]Jim Russell grew up in Pittsburgh and served in armored cavalry units during his six years in the Army. His time in Germany piqued his interest in things international, and he welcomed opportunities to work abroad in his civilian career.
- 10th Anniversary Musings – Pleasantly SurprisedHappy Tenth Birthday, Days Forward! When Chris Rice (USMA ’10) and Suzanne (widow of Bill, C-3 and G-3) launched this endeavor, I was not optimistic that it would gain the traction needed for success. Our classmates had recently completed compiling the terrific Legacy… Read more: 10th Anniversary Musings – Pleasantly Surprised
- Field Force Chuckles – 2021
Each state has a “West Point Field Force” of volunteer grads and parents who help young candidates assess whether West Point is a fit for them and assist the Congressional staffs and West Point to assess each candidate’s likely degree of success at… Read more: Field Force Chuckles – 2021 - Duty and The Deadline Report – 1970
In June 1970, ten weeks into my first assignment and three weeks after making first lieutenant, I assumed command of B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry, in Schweinfurt. 3/7 Cav was the one of the front-line ‘tripwire‘ units stationed along the East… Read more: Duty and The Deadline Report – 1970 - Gary Steele, Tight End – 2008
On 12 October 1968, a Saturday, Army hosted Cal-Berkeley at West Point. Rain and cold had cancelled the regular Saturday morning full-dress parade on the Plain. The weather was not what the favored Cal team (ranked 16th) was accustomed to. For some reason… Read more: Gary Steele, Tight End – 2008 - Class Rank Matters – 1975
Jim Bachta was our perennial Brigade Boxing Champ at 132 lbs1. He graduated 189th in our class. I was 35 files behind him at 224.2 We both branched Armor. Luck of the draw moved us nearly simultaneously from the Armor Officer Basic course… Read more: Class Rank Matters – 1975 - Thoughts On The Long Gray Line – 2019
Editor’s note: Every five years, the Class of 1969 meets for a reunion. At each reunion, a memorial service is held to commemorate the lives of those classmates who have died. It is a solemn yet beautiful occasion that reminds all that these… Read more: Thoughts On The Long Gray Line – 2019 - What West Point Means To Me – Jim Russell
• I’m the first generation in my family to attend college. And the eldest. • Being accepted at Penn State was a big deal. Would have meant loans and trivial student jobs. After graduation, a cubicle in an engineering firm in Pittsburgh. •… Read more: What West Point Means To Me – Jim Russell - Brass in the Tower 1987-94
One of the things I turned out to be pretty good at during high school was music. I could always find the right pitches in church songs, and jazz and orchestral music really spoke to me. As a small child I had wanted… Read more: Brass in the Tower 1987-94 - Beast Barracks Ticket to Moscow – 1991
By Jim Russell, Beast Barracks Ticket to Moscow One of the few opportunities we new cadets had to choose among options during Beast Barracks, the first grueling weeks at West Point, was the foreign language preference form we all filled out. West Point… Read more: Beast Barracks Ticket to Moscow – 1991