heartbreak came at a young age and a high price.
She grew up Haley Ann Edwards in Oklahoma City, Okla., the granddaughter of a major
general and 1954 West Point graduate with few aspirations to follow suit. A standout guard on
the basketball court, she was an academic all-state honoree and helped Putnam City North
High School author an impressive 80-6 record during her four-year career. Although
recruited to play at several other schools, Uthlaut decided on West Point after making an
official visit and instantly falling in love with the historic military academy.
Uthlaut lettered four years on the basketball court for the Black Knights, contributing as a
role player for three seasons before earning the starting point guard job in all 28 games as a
senior team captain.
Two months after being commissioned into the United States Army Corps of Engineers,
Uthlaut married her longtime boyfriend and classmate, Ryan Dennison, in his hometown of
Ijamsville, Md. The newlyweds settled down and began their life together in Fort Bragg, N.C.
The Dennisons deployed not long after — Haley to Afghanistan and Ryan to Iraq. On
Nov. 15, 2006, just four months after the couple’s second wedding anniversary, John Ryan
Dennison lost his life in a small arms fire while on patrol near Balad Ruz. He was 24 years old.
Uthlaut returned home to plan her young husband’s funeral, but longed for purpose and
a sense of community following his death. She decided to return to her platoon in Afghanistan
and finish the first of two deployments.
“I felt like I had been knocked down in life to say the least,” Uthlaut remembers. “I had
and still have a strong support network through my faith, family, and friends. They all helped me
in my personal journey of grief. Another important healing mechanism was my decision to
go back to work, a choice that helped me define how I would respond in the face of tragedy.”
Before her five-year commitment expired, Uthlaut spent most of 2007 and 2008 on a
second deployment in Iraq where her life took an unexpected, yet life-changing turn. Uthlaut
met and fell in love with Maj. Dave Uthlaut, a 2001 West Point graduate whom she would
eventually marry in May 2009.
The young couple returned stateside where they both completed graduate studies at
the University of North Carolina and Haley’s active duty commitment came to an end. The
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Uthlauts welcomed their first son, Jackson, in
2011 and a second son, Caleb, two years
later.
Life for Uthlaut was perfect. She found
love again, returned to a familiar
background on the banks of the Hudson
when Dave got a teaching assignment at
West Point and motherhood had followed
not long after.
However, the fact that Uthlaut held an
undergraduate degree from one of the finest
educational institutions in the country in
addition to a Master of Business Administration
was not lost on her. Unfortunately, with the
nation’s unemployment rate climbing at a
rapid pace, she ran into obstacle after
obstacle in trying to find meaningful work
commensurate with her education.
“In the context of my life, dealing with
being a ‘Gold Star’ wife (widowed while the
spouse is on active duty in military service)
and meeting other spouses in a similar
situation, I began questioning what my
career options were as a military spouse
with an MBA,” Uthlaut recalls.
As Dave dove into his coursework with
West Point’s Department of Behavioral
Sciences and Leadership, Haley began to put
her well-earned education to work at home.
Uthlaut had the idea to establish a non-
profit organization with the intent of helping
“I felt like I had been knocked down in life to say the least. I had and stillhave a strong support network through my faith, family, and friends. Theyall helped me in my personal journey of grief. Another important healingmechanism was my decision to go back to work, a choice that helped medefine how I would respond in the face of tragedy.”
— Haley Uthlaut
(PICTURED RIGHT) Haley served as team captainfor Army’s women’s basketball squad duringthe 2003-04 season.
(OPPOSITE) Haley and her husband, David andsons, Jackson and Caleb, outside their WestPoint home
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military spouses much like herself gain
meaningful employment through advocacy.
In Gear Career saw its infancy phases
come to fruition in early 2011 with Uthlaut as
its founder and executive director. Together
with a strong board of directors, In Gear
Career began its mission to “enable military
spouses to seek and obtain professional
employment alongside their service
member and improve the quality of life for
the family.”
“When I got back to West Point, I
considered the opportunities and resources
available and identified a gap in services
and opportunities available for spouses,” she
explains. “When looking at everything that
the government provides and other
non-profit social organizations available,
there wasn’t anything geared towards
professional military spouses and providing
career resources and networking for that
specific group.”
