Tangible connection among past, present, future symbolizes Duty, Honor, Country at 24th annual Ring Melt Ceremony

Emotions ranging from grief to elation surged through Eisenhower Hall Theatre during the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) 24th annual Ring Melt Ceremony on Jan. 19.

The ceremony is a profound celebration linking a tangible connection among the past, present and future of U.S. Military Academy graduates and current and future cadets with the donation of class rings that will be used to melt into future rings.

Since 2001, the WPAOG Class Ring Memorial Program has symbolically brought generations of West Pointers together by echoing the passages from “The Corps,” where they come together to “grip hands” to forever be linked through the rings melted into a gold bar from donated trinkets into the new class rings. Before this year, a total of 807 rings have been donated and shavings from past rings will be included as part of the legacy gold added to the gold bar provided to this year’s class’s rings.

The legacy will live on through the USMA Class of 2025 rings, symbolized by the celebration of 88 donated rings during this year’s ceremony. This year marks the highest number of donations in any single year throughout the 24-year program.

This year’s ceremony is sponsored by the USMA Class of 1966, the USMA class that suffered to most combat-related deaths (30) during the Vietnam War. Among the 88 rings included 1996 Distinguished Graduate Award recipient and former astronaut, Col. Frank Borman, and four members of the Long Gray Line who were killed in action during Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.

As cadets and family members placed the donated rings in the stone crucible, Class of 2025 Cadet Katherine LaReau, the class president, addressed the audience in the Eisenhower Hall Theatre and expressed gratitude to one man who was the visionary behind this ceremony many years ago – retired Lt. Col. Ron Turner, USMA Class of 1958.

“(Turner) came up with the incredible idea of melting down graduates’ donated rings to incorporate that gold into the rings of new Firstie classes at West Point,” LaReau explained. “Thanks to Lt. Col. Turner’s great idea, (my classmates and I) will look down at our rings and recognize that its gold contains the same gold that was worn by astronauts, Medal of Honor recipients, prisoners of war, four-star generals and several brave Soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving the nation, all graduates of this academy.”

LaReau shared her perspective on the lasting connection with their 50-year affiliate class, the USMA Class of 1975, as she looked down at her ring. Then transitioned to highlight how Turner’s idea allows her classmates, Ricky McMahon and Robby DeMont, to forge meaningful connections to their dad (Lt. Col. Michael McMahon) and grandfather (Col. Robert DeMont), respectively, through their rings.

“(McMahon) will look down at his ring and feel ever connected to his brave father who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country,” LaReau said. “Robby DeMont, whose grandfather’s ring was donated today, will look at his ring and be reminded of his family’s six generations of service within the Army as West Point graduate, the earliest of which graduated in 1838.”

She expressed not just a sense of being connected but also inspired by the 88 graduates who donated rings to their Ring Melt, as well as the ongoing legacy of 895 graduates whose gold continues to move forward each year.

Process behind the Ring Melt

LaReau, a Chemical Engineering major who hopes to branch the Adjutant General Corps, credited the star organizer of the Ring Melt, Class Ring and Crest Chair, Class of 2025 Cadet Keeley Davis. She also highlighted the effective coordination with Debbie Edelen, West Point AOG director of Class Services and 1992 USMA graduate.

“(Davis and I) met a few times with Mrs. Edelen and AOG starting in September to organize the Class of 2025’s Ring Melt Ceremony,” LaReau said. “We assisted Mrs. Edelen in organizing the roster of Ring and Crest Committee cadets who were each paired with a ring donor family as an escort or to a ring that they would place in the crucible.”

Davis, a Geospatial Information Science major who hopes to branch Aviation, said that she shadowed the Class of 2024’s Ring Melt Ceremony last year to understand the ins and outs of the job.

She worked closely with Edelen to truly realize the impact and significance of the ceremony. The planning during the fall led into ensuring that the cadet escorts had a general idea of the flow of the ceremony, especially since it was the first year taking place on the stage at Eisenhower Hall where it has been in Crest Hall for the previous five years.

After the ceremony and before the rings were melted in the kiln in Crest Hall, Davis had the honor of carrying the crucible of rings for a photograph with the VIPs, cadet escorts, and one representative from each ring donor family.

“I stayed with the rings (after the photos) while they were molten down by Herff Jones (ring company) representatives inside Crest Hall,” Davis said. “After molting the rings, I presented the gold bar to our class president, Katherine LaReau. This ceremony has shown me how personal the Ring Ceremony is and the strength of support from one class down to the next.

“Our class’s connection with the Class of 1975 was notably shown at the ceremony,” Davis added. “Nine rings from one class are impactful. We felt it with their presence and support at this ceremony.”

Edelen spoke favorably about the Class Ring Memorial Program, which provides a physical link among generations of graduates.

“We talk about the bonds in the Long Gray Line, and this program provides the full-circle linkage among graduates through our cherished rings,” Edelen said.

This year is Edelen’s first full year as AOG’s Director of Class Services and she gave positive reviews to the “fantastic” team of dedicated professionals at WPAOG and the academy who “worked hard over these last few months to plan the ceremony.”

“With the popularity of the program, we moved the ceremony into Eisenhower Hall Theatre and the melting into Crest Hall to accommodate the growth,” Edelen said. “There are so many who have played a role in making this event possible, to include the Class of 2025 class participants.”

