Return to the "POINTER VIEW"
                         March 8, 2002

Mandatory pre-separation counseling
If you are a soldier transitioning from the military, it is mandatory to attend pre-separation counseling with the transition assistance program here -- a localized version of ACAP. The rule of thumb is to schedule your counseling 180 days in advance of your separation/retirement date. Pre-separation counseling is scheduled for the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. in bldg. 622. Call 938-5658 to schedule a date of your choice.

WPWC scholarship applications available
The West Point Women’s Club awards scholarships to club members, high school seniors and returning college students who are or will be pursuing a college degree.

Scholarship applications are available now. They must be completed and received by March 15.

To be eligible, applicants must be a WPWC member or dependent of a WPWC member. Grants can be used for tuition, books and fees.

Applications will be judged on scholarship, community service, letters of recommendation and an essay.

Call Claire Ressler at 446-8035 for more information or to pick up an application packet.

Lenten schedule announced
The Most Holy Trinity Catholic Chapel’s Schedule for Lent is as follows:
Stations of the Cross/Soup Suppers: Friday nights through March 22. Stations: 6 p.m.; Soup 6:30 p.m.
Lenten Series - Spiritual Renewal Program: Tuesday and March 18 at 7 p.m. Speaker: Father Timone
Reconciliation Service: March 19, 7 p.m.

Palm Sunday: March 24 with distribution of palms at all regularly scheduled Masses.

Triduum: Holy Thursday, March 28, Mass of the Last Supper, 7 p.m. 24-hour adoration of the blessed sacrament to follow.

Good Friday, March 29, Service and Passion Drama, 7 p.m.
Holy Saturday, March 30, Easter Vigil, 7 p.m.
Easter Sunday, March 31, Masses at 9 and 11 a.m.

SatoTravel center open
The SatoTravel vacation center in bldg. 695 is now open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to assist community members with airline ticketing, car reservations, hotel accommodations, cruises, tours and more. SatoTravel offers many military and DoD discounts. Drop by and check out the discounts and register to win a free cruise in the "sail-ebration" sweepstakes.

PointCon XXV nearing
PointCon XXV, the annual cadet wargame club’s convention, will be held April 6 in Thayer Hall. The theme is "Wars of the Young Republic."

For more information or to register, contact Cadet 1st Class Colin Kielick at (845) 515-1650 or by e-mail at x24183@usma.edu.

Manage anger before it manages you
Do people say you’re oversensitive? Does your anger come on really fast? Do you get mad to get what you want? If you answer yes to any of these questions, anger may be managing you. Join the staff of ACS to evaluate your anger traits and develop skills to manage them.

Classes are held 8:30-11:30 a.m. the second Friday of each month at ACS, bldg. 622. Call 938-4621 for more information.

Keystone and Torch Clubs
The Keystone Club, a high school leadership group, meets alternating Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. The Torch Club, a middle school leadership group, meets Fridays at 4:30 p.m. Call Jim Bennett at Youth Services for more information, 938-8379.

Learn to mat and frame
Matting and framing classes are held at the Arts and Crafts Shop, bldg. 648, by appointment. Classes run two to three hours each. Those interested should call 938-4812.

Make a memory
Creative Scrapbooking Classes will be held March 6 and 20 and you can learn to make your first scrapbook page on either date. Materials are included in the fee. Preregistration is required. Call 938-4812 to sign up.

Quarters inspections
All officers and key and essential civilians (visiting professors) departing West Point between May 1 and Aug. 31 are required to have their quarters pre-termination inspections scheduled and completed by March 29. You are not required to have orders to schedule your pre-termination inspection. All final termination inspection appointments must be scheduled by April 30 for the date you expect to leave West Point.

To schedule inspection appointments, call the housing division at 938-6201/2828/5290, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Open house scheduled
Sacred Heart School in Highland Falls, a Middle States accredited school, will hold an open house for interested parents for the 2002/2003 school year. Tours for preschool and kindergarten will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday. An open house for all grades will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 16.

Transportation is provided for Garrison/Cold Springs students for the upcoming school year. Call the school at 845-446-2674 for more information.

Thrift shop to reopen
Evie’s Basement, located in the Church of the Holy Innocents in Highland Falls, is reopening starting Thursday. Evie’s Basement will be open every Thursday, excluding holidays, through Thanksgiving from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The shop is open for both shopping and donation drop-off. The community is asked to consider Evie’s Basement as a potential recipient of unwanted, usable items when you do your spring cleaning. All proceeds go directly back into the community by means of the food pantry and church renovations. For those unable to bring donations to the church, pick-up of items can be arranged.

Volunteers are also needed to man the store, stock shelves, go through donation bags and boxes and be on hand to assist with whatever the day may bring.

For more information or to arrange for donation pick-up, call Sarah at 446-1171.

Lutheran services outlined
Lutheran worship services for Easter weekend are listed below:

Maundy Thursday, March 28, 7 p.m.
Good Friday, March 29, noon and 7 p.m.
Easter Sunday, March 31, 10:30 a.m.

All services take place in the Old Cadet Chapel in the cemetery area. All are welcome. For more information, call Chaplain Mark Roeder at 938-8619.