Uthlaut reached out to Wittenberg
Weiner Consulting, LLC, a small consulting
firm founded by military spouses with the
goal of helping federal agencies put
government principles into practice.
“I wanted to know how to create
systematic change and opportunities for
spouses at the professional level,” Uthlaut
says. “Throughout my time in the military
and as a military spouse, I’ve come across
many talented spouses who have been
unable to find work appropriate to their level
of education, experience, and aptitude.”
Uthlaut, who currently runs the
organization from her home, says research
indicates military spouses are three times
more likely to be unemployed, will face a
42 percent wage disparity and will look for
work three times longer than a civilian
counterpart.
How do you handle holes in your
resume? How do you explain how many
times you have moved and when it will
happen again? Do you say you’re a military
spouse on an interview? These are all very
relevant questions to which In Gear Career
helps provide the answers.
As Uthlaut knows from personal
experience, when moving to a new
installation, some spouses may feel isolated
when beginning a job search under non-
traditional circumstances.
In Gear Career aims to eliminate that
hurdle in two ways. The first is through a local
chapter from which military spouses may
obtain materials, advice and face-to-face
information regarding work in the local area.
The second, and most important in Uthlaut’s
opinion, is creating a community of practice
specific to a spouse’s career field.
In Gear Career’s local West Point
chapter currently has 80 members and is
continuing to grow. The group gathers
periodically and in doing so expands the
professional network, which, in turn, leads to
increased job opportunities. There is also a
mentorship program in place as a part of the
community of practice, which brings lawyers
together with local lawyers, accountants with
accountants and so on.
“In less than two years, we helped 22
spouses in the West Point area obtain
professional employment through ‘one-off’
opportunities and networking that they
otherwise wouldn’t have known about,”
Uthlaut says. “It’s amazing how valuable
word of mouth can be, especially when
you’re a new spouse in the area. That’s when
In Gear steps in and dramatically narrows
that gap. At the end of the day, the goal is to
unify the voice of the professional spouse
through advocacy.”
Of those 22 placements, Uthlaut
estimates the average salary being $87,000
with a couple of the spouses securing a six-
figure income.
In addition to the West Point pilot
program, In Gear Career has spawned 14
other chapters to include Naples, Italy, San
Diego, Colorado Springs and Tampa among
others. Uthlaut’s dream is to expand In Gear
Career onto every military installation in the
country because the need for such an
organization is evident everywhere.
Uthlaut is bound to add another chapter
shortly, as she and her family recently
departed West Point for a new home at Fort
Benning, Ga.
Uthlaut’s young life has certainly taken
some unexpected turns and morphed at
each stop. In her short 30 years, she has
filled the role of military spouse, veteran,
‘Gold Star’ wife, mother and now the founder
of an ambitious non-profit organization
geared towards improving the lives of others
facing similar challenges.
“I made a commitment to a lifetime of
selfless service, so I feel called to continue
that in my role as a spouse,” Uthlaut says.
“This is a way I can use my skill set and
continue my promise.”�
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he nickname “Mama’s Boy” might not be a typical description for an Army football
player, but for Lt. Col. Myreon Williams, the moniker is both a sense of pride and a
reason for his success. The discipline and motivation instilled during his childhood are the
driving forces behind the Patterson, N.J., native’s achievements both on and off the athletic field.
A 1992 West Point graduate and two-time football letterwinner, Williams has built an
impressive resume as a physician. Since July 2001, he has held the title of Chief of
Nephrology, first at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Georgia and currently at Landstuhl
Regional Medical Center in Germany. His duties include outpatient and inpatient care of
individuals with all forms of acute and chronic kidney disease, including dialysis and post-
transplant care.
“I grew up in a household with a lot of discipline,” Williams says. “The rules were initially
stated, but became understood. Mom usually talked a lot more, but both her and Dad were
enforcers. I knew where I stood throughout my childhood. I still reflect on that, and I think I got
exactly what any teenager needs — a lot of love and a lot of discipline.”
