Am I in the wrong place?

Gray Hog

5-Year Member
Joined
May 4, 2010
Messages
126
I was really excited when I stumbled across this forum, thinking it was a place where grads, cadets/mids, and others interested in the service academies gathered to discuss their respective institutions and topics related to them. However, upon a closer look, it appears that it is primarily geared toward educating candidates and their parents. That is certainly an important function, in which I will gladly participate, but it does not really scratch my own itch for discussing issues related to my alma mater with other grads. Is there a subforum where such issues are discussed among the already-well informed?

Additionally, I am an avid collector of antiques and items of historical interest related to West Point and I was hoping to find others who shared this passion and would be interested in discussing their hobbies. Is there a place for that here? If not, does anyone know of such a place?

Cheers,
Brad
USMA '91
 
No you aren't in the wrong place!

It would be ideal if we could get more cadets/mids to participate but the problems seems to be lack of time for "goofing off" on an internet forum. I have tried to get my son to join but he doesn't spend a lot of time on the internet, and when he does have time he only checks his email and Facebook accounts. :smile:

I don't believe we have a sub-forum just for grads but there is one for "life after the academy." Maybe you could post a new thread there that would draw in some of the other USMA grads on this site who would like to talk about the alma mater.

I am not a collector of historical items from West Point but I have quite the collection of current items...maybe someday they will be antiques. I love anything Army and/or West Point related so I would be interested to know what kinds of things you have. My son is a military history major and has already started a Civil War collection, so I can imagine him having a collection like yours in the future.
 
Welcome to the forums. Glad to have you. Lots of people here are willing to discuss pretty much anything. Esp. in the off topic section.
 
I love anything Army and/or West Point related so I would be interested to know what kinds of things you have. My son is a military history major and has already started a Civil War collection, so I can imagine him having a collection like yours in the future.

I have a large collection of West Point-related items in a broad range of categories, from cadet uniform items and insignia to pop-culture items featuring West Point cadets, like advertisements, board games, and movie posters. The collection spans the mid-19th to the mid-20th century.

I have several Civil War-era cadet items, which your son would likely find of great interest. My oldest and rarest piece is this 1840's cadet forage cap insignia:

usma001a.jpg


The West Point museum collection does not even have one of these. The only other one I know of belongs to the Smithsonian. :biggrin:
 
That is cool Gray Hog! How exciting to have something so rare.

When I took my son on his visit to West Point back in 2006 we spent a lot of time in the West Point Museum. He was like a kid in a candy store. I could see him being the curator of a military museum someday.
 
I am in the wrong place

Grayhog

Welcome, praise to all those wear or who have wore the uniform of the military.


RGK
 
Gray Hog, thank you for posting your question. We would be happy to look at adding a sub-forum for discussing more grad-related issues. The issue is really one of traffic, but please send me a PM and we'll discuss the options that are available.

Our goal is to serve the Service Academy community to the greatest extent possible, and I look forward to talking with you about how we can serve the alumni community.
 
Something of a gray hog myself. :)

Hello gray hog!
Like you I am fascinated by historical items associated with West Point and other service academies and military colleges. I have a fair collection of USMA uniform items including full dress coatees, dress gray blouses, white and gray trou, long and short overcoats, class uniform shirts, and various hats, including dress gray, m1902 dress gray, dress white, and a full dress shako. I have some rank chevrons, collar insignia, large and small cap badges, and quite a few other items.

I am greatly impressed with your forage cap bullion embroidered insignia. S&S Firearms carries reproductions of that cap band. My best items are probably some pre-1899 cadet buttons, and a m1902 (approx) bell crown dress cap. I have a period cap device as well but the mounting wires are missing.
 
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