Edelen thanked many of AOG’s partners at the academy for their work essential to making this all come together. She mentioned Kavanaugh Jewelers in Newburgh for removing 46 stones from donated rings, Good For You Productions for creating videos for the ceremony, and Herff Jones for running the melting process, which they will in turn use the gold to create the rings for the Class of 2025.

Thoughts about the ceremony, what it means to be a part of it

For Edelen, it is “very exciting” to see the program continue to flourish with up to 88 donations this year as interest continues rising among graduates.

“The word continues to spread,” she described on the thriving interest. “We look forward to continuing this tradition for future classes.”

This ceremony means the world to Edelen in a two-fold way. One, because she is a graduate, but also because her dad, David Vann, is also a graduate. The ceremony upholds the values of the Long Gray Line, which strengthens the family lineage, close bonds and relationships between donors.

“It connects the Long Gray Line and the West Point family in a powerful and real way,” Edelen said. “Our team works directly with the ring donors, and we learn the stories of the graduates whose rings are donated and those of their families.

“When you have a group so strongly connected by the ideals that West Point reveres, the bonds are instantaneous,” she added. “Cadet participants came away with an understanding that their class rings will carry the strength, wisdom and support from those who came before them through the gold from each ring.”

While Edelen could not pinpoint a particular moment from the ceremony, she said it was special to have the Gold Star Families present for the ceremony and share their loved one’s stories.

LaReau reiterated the uniquely special part that classmate, Ricky McMahon, added part of his father’s ring to the melt.

“Ricky donated a sliver of gold from his father’s ring, which is on display at the USMA Library, to the vial of legacy gold,” LaReau said. “Ricky’s father died in service to our country in a plane crash in 2004. Watching Ricky and his mother add that piece of his father to the legacy gold is a moment I will always remember, especially whenever I look down at my ring.”

LaReau at the end of the ceremony held the vial of legacy gold, which she put into the crucible and compelled her think of all those who have donated to the program.

“I thought about the 895 graduates of West Point whose lives of service would be honored and remembered with the addition of their rings’ gold to the Class of 2025’s rings,” LaReau said. “The legacy gold serves as a humble reminder that we are a part of something far bigger than ourselves.”

Davis said presenting a ring on behalf of Lt. Col. James E. Seay’s family was a special moment for her, but the family she felt most connected with was the Fritz Family.

First Lt. Jacob N. Fritz, USMA Class of 2005 and the most recent of the graduate rings this year, was executed as a POW in Karbala Province, Iraq, on Jan. 20, 2007. Davis felt the saying “time heals” spoke volumes to her, and how it may help those who lost a loved one through the grieving process.

“(Mrs. Fritz) was understandably very emotional, as was the rest of the room, but it became apparent that there is never a defined ‘time’ to heal,” Davis said reflecting on Mrs. Fritz being escorted by her other sons and the emotions of the moment. “Time heals is ambiguous, but what is certain is the Class of 2025 is honored to assume Mrs. Fritz’s time that it takes her to heal and thanks her and her family for their gracious contribution to our class.”

Davis lost a close friend, Sgt. Emilie Bolanos, who she met in AIT as an enlisted Soldier in 2019 at Fort Eustis, Virginia, in a training accident at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in March 2023, which made her see her service in a new light. She was able to attend her unit memorial of C Company, 6-101st Aviation Regiment.

“The Army is inherently dangerous, and after reading 1st Lt. Jacob Fritz’s memorial, I hope my class will graciously, faithfully and carefully carry the weight and bear the burden of service to our nation reverently,” she said.

Edelen said it is important to recognize the “commitment and dedication to the shared values of Duty, Honor, Country.”

“It will keep us connected forever and is symbolized physically when new graduates turn the class ring on their fingers to have the West Point crest closest to their hearts,” Edelen said. “Having gold from those who came before them is priceless.”

For Edelen, having the Ring Melt Ceremony and donated rings is an extension of that gift that graduates pass along within the lineage of the Long Gray Line, and she is happy to have a small stake in it coming to fruition.

“Being a part of the Long Gray Line and serving our nation has been the greatest honor of my life,” Edelen said. “The Ring Melt brings the best of the people and traditions together in one ceremony. I’m so privileged to be a part of the team that brings it to life for our graduates – past, present and future.”

As for the members of the Class of 2025, the next step for them will be in August when they receive their rings during Ring Weekend ceremonies.

“In August, my classmates and I will feel an immense sense of pride as we receive our class rings,” LaReau said. “It’s not only because it is a symbol of our alma mater, but now even more so because the gold has a much deeper meaning and connection to the Long Gray Line.”

And with every connection that comes from being at West Point, the members of the Class of 2025 recognized and are thankful at the support they have received from their 50-year affiliate class, which included nine rings in the ceremony.

“My classmates and I marched back from Lake Frederick with many ‘75 graduates at the end of Beast, connected with them at several class events like Plebe-Parent Weekend, the flag ceremony at the end of Cadet Field Training, fireside chats with notable leaders from their class, and learned about their experiences in the Army and at West Point through their written additions to our monthly class newsletter,” LaReau concluded. “Feeling that deep connection in those men who graduated 50 years ago, it was incredibly special watching nine of their rings be added to the crucible on Friday. I am especially grateful for the living donors who gave up their ring specially for our class. Courage and Drive! Together We Thrive!”