Vehicle Registration Office hours to change
In order to accommodate new training requirements, the Vehicle Registration Office hours, effective March 21, will be:

Monday-Wednesday and Friday: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m.
Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays: CLOSED

Single-parent support group
A single-parent support group for those faced with the challenges of raising a child alone, even if the situation is temporary due to deployment, is being formed at West Point. The group’s main objective is to provide emotional and practical support and social activities for children and parents. Those interested should call Tina at 938-3411 or 446-1376.

Irish flag to be raised
Come and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the raising of the flag of Ireland in a ceremony March 16 at 1 p.m. at Memorial Park in Highland Falls.

Margaret Fitzgerald McDonald will raise the flag and Father Michael McLaughlin of Sacred Heart Church will give a special blessing. The flag will remain up for one week. Bagpipe music will also be provided.

DUSA to award scholarships
The West Point Chapter of the Daughters of the United States Army awards scholarships to local graduating or recently graduated high school students to assist in defraying the costs of their college education. Scholarship applications are now available at the DUSA gift shops and at the O’Neill High School guidance counselors’ office. Applications must be completed and received by April 30 to be considered.

To be eligible, applicants must be a graduating or recently graduated high school senior and a family member of an active, retired or deceased U.S. Army service member whose family resides at West Point (or within a 35 mile radius of West Point) when the scholarship is awarded. Scholarship funds are intended to pay for tuition, books and fees for degree, certificate or other professional programs at accredited institutions of higher learning. Scholarships will not be awarded to those attending one of the service academies.

For more information, call Peggy Estes at 446-4865.

Quintet concert announced
The wind quintet from the USMA Band will feature "Summer Music," by Samuel Barber and the "Tropical Nights Divertimento," by Raymond Torres-Santos March 17 at 3 p.m. in the West Point Jewish Chapel. This concert is free and open to the public.

Members of the quintet are Sgt. 1st Class Julie Ditzel, flute; Sgt. 1st Class Christian Eberle, bassoon; Sgt. 1st Class John Parrette, clarinet; Staff Sgt. Troy Messner, horn; and Staff Sgt. James Mullins, oboe.

For concert information, cancellations and updates, call the Academy Band’s 24-hour hotline at 845-938-2617.

Distinguished lecture series
Herman Boone will present a lecture titled "Leadership in a Racially/Ethnically Diverse Organization" April 3, 7:45-8:45 p.m. in Robinson Auditorium, Thayer Hall. Cadets in PL300 and anyone else interested in attending are invited. For more information, call Capt. Cynthia Hargrow at 938-5002.

USMA bookstore special feature
In conjunction with the History Department’s Conference today through Sunday, the USMA bookstore will feature at its "author’s table" the following historians and authors: Lt. Gen. Dave Palmer, Gen. John Wickham, Herm Dillon, Prof. Kohn and Carol D’Este. Check the bulletin boards for times of signings or call the bookstore at 938-5193.

LaLeche League to meet
The Highland Falls LaLeche League will meet March 14 at 6:45 p.m. at the Post Chapel Offices, Bldg. 692 on Biddle Loop. The topic of discussion will be "Breast-feeding: Questions Mothers Ask." All women interested in breast-feeding are invited to attend. Babies and toddlers also welcome. Call Marie at 446-2766 for more information.

Leave the driving to ITR
Take advantage of West Point’s proximity to New York City. ITR is taking reservations for the following van trips:

Sunday: Sunday in NYC; leave at 9 a.m., return by 4 p.m.
Tuesday: Museums in NYC; leave at 9 a.m., return to West Point by 5 p.m.
Wednesday: Theater matinee; leave at 9 a.m., return by 5:30 p.m.

Call ITR at 938-3601 for more information.

Myrtle Beach reservations
Active duty personnel have until March 15 to sign up for a summer getaway at a Myrtle Beach condo. Sign ups for retired military and DoD civilians start March 18. A 50 percent deposit is required at sign-up. Call ITR for complete details at 938-3601.

Garden plots available soon
Free garden plots are available to all West Point residents, one per family. The plots are numbered and located on Lee Road, between Beauregard Place and Bowman Loop. Water spigots are available throughout the fenced-in area.

Occupancy begins April 26 and gardeners from last season get to re-reserve their same plots by calling 938-2503 after April 1. New applicants may call starting April 15. Call 938-2503 for more information.

Cultural adaptation class
ACS offers free support classes for foreign-born spouses that include English as a second language, Army life and culture, educational resources and other helpful adjustment skills. Classes are held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Bldg. 622. For more information, call 938-2519.

School-age services summer fun camp
Sign ups are starting for school-age services summer fun camp for children who have completed grades kindergarten through fifth grade (must be 6 years old by the start of camp). Applications will be taken starting Monday through March 22 at Bldg. 1207 from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Camp sessions begin June 10. For more information, call 938-4458.

Easter Sunrise Service
Everyone is invited to the Easter Sunrise Service March 31 at 6:30 a.m. in the Hudson Room of the West Point Club. Chaplain Jim Carter will preach the Easter message. Brittney Borgstedt will sing Mozart’s "Alleluia." The congregation will sing two Easter hymns and the service will be followed by a continental breakfast at no charge to participants.

For more information, call Chaplain Tom Wild (938-2003), Chaplain Jim Carter (938-4106) or Connie Wagner (938-3316).