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                         August 31, 2001

An unending circle

New program merges the best of yesterday and today

Story and photos by Pfc. Nate Jastrzemski
Staff Writer

Left: Retired Col. William S. McArthur, Class of 1973, addresses Class of 2001 members during the annual U.S. Military Academy ring ceremony Aug. 24. McArthur told the cadets that getting the ring shows them that their potential is unlimited. Right: Cadets proudly display their class rings to family members armed with cameras.

To an institution like the United States Military Academy, traditions are of major importance.

Not all traditions are old, however.

On Aug. 24, when the Class of 2002 received their rings during the annual ring ceremony, they started a tradition that many graduates hope will be around for the next 200 years.

Retired Lt. Col. Ron Turner, a USMA Class of 1958 graduate, came up with the idea for the Class Ring Memorial Program. He published an article in the May/June 1999 issue of Assembly Magazine suggesting they start "a program whereby graduates may bequeath (or graduates’ descendents may donate) West Point class rings for the specific purpose of incorporating the gold into the rings of future graduates."

Association of Graduates Class Support Program Director, Tony Ferraiuolo, liked the idea and began corresponding with Turner. He then brought the concept to the USMA community.

Upon the order to put on the rings, many cadets pause to reflect on the moment.	Left to right: Cadets 1st Class Kathryn Martin, Christine Giacone and Christina Girotti show off their rings

"We received ‘enthusiastic support’ from representatives of the Class of 2002, approval from Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Eric T. Olson and "can do" responses from potential ring vending companies," Ferraiuolo said.

Next they had to see if graduates’ and their family members were also going to support the new program. The response was tremendous, he said.

"The graduating class leadership communicated with classmates and widows and received more than 29 rings spanning the graduations of 1903 to 1958," Ferraiuolo added.

He said that kind of support was really special since the rings often have special meanings for both graduates and their loved ones.

"Class rings have a strong sentimental value to graduates," Ferraiuolo said, "Widows, widowers and families often have strong emotional ties to these rings."

There’s often history behind the rings too. Retired Col. William S. McArthur, a 1973 USMA grad and current NASA astronaut, carried a ring belonging to Earle Adams Billing with him on the historical 100th space shuttle flight last year. Billings was a 1917 USMA graduate who was killed during World War I.

"The foundation of all the great things you get out of attending USMA is the Long Gray Line -- the heritage and history that is here," McArthur said. "Getting the ring shows you that the potential achievement you can realize, based on what you learned here, is unlimited.

"You can look at other grads and all they have accomplished and say, ‘They built their success on the same foundation that I have,’ and you quickly realize that there is no reason to limit your goals."

Retired Col. William S. McArthur, Class of ‘73