» INDIVIDUAL GRADUATE SUPPORT SERVICES

A variety of individual services are provided by the Vice President for Business Operations and the Director of Career and Membership Services in the Office of Alumni Support.

¤ Affinity Programs

The following services are administered by the Vice President for Business Operations. Information on the services (unless otherwise indicated) can be obtained by calling (800) 232-4723, ext. 1635, or by visiting the AOG Web Site: www.aogusma.org (click on “Member Services”).

The AOG has entered into contractual agreements to provide individual services and benefits to graduates. Some of these provide royalties to AOG, which support cadet-related programs and alumni support programs. Details such as telephone numbers and codes for these programs are on the AOG web site and in ASSEMBLY magazine.

• Credit Cards. The AOG has a contractual agreement with MBNA (Visa Card). Currently, more than ten thousand graduates are using these cards. Obtain a card by calling (800) 523-7666 or by going to www.aogusma.org/as/credit/credit.htm.
• CD / Money Market. In cooperation with MBNA, AOG offers Certificates of Deposit (CD) and Money Market Accounts, with superb rates. Details can be found at www.aogusma.org/as/finserv/aog-fsp.html.
• Rental Cars. The AOG has contractual arrangements with Avis and Hertz rental cars. The AOG has negotiated reduced rates with these companies. In various AOG mailings to graduates, coupons for additional savings on car rentals are provided. If additional coupons are needed, they can be obtained by calling 800 232-4723, ext. 1616.
• Relocation Services. AOG has contracted with a broker/realtor to establish a relocation service, AOG Relocation Services, Inc., which provides a full range of relocation services at no cost to the graduate. If graduates buy or sell their home through the service, a rebate is provided to them. The rebate ($200 – $800) is dependent upon the purchase price. If graduates wish to select their own agent, simply notify AOG Relocation Services, Inc., first. The services provided are at no cost to the seller or buyer. For information, check out the web site at www.aogusma.org/as/reloc.htm or by sending an e-mail to Jack Gloroid ’69 at aog@gloriod.com or call (800) 353-6396.
• Travel Services. WorldTek is the official travel agent for the AOG. Air travel, vacation packages, and class reunion packages are provided at the lowest cost available. Check out their website at www.worldtek.com or call (800) 243-1723.
• AOG and Joint Academy Travel Programs. Since 1979, the AOG has been offering trips throughout the world including the United States. Thousands of graduates, relatives, and friends of West Point have enjoyed these excursions. Our travelers truly enjoy the company of other graduates as they enjoy the adventure of travel as well as the experience of continuing to learn. The majority of the travelers are between the ages of 55–80 although we continue to attract some younger and older travelers. In 2003, we joined with the other academy alumni associations in offering trips that include graduates from all service academies. This joint venture is proving to be most enjoyable for our travelers. To see the list of the 2006 trips as well as details about the trips, go to www.aogusma.org/as/travel. To discuss any trip or the travel program in general, please call Danielle Sweet or Jim Blake at (845) 446-1603. We look forward to seeing you on one of our future trips.
• Fine Wines. The Association of Graduates has established a partnership with Signature Wines. The West Point Wine Program provides both superb wine and a collector’s series of wine labels. The wine portfolio has something for everyone’s wine tastes. Selected wines are available in four-bottle gift packs as well as twelve-bottle cases and will be shipped within one week. You can order by calling 1-800-968-7946 or on our website: www.signaturewines.com/westpoint.
• (Maryland customers: Please contact Signature Wines at 1-888-968-7946 for shipping information.)

• Hotels. Contractual agreements have been entered into with Red Roof Inn, IBM Palisades, Club Quarters, and Hotel Thayer to provide rooms at a reduced rate. Discounts vary between chains and hotels from $5 to $10 per room per night.
  

