GENERAL. The intent of the award is to recognize West Point Societies for the many activities in which they are currently involved. Participation is voluntary. However, the West Point Societies Subcommittee will maintain Award Activity files for every society unless societies specifically request not to be considered. Determination of eligibility is based on a simple point system whereby societies receive points for various activities and programs. Societies achieve Distinguished Society recognition by attaining a predetermined, publicized number of points.

As there is no limit to the number of societies that may receive the Distinguished Society Award in any given year, societies do not compete against one another for their shares of a scarce resource. All societies that attain the minimum point level required will receive it. Additionally, a society may receive the award any number of times.

The period of activity on which the Award is based is the calendar year, with Awards formally presented at the following West Point Societies ’ and Class Leaders’ Conference (e.g., the activity year is January 1 – December 31. Awards for calendar year 2006 will be presented at the Conference in the summer of 2007).
 

1. HOW TO REPORT SOCIETY ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS. Typically societies report activities and programs by updating the Distinguished Society Award (DSA) Database, which can be found by logging into the "Grads Only" section of the AOG website at: http://www.aogusma.org/reGrad/gradlogin.cfm
   The 2006 DSA database has been disabled. Society officers may use a variety of Word and Excel tools to record points for 2006. Societies may also use tools or lists of their own creation. A list of helpful files may be found at: http://www.aogusma.org/soc/2006_DSA/
   
   Only society officers will have access to their respective society databases. If you have society officers who are not graduates but require access to the database, please contact the Society Support Adminstrator at 845/446-1581 or DSA@aogusma.org
   
   See Detailed Award Criteria for specifics.

   
   Submission of activities on the database will be accepted at any time during the calendar year; although, it is best for societies to complete them as soon as possible after the activities have taken place. Points will be awarded only for those activities that occur in the calendar year for which the award is being given.

   Final submissions for consideration of the award must be entered into the database no later than January 7 of the following calendar year.

   If you have hardcopy submissions for society rosters, newsletters, or media coverage, mail or fax to:

   Association of Graduates
   698 Mills Road
   ATTN: Organizational Support
   West Point, NY 10996
   FAX 845 446-1695

   When a society submits activities using the web entry system, points will be awarded immediately. Society support will perform regular reviews to ensure that activities meet the guidelines of the award.
    

2. AWARD NOTIFICATION. Because societies will know how many points are required to attain Distinguished Society recognition, and because they will know at any given time how many points they have accumulated, it will be no secret when they have achieved the award. However, official notification will not take place until the week following the Winter Meeting of the Board of Trustees, where the list of winners is approved. The Distinguished Society Award itself will be presented to society representatives (presidents or their designates) at the West Point Societies and Class Leaders Conference held annually at West Point.

DETAILED AWARD CRITERIA

Although societies are not required to participate in all categories, it is mandatory that societies participate in the five Essential Activities to be eligible for the Distinguished Society Award. In addition to Essential Activities, societies may accumulate points from any other category or from any combination of categories.

ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES.

1. Host or co-host a Founders Day event.
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 150

2. Send a delegate to West Point Leaders’ Conference. This requirement must be met at least every other year. No points are earned if the society chooses to skip one year; however, the essential requirement will have be met if the society sent a representative the prior year.
Submission requirements: Enter name of society representative who attended conference in the DSA Database.
POINTS FOR ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE: 200 

3. Send Leaders’ Conference Summary to Society Members. This requirement must be met every year. Society representatives may write their own summary or send out the summary that the AOG publishes in the weeks following the Conference.
Submission requirements: Enter date when summary was sent to membership in DSA Database. Send copy to Organizational Support.
POINTS FOR SENDING SUMMARY: 100 

4. Submit rosters of society members and society officers.
Submission requirements: Send rosters to the Director, Organizational Support Program
No particular format is required for roster submissions. However, rosters should indicate USMA graduates and any member not in good standing.
POINTS: 150

5. Support USMA Admissions. (Societies must garner at least 300 points by participating in Admissions activities as listed in paragraph C1.)

Admissions Participant Membership
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 5 for each active participant, 10 for each active participant with over 5 years of service, 20 for each active participant with over 10 years of service

Designate a Society Member as an active Field Force Liaison
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 30

Society member participation on Congressional Nomination Committee
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 30

Visit 3 High Schools and Establish Contact as Local West Point Representative
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 30 for the first three high schools, 15 for each additional

Local Awards/Scholarship Program
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 75

Sponsor & fund a candidate’s official visit to West Point
Submissions requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 75

Assist Regional Admissions Officer with Local Events (Candidate By-Invites, Educator Events, Football Events, Field Force Events)
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 50 (Plus 5 per Admissions Rep in attendance)

Participate in an Academy Day Sponsored by a Congressman
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 50 per event

General Admissions Activities — Other kinds of participation in the USMA Admissions effort
Submission requirements: DSA Database
POINTS: 15

Click here for more information about Admisssions activities. Note that societies located overseas in areas where there is no significant American high school student population are exempt from the requirement to support USMA Admissions. 

SOCIETY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS. Points are awarded in this category for various types of society activities. The list is not exhaustive. Obviously, not all the activities in which societies are involved can be included.

Those activities that do not fit a specific category as outlined below will receive credit as General Activities.

