The West Point Society of Philadelphia

May 8 update from Dave: The Booklet from the event can be viewed here. Be advised that this is a 2 MB PDF File. If your Internet connection is not high speed, it will take a long time to either download or view.

Founder’s Day Banquet, Saturday, 18 March 2006

Our annual Founder’s Day Banquet, celebrating the 204^th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Military Academy, will be held at the Pyramid Club located on the 52^nd Floor, 1735 Market Street, (Mellon Bank Bldg, at corner of 18^th) Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, March 18, 2006 at 1800 hours. Graduates, friends and associates are invited to join us and to celebrate the Academy’s birthday. We need your enthusiastic support and participation to insure the success of this event.

During this year’s banquet, GEN (Ret) Wayne A. Downing, USMA ’62, will receive the Society’s General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. “Guardian of Liberty” Award, which is presented to selected individuals who exemplify the Academy’s motto, "Duty, Honor, Country" while contributing to and guarding the freedom which we all enjoy. GEN Downing commanded infantry and special operations forces from platoon size units to the US Special Operations Command, serving in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Kuwait and Iraq.

Gentlemen: Mess Dress / Dress Blues / Black Tie w/ Decorations. Dark Business Suit Optional.

COSTS:  Dinner (including 2 beverage tickets): . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 85.00 per person

 FOUR STAR Table Sponsor: Table for 10 + 20 individual beverage tickets, with

Full Page AD in 4-Star Sponsor section of Tribute Book. . . . . $ 1,250.00 per Table of 10

A TRIBUTE BOOK is being prepared as a Special Souvenir Program of the evening. We would welcome your personal or business ad in the Program, to support the objectives of our Society, and to honor GEN Downing. Please contact Mike Parrish to place your ad: (610-941-2747 or 484-571-9126) michael.parrish@equisolgp.com.

Send banquet Reservations and Checks to: Warren Geiger, 4104 Tranquility St., Schwenksville, PA 19473 (215-896-3017; wfgeiger@comcast.net).

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RESERVATIONS FOR FOUNDER’S DAY 18 MARCH 2006: PLEASE RESPOND NLT 1 March 2006

I want ______seats @ $ 85.00 Each. ______ I would like to be a Friend / Contributor (+$20.00)

I will sponsor _____Tables of 10 @ $ 850.00 Each. _____I would like to buy a Tribute / Program Ad.

I would like to be a FOUR-STAR Sponsor at $1,250.00 ______Please seat me with ________________

ADDRESS_________________________________________PHONE___________________________

CITY__________________________STATE _____ZIP___________ EMAIL ______________________

Number of Meals: Grilled Filet Mignon _________ Poached Salmon & Sole Panache__________

Since 1927, The West Point Society of Philadelphia has held an annual dinner to celebrate the establishment of the United States Military Academy in 1802. As part of our Founder’s Day festivities, our Society has instituted The General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. GUARDIAN of LIBERTY AWARD, which is presented to individuals who exemplify our motto, "Duty, Honor, Country" while contributing to and guarding the freedom which we all enjoy. GEN Haig, a Philadelphia native, who has long demonstrated selfless devotion to those ideals, has graciously agreed to allow us to use his name on this award. Recipients are selected by a blue ribbon panel, based on the criteria set forth by the Society. The award is a near life-size bust of General Haig on a dark wood base with engraved names of each recipient. Each new honoree receives a miniature representation of the bust to commemorate his receipt of the award.

This year, the West Point Society of Philadelphia is pleased to present the General Alexander M. Haig, Jr. GUARDIAN of LIBERTY AWARD to General (Retired) Wayne A. Downing, USMA ’62.

GEN Downing is a highly decorated combat veteran who retired after a 34-year career in the U.S. Army. While on active duty he served in a variety of command assignments in infantry, armored, special operations, and joint units, culminating in his appointment as the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Special Operations Command. He served two combat tours in Vietnam as a junior infantry officer. As a general officer, he commanded the special operations of all services during the 1989 invasion of Panama and commanded a joint special operations task force operating deep behind the Iraqi lines during Operation DESERT STORM.

Following retirement, GEN Downing was appointed by the President to assess the 1996 terrorist attack on the U.S. base at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, and to make recommendations on how to protect Americans and U.S. facilities worldwide from terrorist attack.. The resulting report to the Secretary of Defense pointed out significant command failures to adequately protect the base and predicted that terrorist attacks of this nature would be the asymmetric tactic of choice in the future.

From 1999-2000, GEN Downing also served as member of the Congressionally mandated National Commission on Terrorism (the Bremer Commission) charged with examining the terrorist threat to the US,

evaluating America’s laws, policies, and practices for preventing and punishing terrorism directed at US citizens, and recommending corrective actions. The Commission found that the United States needed a far more aggressive strategy on combating terrorism at home and abroad. The Commission predicted further terrorist attacks on America.

GEN Downing most recently served the White House as National Director and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism. As the President’s principal advisor on matters related to combating terrorism, he was responsible for the close coordination among the military, diplomatic, intelligence, law enforcement, and financial operations of our war on terror, and for developing and executing a strategy that integrates all elements of national power.

GEN Downing serves on several boards in the private sector. He is also a visiting faculty member at the University of Michigan Business School and has conducted seminars on leadership and transformation management. GEN Downing graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point with a B.S. degree in 1962 and has a M.B.A. from Tulane University.

His awards and decorations include: the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Soldiers Medal, the Bronze Star with V Device for Valor and five Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with V Device and thirty five Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with V Device and three Oak Leaf Clusters. General Downing has earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Military Free Fall Jumpmaster badge, the Master Parachute Badge, the Ranger Tab and the Pathfinder Badge. He is a Commander in the French Legion of Honor.