Burglary and West Point Ring

AROTC-dad

AROTC-dad

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My DS is currently an Army officer at Armor BOLC. One of the first things I told him to do was to purchase renters insurance.

This past week my DS called me with some news. One of his fellow 2LT's was burglarized at the house he was renting and lost numerous valuables. This particular 2LT was a USMA grad and unfortunately one of the valuables he lost was his coveted West Point Ring. :mad:

Two points I'd like to make:
  1. When you rent your first apartment, get your insurance act together! Renters insurance is very inexpensive and it can save a whole lot of headaches in a case like this.
  2. Is there any data base or other alumni resource that this 2LT can utilize to help recover his ring?
 
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Renters insurance used to be free ... the annual premium provided a larger discount on car insurance for some reason when I rented years ago.
 
USMCGrunt said:
A serious and sad situation but I must admit the first thought I had was to send Jack Reacher.
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Image result for jack reacher
 
AROTC-dad said:
My DS is currently an Army officer at Armor BOLC. One of the first things I told him to do was to purchase renters insurance.

This past week my DS called me with some news. One of his fellow 2LT's was burglarized at the house he was renting and lost numerous valuables. This particular 2LT was a USMA grad and unfortunately one of the valuables he lost was his coveted West Point Ring. :mad:

Two points I'd like to make:
  1. When you rent your first apartment, get your insurance act together! Renters insurance is very inexpensive and it can save a whole lot of headaches in a case like this.
  2. Is there any data base or other alumni resource that this 2LT can utilize to help recover his ring?
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West Point Association of Graduates has a few helpful resources: https://www.westpointaog.org/lostandfoundclassrings

Here is some of the info from the website:

LOST AND FOUND CLASS RINGS
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WPAOG maintains a listing of all class rings that have been reported lost or found. Graduates should contact WPAOG as soon as the loss is detected.
If you have found a West Point class ring, please contact Ms. Jo Ann Shipley in the Office of Class Support. Class-Services@wpaog.org or call 845.446.1614. Provide as many details about the ring as possible to include type(s) of stone(s), Class Year, and any engravings on the inside of ring.
Order A Replacement Ring | Stolen Class Ring Advice from Jack Price '64
CLASS RING RECOVERY PROGRAM
The West Point Ring Recovery Program is a volunteer service operated and funded by graduates and friends of the United States Military Academy. Its mission is to find and repatriate lost USMA class rings. Since 1999, the program has since recovered over 100 lost, stolen or strayed rings. They have contributed them to the West Point Museum, the Ring Memorial Program, and other military museums as well as returned many to the owners or heirs. They maintain a mailing list on West Point Rings and issues.
 
USAA renters insurance includes specific coverage for service academy class rings that may not be included from other insurance companies.

However, if the ring is above a certain value it makes sense to additionally get Valuable Personal Property Insurance - very cheap and coverage is far more extensive.
 
This was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you, I will forward this to my DS.

Yes, if it was higher value, then it likely needed to be "scheduled" jewelry.
 
AROTC-dad said:
My DS is currently an Army officer at Armor BOLC. One of the first things I told him to do was to purchase renters insurance.

This past week my DS called me with some news. One of his fellow 2LT's was burglarized at the house he was renting and lost numerous valuables. This particular 2LT was a USMA grad and unfortunately one of the valuables he lost was his coveted West Point Ring. :mad:

Two points I'd like to make:
  1. When you rent your first apartment, get your insurance act together! Renters insurance is very inexpensive and it can save a whole lot of headaches in a case like this.
  2. Is there any data base or other alumni resource that this 2LT can utilize to help recover his ring?
Click to expand...
this 1000% my son is at Engineer BOLC, he is only there temporarily so he is in a hotel and still covered under our homeowners insurance. But,I have told him as soon as he gets to his duty station he needs to get renters insurance. It is so inexpensive and it's shocking how may folks don't have. It. I am a claims adjuster and cannot tell you how may times I am inspection a rental property for damage and the tenant does not have insurance. the landlord insurance will not cover your personal property. Not to mention the importance of the liability coverage should you have a brain lapse and leave the stove unattended and cause a fire......
 