1. Career Advisory-Related Activities
   1. Establishment of a Career Advisory Program to provide individual counseling and advice to older grads approaching retirement.
      Submission Requirements: DSA Database, including the name of the POC for the program
      POINTS: 100
   2. Networking/business meetings, luncheons, etc.
      Submission Requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 50
   3. Host Local Career Conference
      Submission Requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 150
2. Activities in support of Cadet Team/Club event in society area
   1. Sponsoring an official Army Football Away-Game Tailgate
      Submission requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 200 
   2. Other Cadet Team/Club Support Activities
      Submission requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 100 (for each activity submitted)
3. Community Outreach Program
   1. Society participation in Community Outreach event (i.e., Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Clubs, Red Cross Blood Drive, etc.)
      Submission requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 50
   2. Society participation in any civic activity (i.e., Flag Presentation, Memorial Dedication, etc.) in which USMA receives recognition.
      Submission requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 75
   3. Society-sponsored Community Outreach event
      Submission requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 100
4. Active-Duty Support
   1. Establishment of Community Welcoming Services for active-duty grads newly arrived in the society area.
      Submission requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 100 
   2. Establishment of Spousal Employment Advisory Services
      Submission requirements: DSA Database including name of the POC for the Advisory Services
      POINTS: 100 
   3. Establishment of a Sponsorship Program (i.e., one in which relationships are established between older and younger grads, especially those still on active duty, with the former serving as friends, confidants, and providers of information from a more experienced point of view.)
      Submission requirements: DSA Database including name of the POC for the program
      POINTS: 100
5. Army–Navy or Army-Air Force Game Get-together
   1. Participation in Joint Service Academy Get-together
      Submission requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 50 
   2. Sponsorship of Joint Service Academy Game Get-together
      Submission requirements: DSA Database
      POINTS: 75 
6. Congressional Connection
   1. Establish Connection with a Key Congressional Staffer. (A reliable point of contact in the offices of local Senators and members of Congress for dissemenation of information concerning West Point should the need arise.)
      Submission requirements: DSA Database, including Congressional staffer’s name
      POINTS: 25 
   2. Participation in activities (other than Admissions related) sponsored by Congressmen/women in which USMA receives public recognition.
      Submission requirements: DSA Database, including Congressional representative’s name
      POINTS: 50 
7. Nominate a Friend of West Point and pay the lifetime membership fee.
   Submission requirements: DSA Database, including the name of the nominee
   POINTS: 25 
8. Nominate a Thayer Award or Distinguished Graduate Award Candidate
   Submission requirements: DSA Database, including the name of the nominee
   POINTS: 25 
9. Society Awards. Society recognition of outstanding local individual or distinguished member.
   Submission requirements: DSA Database, including the name of the award recipient and description of award.
   POINTS: 50 
10. General Activities (e.g., society golf outings, picnics, Benny Havens hours)
    Submission requirements: DSA Database
    POINTS: 50 (for each activity submitted)
1. MEETINGS. Societies participating in this category will receive points for every meeting conducted, to include luncheons and dinners. Societies should follow their constitutions, by-laws, or guidelines for meetings to determine if a particular meeting is one for which credit can be received.
   Submission requirements: DSA Database
   POINTS: 50 (for each meeting submitted)

   Note: A bonus of 25 points will be awarded for each meeting in which Parents’ Clubs are invited to participate. Points will be awarded as long as one member of a Parents Club’ participates. (Points will not be awarded if a member of a society also is a parent, unless that member is there specifically as a Parents’ Club representative.) To get bonus points, indicate attendance by member(s) of Parents’ Club on the DSA Database. 

   Note: A bonus of 25 points will be awarded for each meeting in which Joint Service Academy Alumni organizations are invited to participate. Points will be awarded as long as one member of another Service Academy's alumni organization participates. (Points will not be awarded if a member of a society also is a graduate of another Service Academy, unless that member is there specifically as another Service Academy Alumni organization's representative.) To get bonus points, indicate attendance by member(s) of Service Academy Alumni organization on the DSA Database. 

   Note: A bonus of 50 points will be awarded for any activity that receives media attention. To receive bonus points, indicate that your activity received media coverage on the DSA Database. (If newspaper coverage, we would like to have a copy of the article. This is not required, however.)

2. INFORMATION. Access to and dissemination of information is increasingly more important to societies. Societies that have developed efficient means for internal and external communication tend to attract and retain members. An effective flow of information is often critical to the success of any society and its programs. Societies that participate in this category will be awarded points based on the various means by which they gather, disseminate, and share information.
    
   1. Society Homepage
      1. Society establishes Society web-site. (Awarded in year in which web-site was activated.)
         Submission requirements: DSA Database, to include URL. The Society’s homepage must be linked to the AOG’s Societies page and maintained with current information.
         POINTS: 200 
      2. Quarterly Updates. Points will be awarded for each quarter in which society updates web-site.
         Submission requirements: DSA Database, to include date of update per quarter.
         POINTS: 25 per quarterly update
   2. Submission to ASSEMBLY magazine’s “Society News”
      Submission requirements: DSA Database. Articles to Organizational Support
      POINTS: 50 (for each article submitted) 
   3. Society Newsletters
      Submission requirements: DSA Database. Newsletters to Organizational Support
      POINTS: 50 (for each article submitted)