Hotel	Acct. #	Reservations
Red Roof Inn	CP500934	800 THE-ROOF
Club Quarters	AOG	www.clubquarters.com (Special weekend rates must be requested by phone. The phone numbers of the individual Club Quarters Hotels are available on the web.)
Hotel Thayer	AOG	1-800-247-5047 845-446-4731 www.hotelthayer.com
IBM Palisades	AOG	845-732-6000 http://ibmpalisades.dolce.com

§ Club Quarters are private hotels for the exclusive use of guests and employees of member companies. They are both high-tech and club-like, offering new services for the business traveler. By being private, Club Quarters can be cleaner, safer, and quieter. Members pay the lowest rates for a quality hotel room in a top location in a city center. Club Quarters have four room sizes for short stays, a restaurant and bar, club room, fitness facility, and meeting space accommodating up to 100 people.

§ Current locations are:

§ New York — 40 West 45th Street (off Fifth Ave.)
New York — 52 William Street (off Wall Street)
Washington — 839 17th Street, N.W. (on Farragut Square)
Boston — 161 Devonshire Street (near post Office Square)
Philadelphia — 1628 Chestnut Street (at 17th Street)
Chicago — 111 West Adams St. (center of the center loop)
Chicago — 75 E. Wacker Dr. (off Michigan Ave.)
Houston — 720 Fannin St. (off Rusk and Main St.)
San Francisco — 424 Clay St. (at Embarcadero Center)
London — 7 Gracechurch Street (in the “City”)
London — 24 Ludgate Hill (adjacent to St. Paul’s Cathedral)

• AOG Gift Shop. While not specifically an Affinity Program, the AOG Gift Shop operates under the direction of the Vice President for Business Operations. The Gift Shop offers a wide variety of high-quality personal gift items and reunion support/gift items. (See "REUNION PLANNING / Souvenirs, Memorabilia, Embroidery.")
• James K. Herbert Alumni Center. The Herbert Alumni Center is the home for all graduates. In January 2002, AOG grudgingly announced that the Gift Shop would not be open on most weekends except for special events such as Founder’s Day, reception day, acceptance day, graduation, home football games, and plebe/parent weekend. The decision to close the Gift Shop was made with great reluctance, recognizing that it was the only way for visiting graduates to gain entry to their Alumni Center during non-business hours. However, increased security at West Point limits access and the Gift Shop had no customers. Thus, AOG had to deal with an intolerable economic reality.

During the normal work week (Monday – Friday), the Alumni Center is open from 0730 – 1630.

Finally, for home football games, a pre- and post-game open house is provided for all graduates and their guests. You can enjoy sipping a drink, munching on snacks, and chatting with a classmate until the game begins, or after the game, while the traffic clears.

CAREER AND MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

Information on the services listed below can be obtained by calling (800) 232-4723, ext. 1613,
or by visiting the AOG Web Site - www.aogusma.org (click on Alumni Services).

Career Advisory Resources

• Service Academy Business Resource Directory (SABRD). The Service Academy Business Resource Directory is now an online service, available at www.isabrd.com. More than 15,000 USMA graduates (and more than 31,000 service academy graduates), are now listed. The directry is a superb business-to-business and career transition resource. In addition to the individual listings, you will find a Forums section for business discussions, as well as a Service Academy Alumni Events Calendar. Annual subscriptions are currently $45. You may search information on classmates free of charge. There is no charge to post your own business information in the Service Academy Business Resource Directory.

  • Service Academy Career Conference (SACC). The Service Academy Career Conferences (SACC) is a career seminar and job fair held by the AOG three times a year. The SACC is exclusively for graduates of the participating service academies (Navy, Air Force, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard Acadamies in addition to USMA). In 2006 SACCs will be held in Arlington, VA (May); San Diego, CA (August); and San Antonio, TX (November). In 2005, approximately 200 employer recruiting teams met with USMA graduates at the three SACCs. For up-to-date information on SACC, go to www.aogusma.org/as/careers. and click on SACC or go directly to www.sacc-jobfair.com.
  • The Joint Service Academy Jobs Electronically Plus - JSAJE Plus.
    An Internet-based job-listing service for employers seeking to hire academy graduates and graduates
    searching for employment opportunities. JSAJE Plus is established and operated by the service academy
    alumni associations. Association members confidentially post their rssumes and search the listings free of
    charge. Employes pay a modest fee to advertise their opportunities and search the resume database.
    See www.jsaje.com.
  • West Point ePronet. The AOG has joined a consortium of alumni associations called ePronet. ePronet is a resume posting service specifically for our graduates with 5-20 years of experience in civilian business. By placing your resume into ePronet (you can do so with complete confidentiality) you can join many other top-level executives and senior technical persons in the passive job market. Members of ePronet include Stanford, Duke, MIT, Yale, Ohio State, Navy, and Purdue, to name a few. The URL for West Point ePronet is www.westpointepronet.com.