Williams’ home environment was reinforced during his academic career. During his
elementary school days, he attended St. Joseph’s Elementary, a private school right across
the parking lot from Eastside High School, made famous by the movie “Lean on Me.” The film
depicted then-principal Joe Clark’s efforts to instill pride and discipline in order to save the
failing school. Clark’s success in changing the culture allowed Williams to attend the school
and excel both academically and athletically.
“Up until the sixth grade, my mother’s intent was to send me to a private, boys’ high
school,” Williams says. “Everyone in town knew what the reputation of the high school was. It
was a very violent place with drugs and a lot of unruly behavior. He (Joe Clark) cleaned it up
pretty fast, and by the time I reached the end of seventh grade, I got the ‘All-Clear!’ from my
parents to go to Eastside. I wanted to go there because it had a comprehensive athletic
program with track and football, which is something I probably wouldn’t have been able to
do elsewhere.”
Williams lettered twice as a quarterback at Eastside and earned three varsity letters for
the track and field team. He captained both squads during his scholastic career. While being
recruited to play football at schools such as the University of New Hampshire and the
University of Minnesota, Williams again relied on the discipline and values instilled by his
family to make his college decision and accept an appointment to West Point.
“The defining moment in choosing West Point came when I considered the structure of
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the Academy after visiting there,” Williams
recalls. “I could foresee a great structure for
an 18-year-old who was trying to figure out
what to do in life. I knew I wanted to do
something positive, but was not exactly sure
what that was. I visited several other schools
that were very good schools, but it didn’t
seem like they were environments that were
conducive to my growth. West Point just
seemed like a perfect fit.”
While the Academy’s structure would
eventually allow Williams that growth he
was searching for, it took a year for him to
become completely comfortable in the
West Point environment. After playing
quarterback with the junior varsity squad
during his “Plebe” season and through
spring practice, Williams decided to leave
the football program in an effort to improve
his academic standing and become better
ingrained in West Point life. Luckily for both
Williams and the Black Knights, he
reconsidered his decision and rejoined the
team for preseason practice as a “Yearling.”
“I actually quit after spring football my
‘Plebe’ year,” Williams says. “I spent all of
Camp Buckner as a non-corps squad
athlete. I did that because I felt my grades
were sub-standard, and I thought I needed
some more room to adjust to Academy life
and think more clearly about what I wanted
to do. I felt like football didn’t quite fit into my
mindset. I was reassured by the football
coaches and upperclassmen, and I decided
to give it another try. I was able to incorporate
football and academics. I got off the ground
and never looked back in terms of playing
sports and participating in Academy life.”
Williams spent the 1989 campaign
quarterbacking the junior varsity team, and
heading into his “Cow” season the chances
for playing time didn’t look promising. The
depth chart included senior Bryan
McWilliams, who had started 18 games,
including Army’s showing in the 1988 John
Hancock Sun Bowl, junior Willie McMillian,
who ran for 433 yards and four touchdowns
in 1989, and senior Otto Leone, who started
twice during the 1988 season. It was during
spring practice in 1990 that head coach Jim
Young approached Williams about a switch
to wide receiver.
In an offense that averaged less than six
pass attempts per game, Williams received
honorable mention All-East honors. He
caught 13 passes for 434 yards and hauled
in five of the Black Knights’ six touchdown
passes. His 33.4 yards per catch still stands
as an Army single-season record for
receivers with at least 10 receptions.
While preparing to play a similar role as
a “Firstie,” the quarterback depth chart
began to thin out and it became apparent
that Williams might be needed back under
center. It wasn’t long before Williams was
leading the huddle.
“Going into my senior year, the depth
chart at quarterback almost instantaneously
vanished,” Williams says. “It was just Willie
McMillan and two ‘Plebes.’ Both the freshmen
blew out their knees before the season
started so I was the starting receiver and
backup quarterback at the same time. Willie
blew his knee out in the third game against
Harvard, and after that I finished out the
season at quarterback.”
Not only did Williams have to take over
the offense against the Crimson, but he
entered the game with the Black Knights
trailing 20-7. Not missing a beat, he guided
Army to a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns,
scoring the game-winner himself on a three-
yard run with just 1:03 left. He finished the
season as the squad’s leading rusher with
924 yards.