My son's Norwich ring came with one time replacement, lost or stolen included in the price.
Maybe something similar? Not the same ring but it is not like he has been wearing it long.
 
So sorry to hear this. A personal property/“renter’s” policy is one of the first financial to-do’s on a pre-grad list. I am sure it’s mentioned in personal financial management training.

We had a USNA sponsor son who had everything he owned packed in his car Graduation night - new sword, laptop, gaming stuff, printer, all visible through the windows. Every bit of several uniforms, shoes, ribbons, outerwear. New officer cover. Class ring. He was exhausted that night and didn’t listen to his gut telling him to make the effort to move some stuff inside where he was crashing at a classmate’s apartment. You see where this is heading. Car and all contents were stolen overnight. Happy ending: he had gotten a personal property policy just 2 weeks earlier, which had a specific rider for his ring and grandpa’s gold cufflinks. His deductible was $100, and his insurance company was one of those well-used by and focused on military members. His auto policy covered the car theft. He was so relieved it would all be covered and replaced, though he mentioned he almost didn’t get it, figuring he’d save a few bucks because “that will never happen to me.”

Something to think about - no reason mids and cadets can’t get a small policy while at an SA. Many do. Gets them and any small claims off the family homeowner’s policy with its likely larger deductible, gets them started on one of the basics of their personal financial fitness plan. “The usual companies” which serve the military offer these policies.
 
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Ugh. I found out from my DS that the perps got his friend's WP sabre too.:mad:
 
An expensive lesson. His soldiers will benefit, though, because a good leader will also share their own lessons learned while counseling his or her troops on personal financial management.

It was emphasized to me that I needed it before I graduated from OCS, even in the 20th century. I didn’t think I had “stuff,” but uniforms and all the accompanying insignia, cover, shoes, outerwear, plus personal jewelry, new-ish 10-speed bike, stereo components, etc., added up.
 
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Capt MJ said:
Something to think about - no reason mids and cadets can’t get a small policy while at an SA. Many do. Gets them and any small claims off the family homeowner’s policy with its likely larger deductible, gets them started on one of the basics of their personal financial fitness plan. “The usual companies” which serve the military offer these policies.
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Beat me to it. I am a fan of getting insurance while they are still Mids/Cadets. It may be tough on Mom and Dad's feelings but they need to be
full-on adults when they graduate and this is part of it. I hope to not tread on shoes here but I've heard of Mids buying their 2nd Class car and putting it on their parents Allstate/Farmers/Whatever policy and strongly recommend a different path.

In addition to its other attributes, USAA starts sending a yearly "bonus" check to its members at some point and even better, there is a "Senior Bonus" which is not advertised but came as a wonderful surprise. It is for 40 yr and up members and since I joined as a Second Class Midshipman. . .
 
AROTC-dad said:
Is there any data base or other alumni resource that this 2LT can utilize to help recover his ring?
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SHIPMATE (USNA Alumni magazine) is full of stories about Rings making their way back to their rightful owner after a loss /theft. Most include some element of reaching out to the Alumni Association.
 
For sure...the person who thinks “oh, I think I’ll just TAKE, from another hard working human, what I want. I know they worked hard like me. I know the feed their family. Work long hours. Sacrifice. But I think I’ll just TAKE THEIR STUFF.

It really is a big time annoyance of mine. One time when my offspring was 10, we were at a park playing in the fill and drain pool. Middle of the day. Son was riding a close perimeter around us on his bike. A couple kids stopped him. Told son to give them his bike. He said no. They clocked him and took off. One on the bike and one running along. I jumped into my old suburban (lovingly called the looser cruiser) and took of after them. Cutting through alleyways, through the neighborhood. Scared the poo out of them. Eventually jumped out and got them. Gave him a PIECE of my mind. “Why do you think it’s ok to just TAKE from someone else?” Pretty sure I made an impression. Made him load it back into my car.

Anyhoooo I REALLY don’t like people who don’t work for their own stuff. And feel entitled to take from others. My pet peeve soapbox.
 
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