ABOUT
STRONG GRAY LINE

​Mission

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Our mission is to strengthen the Long Gray Line by equipping our community for lifelong readiness, reinforcing connection through care and camaraderie, and honoring the fallen and all those who served. 

 

Vision​

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Our vision is to serve our fellow alumni and their loved ones by using these thre Pillars:

 

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Stand To (Readiness)

Purpose: Equip graduates with knowledge and tools to support mental and emotional readiness—for themselves and others.
Programs Include:

• Mental Health First Aid Training

• Ongoing Skills Development

• Peer Readiness Tools

We believe readiness doesn’t end with military service. We equip alumni and their families with the awareness and skills to support one another—helping classmates overcome challenges and fostering a community where everyone can thrive and grow.

 

 

Grip Hands (Connection)

Purpose: Strengthen connection and provide direct care coordination to classmates/families/survivors in need—living out our commitment to “no classmate walks alone.”
Programs Include:

• Grip Hands Events

• Classmate Care Coordination

• Reunion Support

• Education Grants

Connection is the heart of our mission. We reinforce the bonds forged at West Point through meaningful care, shared experiences, and timely support.

 

 

Render Honors (Remembrance)

Purpose: Preserve the legacy of our shared service and recognize those we’ve lost.
Programs Include:

• GWOT Memorial at West Point (initiative)

• Tribute Projects (digital roll, storytelling)

• (Programs that Connect Grads to Cadets)

We honor our classmates by remembering their service and sacrifice—and by ensuring their stories live on in the community they helped build.

 

Values

 

Compassion. We endeavor to understand others' situations, then act to support them.

Integrity. We operate with honesty and transparency to build trust among our classmates, donors, beneficiaries, and partners.
 

Service. We believe in continued service to our classmates, their families, and the Long Gray Line at large. We believe service comes in diverse and creative forms.
 

Community. We build strong relationships, and appreciate the power of community and belonging. We recognize and celebrate different perspectives, experiences, and beliefs across our class, and encourage positive expressions that bring us together.

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Organizational Overview – The Strong Gray Line Corporation

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The Strong Gray Line is governed by an all-volunteer executive board led by co-founders Haley Dennison Uthlaut and Freddie Kim, both West Point Class of 2004. The organization maintains three part-time contracted professionals: an Operations Manager, a Finance Representative, and a Marketing Consultant. This grant would enable us to hire full time staffing and grow our programming.

Services Provided:
Since inception, The Strong Gray Line has provided peer support, virtual connection opportunities, mental health education, and classmate care coordination. Core services include:

• Grip Hands Events: Structured virtual gatherings that blend shared storytelling, peer support, and small-group connection—offering a safe space to share burdens and identify classmates in crisis.

• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training: Equipping graduates with tools to recognize and respond to mental health and substance use challenges among peers.

• Classmate Care Coordination: Facilitating direct support for graduates experiencing hardship, including mental health concerns, financial instability, and family stressors.

• Memorial & Tribute Efforts: Honoring fallen graduates through remembrance projects and a growing initiative to support the creation of a GWOT Memorial at West Point.

• Educational Scholarships: Honoring the families of our fallen, by establishing scholarship accounts for their minor dependents.  

 

Geographic Reach:
Though based in the United States, The Strong Gray Line serves West Point graduates and their families worldwide, leveraging digital platforms to connect across geographic boundaries. Participants in programming have joined from all 50 states, as well as international duty stations and civilian posts abroad.

Programs (Past and Present):

• Virtual peer-support and connection events (Grip Hands)

• Direct outreach and coordination for graduates in need

• Mental health literacy and MHFA training

• Reunion support programming

• Digital tribute storytelling and remembrance projects

• Advocacy and planning for the West Point GWOT Memorial

 

Organizational Competencies:
The Strong Gray Line operates at the intersection of veteran peer support, military mental health awareness, and alumni network mobilization. The organization brings unique expertise in leveraging trusted peer relationships, shared military experience, and structured connection to identify at-risk individuals and provide coordinated, compassionate support. As graduates of West Point, the leadership understands the distinct cultural and psychological factors that shape military service, transition, and long-term identity.