diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineExecutable.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineExecutable.java
index d7fac7217..f7225a9bf 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineExecutable.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineExecutable.java
@@ -77,18 +77,8 @@ public abstract class CommandLineExecutable extends CommandLineProgram {
 
         // set the analysis name in the argument collection
         this.argCollection.analysisName = this.analysisName;
-        try {
-            GATKEngine.execute(argCollection, mWalker);
-        }
-        catch (ArgumentException ex) {
-            // Rethrow argument exceptions.  Let the command-line argument do what it's designed to do.
-            throw ex;
-        }
-        catch (StingException exp) {
-            System.err.println("Caught StingException. It's message is " + exp.getMessage());
-            exp.printStackTrace();
-            return -1;
-        }
+        GATKEngine.execute(argCollection, mWalker);
+
         return 0;
     }
 
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineGATK.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineGATK.java
index d5efd6a72..fae633467 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineGATK.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/CommandLineGATK.java
@@ -76,21 +76,25 @@ public class CommandLineGATK extends CommandLineProgram {
         processArguments(argCollection);
 
         this.argCollection.analysisName = this.analysisName;
-        try {
-            GATKEngine.execute(argCollection, mWalker);
-        }
-        catch (ArgumentException ex) {
-            // Rethrow argument exceptions.  Let the command-line argument do what it's designed to do.
-            throw ex;
-        }
-        catch (StingException exp) {
-            System.err.println("Caught StingException. It's message is " + exp.getMessage());
-            exp.printStackTrace();
-            return -1;
-        }
+        GATKEngine.execute(argCollection, mWalker);
         return 0;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get pleasing info about the GATK.
+     * @return
+     */
+    @Override
+    protected List<String> getApplicationHeader() {
+        List<String> header = new ArrayList<String>();
+        header.add("The Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK)");
+        header.add("Copyright (c) 2009 The Broad Institute");
+        header.add("Please view our documentation at http://www.broadinstitute.org/gsa/wiki");
+        header.add("For support, email gsadevelopers@broadinstitute.org");
+        header.add("");
+        return header;
+    }
+
     /**
      * GATK can add arguments dynamically based on analysis type.
      *
@@ -144,7 +148,6 @@ public class CommandLineGATK extends CommandLineProgram {
         };
     }
 
-
     /**
      * Preprocess the arguments before submitting them to the GATK engine.
      * @param argCollection Collection of arguments to preprocess.
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/cmdLine/CommandLineProgram.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/cmdLine/CommandLineProgram.java
index 34f16ed05..7a1eaf448 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/cmdLine/CommandLineProgram.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/cmdLine/CommandLineProgram.java
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import java.text.DateFormat;
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
 import java.util.EnumSet;
 import java.util.Enumeration;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.List;
 
 /**
  * User: aaron
@@ -113,6 +115,14 @@ public abstract class CommandLineProgram {
         return runningInstructions;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Allows a given application to return a few lines of text describing the application.
+     * @return A few lines of text describing the application.  Should not be null.
+     */
+    protected List<String> getApplicationHeader() {
+        return Collections.singletonList("Program Name: " + getClass().getName());           
+    }
+
     /**
      * Will this application want to vary its argument list dynamically?
      * If so, parse the command-line options and then prompt the subclass to return
@@ -303,8 +313,8 @@ public abstract class CommandLineProgram {
         java.util.Date date = new java.util.Date();
 
         logger.info("-------------------------------------------------------");
-        logger.info("Program Name: " + clp.getClass().getName());
-
+        for( String headerLine: clp.getApplicationHeader() )
+            logger.info(headerLine);
         String output = "";
         for (String str : args) {
             output = output + str + " ";
@@ -354,11 +364,8 @@ public abstract class CommandLineProgram {
      */
     private static void printExitSystemMsg(final String msg) {
         System.out.printf("------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------%n");
-        System.out.printf("An error has occurred%n");
-        System.out.printf("Check your command line arguments for any typos or inconsistencies.%n");
-        System.out.printf("If you think it's because of a bug or a feature in GATK that should work, please report this to gsadevelopers@broad.mit.edu%n");
-        System.out.printf("%n");
-        System.out.printf("%s%n", msg);
+        System.out.printf("An error has occurred.  Please check your command line arguments for any typos or inconsistencies.%n%n");
+        System.out.printf("For assistance, please email us at gsadevelopers@broad.mit.edu, or review our documentation at http://www.broadinstitute.org/gsa/wiki.%n");
     }
 
     /**