“It all happened so fast during the
Harvard game that I didn’t get a chance to
think about it,” Williams remembers with a
laugh. “After that, when the smoke cleared
and I had time to think about it, it was a bit
tougher to adjust to the weekly planning and
all of formations and reads. It was a lot
different than being a receiver. It was tough
trying to re-adjust to that level of
quarterbacking. With the junior varsity, you
put a couple of plays together and ran on
“The defining moment in choosing West Point came when I consideredthe structure of the Academy after visiting there. I could foresee a greatstructure for an 18-year-old who was trying to figure out what to do in life… West Point just seemed like a perfect fit.”
— Lt. Col. Myreon Williams
(PICTURED ABOVE AND OPPOSITE) MyreonWilliams began his West Point football careerat quarterback, became an All-East split end,then returned to the quarterback positionduring his senior year.
81
instinct. At the varsity level, it is a different
game. By the middle of the season, I got a bit
more comfortable and started playing a lot
better.”
Williams’ success through adversity
was no surprise to his teammates. Known as
a quiet, but respected presence in the locker
room, the versatile Williams solidified his
position as a team captain.
“He was selfless, a true absolute
teammate,” said Lt. Col. (ret.) Mike McElrath,
the Black Knights’ all-time leading tackler,
says. “A perfect example was him switching
positions. He was going to do whatever he
had to in order to help the team so he
transitioned to receiver, and then three
games into his senior year Willie McMillian
goes down. We were scrambling for a
quarterback and Myreon stepped up. That’s
who he was. He was definitely a quiet leader,
but he had everyone’s respect. When he
talked, you listened.”
Williams’ athletic success was only part
of his West Point experience. While returning
from spring break as a “Yearling,” he began
to contemplate his choice of major. He had
not given it much thought before, but it did
not take very long to come to the conclusion
that would shape the rest of his life. Once
decided, Williams became locked in on
achieving his goal.
“My decision to go into medicine was a
bit of an epiphany,” Williams says. “We had to
choose our majors coming back from spring
break our ‘Yearling’ year, and I hadn’t given
it a whole lot of thought. My strengths were
math and science, and I am really into
helping people. The instant conclusion was
that I wanted to be a physician. It happened
in a matter of 10 or 15 minutes of the 45-
minute drive back to West Point. Thereafter,
that is all I was focused on. I immediately
went to the medical school counselor and
tried to find out what the field of study was to
prepare for medical school. To this day, I
don’t regret that decision. I love what I do.”
After Williams graduated with his
bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences, the
newly commissioned officer headed to
Howard University College of Medicine.
After two years in Washington, personal
circumstances caused him to transfer to the
University of South Carolina, where he
completed his education in 1996. Williams
moved to Georgia to begin an internship in
internal medicine at Eisenhower Medical
Center. He also completed a two-year
internal medicine residency at the facility.
Following a two-year nephrology fellowship
at Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
Williams returned to Eisenhower as the
Chief of Nephrology in July 2001. He would
hold that position for 10 years before moving
to Landstuhl in July 2011.
Included in those 11 years were two
deployments to Afghanistan — a seven-
month stay from January to July 2006 as an
internist at the 14th Combat Support
Hospital at Bagram Airbase and a nine-
month stint from May 2009 to January 2010 as
a squadron surgeon for the 3-71st Cavalry.
“To put it in perspective, the combat
support hospital is considered Echelon 3
and Landstuhl is considered Echelon 4.”
Williams explains. “Echelon 3 means it’s kind
of like a functional hospital but on a smaller
scale. As a squadron surgeon, that’s a field
surgeon at Echelon 1. You’re on the front line,
and it’s a very austere environment. There
aren’t functional labs or radiographs, just a
lot of IV fluids, antibiotics, tourniquets,
bandages and keeping your head down. I
gained a lot of insight about that level of
combat medicine. I had to put in practice
things that I really didn’t expect that I would
have to at that stage of my career. It allowed
me to get a perspective about pretty austere
combat medicine. That is something you just
can’t get anywhere else. It’s real-time, attacks
and fresh injuries. You really have to deal
with having a lower level of capabilities and
work with what you have.”
