10/7/07

Class Dinner & Concert Update


I promised some pictures from the Class Dinner and the mini-concert that Walter Cunningham put on after the dinner. Can you tell that we were having a blast. We sure do LOOK GOOD 20 years later. HA! We haven't cracked yet.

You know what's really CRAZY...The Class of 87 is still to this day the largest class of African Americans admitted to West Point and the largest group that actually graduated. At the Superintendents briefing, he showed up the statistics on the Class of 2011 and while there is a record number of women entering this year, only 6% of the Class of 2011 is Black. WTF. War - Smore. That is not the only reason we (West Point - aka - The United States Military Academy) can't find and recruit qualified minorities to attend. I looked around the room at all my fellow Black Alumni and what I saw was good looking, prosperous, makin' it happen Black people. The kind of "makin it happen" Black's that I not only want to hang with but also wouldn't hesitate to put my life into their hands. Several of them are still on active duty ( 2 doctors, 1 Aviation Brigade Commander, 1 at NSA and more). WHERE ARE THESE KIDS!!!???? We all agreed that we had to step up our own personal marketing and recruiting campaign or it simply isn't going to happen. The Supe is even talking about "at risk kids" and those are not the same at risk academically kids that we are talking about at most other schools. He said the "at risk" kids that are admitted to West Point graduate at the same rate or better than those who did not have academic risk. WELL, let's get busy.

You can turn your nose up at a military education or the military if you want to. Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but I would NOT be the person I am today and I'm sure all the beautiful Blacks you see in these pictures wouldn't either if we had not attended West Point. Freedom ain't free, there is a price to be paid for your right to live in the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave." Are you willing to give back 5 years of your life to the Army for an Ivy League education at the bargain basement price of $0, get paid while in school, have a guaranteed job upon graduation and transferable skills when done if you decided to leave the service? Then what will you do? What will you settle for? You won't even consider it or let your children look at the opportunity? Shame...cause opportunities just don't jump up in your face. You best be prepared, done some homework, "STAND IN THE DOOR"...cause it is only when PREPAREDNESS & OPPORTUNITY meet, that you find fortune.

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox and back on to the FUN we had at the reunion. Yesterday was one of the most exhausting but exhilarating days. For the 1st time in 15 years (or 2 reunions -10 & 15) has our class been able to participate in the Alumni Parade and Review cause the last 2 reunions the parade was rained out. This year, it was sunny and 86 degrees. It was one of the longest Parades (at least it felt that way) in human history and we did the Alumni March and Memorial Service and then lined up for the Corp of Cadets to honor the 4 alumni classes in attendance (2002, 1992, 1997, 1987) with "Pass & Review." The Cadets march onto The Plain in Full Dress Grey and salute all the dignitaries and alumni and then parade past us in salute. It was so DAMN hot I thought I was freakin' gonna pass out, but I was also choked up. I was moved at the whole ceremony and DAMN PROUD - HUUUAH! to be a graduate. I was in awe.

Almost out of battery power here in the car. I'll get the pictures from the parade up later.