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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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7

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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Paige BrinkE

TurnIng The PAIgeBy Christian Anderson

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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.

9

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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11

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.

13

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.

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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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23

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.

25

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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27

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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31

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.

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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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39

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.

41

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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Capt. elizabeth lazzari

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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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47

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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51

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.

53

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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55

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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59

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.

61

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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63

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.

69

“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.

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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

77

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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79

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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lt. Col. Myreonwilliams

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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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84

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”