Through all of his experiences on the
football field, serving on the front line in
Afghanistan, and helping patients recover
from their health issues, Williams still goes
back to where it all started for perspective.
“I consider myself a ‘Mama’s Boy,’”
Williams says. “I maintain a very close
relationship with Mom, and I try to visit as
much as possible. It gives me a warm and
very comfortable feeling just being able to
be Myreon again, not lieutenant colonel, not
doctor, just her son. That’s nice. I need that
from time to time.”�
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Editorial Contributors
Christian Anderson served two stints as a member of Army’s
Athletic Communications staff. He served as the primary contact
for the Black Knights’ baseball, wrestling, men’s soccer and
swimming and diving programs and was the secondary football
contact. A graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School
of Public Communications. Anderson started his career as an
assistant at Army and returned in 2010 before leaving the field.
Bob Beretta is Executive Athletic Director at the United States
Military Academy. A local product with deep-rooted ties to the
Hudson Valley, Beretta is in 13th year on the senior leadership
team and 27th overall in West Point’s athletic department.
Formerly an award-winning sports information director, Beretta
now oversees Army’s football schedule and special events and
oversees the Black Knights’ football, hockey, baseball and
women’s basketball programs, among other duties. A graduate
of St. Bonaventure University, Beretta is a member of the Football
Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association
and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
Pamela Flenke is in her fourth year as a member of the Army
Athletic Communications staff. The primary media contact for
Army’s women’s basketball and cross country and track and field
programs, Flenke holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from
Providence College.
Brian Gunning recently completed his seventh year as a
member of the Army Athletic Communications staff. Gunning
serves as the primary media contact for Army’s men’s basketball
and golf programs and also has a bevy of football duties. A
graduate of Ithaca College, Gunning worked at Ithaca, Syracuse
University, Marshall University and Ohio University before arriving
at West Point. A College Sports Information Director of America
award winner. Gunning is also responsible for layout and design
for many of the Army Athletic Association’s collateral materials.
Tracy Nelson is in her seventh year as a member of the Army
Athletic Communications staff. Nelson serves as the primary
contact for Army’s lacrosse and hockey programs. A graduate of
St. Bonaventure University, Nelson worked at Lafayette College
before arriving at West Point. A College Sports Information
Director of America award winner, Nelson is also responsible for
oversight of the Army Athletic Association’s official website.
Mady Salvani is in her 45th year with the Army Athletic
Association and is a member of the Black Knights’ Athletic
Communications staff. Salvani serves as the primary contact for
Army’s women’s soccer, gymnastics, rifle and softball programs
and is also the Director of Research and Special Projects. A
talented photographer, Salvani started her career with West
Point’s Public Affairs Office and recently completed her 50th year
working at the Academy
Tim Volkmann recently transitioned to another university
following a seven-year stint with the Army Athletic Association. He
served as Director of the Army A Club prior to spending six
years in the Athletic Communications office where he worked
with the men’s soccer, wrestling, swimming and diving and
lacrosse programs.
Ryan Yanoshak is in his seventh year as a member of the Army
Athletic Communications staff. He serves as the primary contact
for Army’s football and baseball programs. A graduate of
Bloomsburg University with a master’s degree from East
Stroudsburg University, Yanoshak also serves as Deputy Licensing
Director, and as the Special Assistant to the Executive Athletic
Director.
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Acknowledgements
Image Contributors
James Arrowood has been a photographer serving our armed
forces for over 20 years. For the past three years, Arrowood has
worked as the command photographer for the United States
Army Training Center and Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. Prior to
arriving at Fort Jackson, Arrowood served two years as an Air
Force civilian photographer and 17 years as an Air Force enlisted
photographer. Arrowood’s work can be found in the Jen
(Johnstone) McAfee piece.
Tommy Gilligan has been a professional photographer for over
10 years. For the past four years, Gilligan worked as a staff
photojournalist for the United States Military Academy. Prior to
arriving at West Point, Gilligan served as a Photographers Mate in
the U.S. Navy for six years. Gilligan also shoots for the Super Bowl
champion-New York Giants as well as other professional and
NCAA teams. Gilligan provided photos for the Gary Steele, Dick
Hall, Gaylord Greene and Haley (Edwards) Uthlaut pieces.