• AOG Membership

Regular Members - Upon graduation, each member of the graduating class automatically becomes a member of the Association of Graduates. A graduation packet, which is presented to each graduate on graduation day when they sign for their military ID card, contains a temporary membership card. Once Cullum numbers are determined (see Annex G) each graduate is mailed their permanent membership card. The AOG membership card provides each graduate with his or her Cullum number as well as telephone and fax number, web site and email address for the AOG. With each card a graduate also receives a listing of the telephone numbers and codes needed to use the AOG affinity programs. To replace lost cards, call 1-800-232-4723, ext. 1616.

Associate Members - Individuals in the following groups are eligible for Associate Membership: former cadets who completed at least one semester at West Point, members or former members of the staff and faculty who did not graduate from West Point, and widows/widowers of graduates. (Associate Membership is automatically offered to the latter group.) To apply see http://www.aogusma.org/as/member/membership_overview.htm. The one-time Associate Membership fee is $50. Associate Members (other than widows/widowers of graduates, who pay no fee) receive Assembly magazine for a year and a copy of the Register of Graduates and Former Cadets. Associate Members are eligible to participate in affinity programs and may reserve the Great Hall at Herbert Alumni Center. A personal letter is sent to each Associate Member who is a widow or widower, providing them with complete information and contact numbers and codes for all services offered to them by the AOG

» WEST POINT SOCIETIES

West Point Societies are not formally federated; there is no parent organization. Each Society is autonomous and structured in a way that best suits the purpose and activities of its membership. Existing societies, however, are strongly related to each other and to the Association of Graduates in several important ways.

In general, Societies and the Association of Graduates have the common purpose of furthering public understanding and support of the Military Academy. They do this by enabling graduates, former cadets, widows of graduates and, in many instances, other friends of West Point to gather together in support of the Academy’s aims, ideals, standards, and achievements.

For more information about West Point Societies, call or write:

Association of Graduates
Attn.: West Point Societies Program
West Point, NY 10996
800 232-4723 ext. 1612
845 446-1695 (Fax)
Society-support@aogusma.org

¤ West Point Society Programs

West Point Societies have implemented a wide variety of imaginative programs intended to support West Point and to enhance the welfare of their members.

The programs include:

Founders Day Celebrations
Admission Support Programs
Active Duty Support
Society Career Advisory Services
Cadet Activity/Athletic Event Support
Community Outreach Programs
Society Award Programs
Society Newsletters
Society Rosters

The examples listed do not represent all the activities and programs in which societies are involved and are not intended as an AOG endorsement. The AOG maintains files of real society activities and will provide samples of these activities upon request. To receive information about any of the activities listed, contact the Director, West Point Societies Program, AOG.

» FRIENDS OF WEST POINT

The AOG’s main object in creating The Friends was to broaden the nationwide base of support for West Point’s values and programs. This would be accomplished by enlisting into the organization’s ranks a large group of people, ranging from the most influential to the most ordinary, who have feelings of respect and affection for the Academy, but who are not otherwise qualified to belong to the AOG as Regular or Associate Members.

Candidates may become members of The Friends in one of two ways. In the first, two graduates — trustees or the officers of a West Point society or class, for example — will propose someone for membership as a way to honor the candidate.

In the second, individuals — cadet parents, for example — who learn about The Friends may advance their own candidacy, by obtaining nominations from two West Point graduates.

Before either kind of candidate is considered for membership, his or her file must include the two nominations, contact information for the candidate (name, address, etc.), and a statement of the reasons why he or she should be considered for membership. For further information and forms, contact Organizational Support Program Office at 800 232-4723, ext. 1612, or by e-mail at FOWP@aogusma.org.