Phil Hoffmann is the Director of Photography for the Naval
Academy Athletic Association and the team photographer for the
Baltimore Ravens. In addition to 30 seasons with Navy Football
and 17 years on the Ravens’ sidelines, he has photographed
numerous college sporting events, such as basketball, lacrosse,
soccer, wrestling, track and field, crew, and fencing. Phil has also
covered Major League Baseball, the Professional Golfers
Association Tour, horse racing, and the Olympics. He produced
the Dick Edell profile photograph.
Phillip Jones is a member of the Public Affairs Office at
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. He is from Little
Rock Ark., and started taking photos in 1970. His camera has
taken him all over the world. He is still shooting roll film and uses
his darkroom to print. Jones has a passion that motivates him to
look for that perfect shot despite where he goes in the hospital.
He provided the anchor photo of Myreon Williams.
John Pellino is in his 13th year as a photographer and graphic
designer at West Point. A graduate of the University of Central
Florida, he spent six years on active duty in the United States
Army with assignments in Panama and the Pentagon. He also
serves as head coach of West Point’s women’s club lacrosse team.
Pellino shot the photos for the Gen. David Rodriguez, Jack, Rob
and Brian Riley, and Barney Forsythe stories.
Maj. Kamil Sztalkoper is the Public Affairs Officer for the 4th
Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He
is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a commission in
the Infantry, serving as a rifle platoon leader, rifle company
executive officer, OCS platoon trainer, and recon troop
commander. He is responsible for the brigade's command
information, media relations, and community relations programs.
He has deployed to Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan and shot photos
for the Liz Lazzari feature.
Rick Voight is a photographer who has provided photographic
services for Old Dominion University and other colleges for
almost 35 years. He also handles corporate photography, and
through Tidewater Community College, has served as an
instructor for video production basics. He is actively involved in
his church, and loves to spend time with his wife, his three sons,
and the family dog. Voight snapped the anchor photo of Carl and
Becky Ullrich.
Danny Wild is in his seventh year as a reporter and
photographer for MLB.com, the official website of Major League
Baseball. He began volunteering at West Point as a photographer
in 2009 after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism
from SUNY New Paltz. His work with Army has been published by
ESPN.com, Sports Illustratedmagazine, The New York Times, Daily
News and more. Wild shot photos for the Dan and Jane Jollota,
Paige Brink, Rich Ellerson and LoRusso family stories.
A special thanks to John Johnson of John Johnson Art Direction & Design for his assistance
with the design and layout of this book. Mission Firstwas printed by the Elm Press.
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The premier edition of Mission Firstis dedicated to the American soldier.
“Yours is the profession of
arms, the will to win, the sure
knowledge that in war there is no
substitute for victory, that if you lose,
the Nation will be destroyed, that the
very obsession of your public
service must be duty, honor,
country.
Others will debate the
controversial issues, national and
international, which divide men’s
minds. But serene, calm, aloof, you
stand as the Nation’s war guardian,
as its lifeguard from the raging tides
of international conflict, as its
gladiator in the arena of battle.
For a century and a half you have
defended, guarded, and protected
its hallowed traditions of liberty and
freedom, of right and justice …
… You are the leaven which
binds together the entire fabric of
our national system of defense. From your ranks come the great
captains who hold the Nation’s destiny in their hands the moment
the war tocsin sounds.
The long, gray line has never failed us. Were you to do so,
a million ghosts in olive drab, in brown khaki, in blue and gray,
would rise from their white crosses, thundering those magic words:
Duty, honor, country.”
— Gen. Douglas MacArthur in his speech to the U.S. Corps of Cadetsin accepting the Sylvanus Thayer Award, May 12, 1962
The Statue To The American Soldier waspresented to the United States Corps ofCadets in 1980 on behalf of the WestPoint Class of 1935 and the West PointClass of 1936.
It is inscribed with the following:
PRESENTED TO THE CORPS OF CADETS
“THE LIVES AND DESTINIES OFVALIANT AMERICANS ARE ENTRUSTEDTO YOUR CARE AND LEADERSHIP”