West Point Military Academy

A Patriotic Duty

There comes a time in every boy’s life when he starts to think like a man,
When he takes a defensive stand,
To protect his family; to protect his land.
To do something selfless, because he can.
Fight the fight.
Do what’s right.
Become a military knight.
The best of the best,
Above all the rest.
Emboldened, intelligent, trustworthy, confident.
A fortress in times of strife;
A protective shield over freedom and life.
                                                           -p.o.martig

In Retrospect

I have chosen the topic of West Point because my son, Jason,  graduated with honors from the academy in 2000.  His experience, my experience, did not tread lightly.  It was memorable, and it was challenging, but in the end, Jason graduated as one of the noblest, most honest human beings on planet Earth. I will be forever grateful to West Point for providing the opportunity of a lifetime to a young man; enhancing and shaping his successful and purpose-driven life.

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Jason West Point Class of 2000

History

The United States Military Academy at  West Point, New York, has been given the honored avatar–the greatest military academy in the world and is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States today.

Established in 1778 during the Revolutionary War on a plateau above the Hudson River; George Washington proclaimed the fortress as “the most strategic position in America” and made it his command center in 1779.  150 tons of iron chains were strewn across the Hudson to control ships coming into our waters.  The fortress at West Point was never breached.

President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation in 1802 establishing West Point as a U.S. Military Academy with the responsibility of training exceptional military leaders to uphold and guard the freedoms our new Democratic Society fought so valiantly to secure.

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West Point on the Hudson

The Cadet

Cadets are accepted not only from the United States, Canada, and Mexico but from many nations around the globe for the privilege of attending this great institution.  However, it is an arduous road to climb.  A cadet must be worthy of his admission and must work hard to prove his or her desire to be a part of the struggle.

 *The graduating class of 2016 had 15,186 applicants but only 1,193 were admitted.

The Cadet’s Code of Honor

 “I will not lie, cheat, steal–or tolerate those who do.”  

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The Cadet Honor Code

One of Jason’s roommates was caught cheating in his senior year. Even though the pressure to pass exams is overwhelming, there is zero tolerance for infractions.  The young man was dismissed from West Point and did not graduate.

“DO NOT” means what it demands at West Point, let me assure you of this.  There are very few shades of grey; a rule is a rule.  Commands are given to establish order, honesty, cooperation, and integrity.  West Point is not an ordinary universe.  Leaders are not born, leaders are trained and accomplished because they are willing to listen, learn, adhere to rules, and maneuver their innate ability to “laugh in the face of pressure”.

West Point clears any misconceptions of its intentions from the day a cadet enters through its portals.  Cadets chose a direction that puts country “first and foremost”.  How they represent the academy reflects its reputation for excellence, reverberating throughout the generations to follow.  Every graduating commissioned officer becomes a legacy in his own right.   

 The Academic Programs  

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West Point Front and Center

West Point has a reputation for admitting only the best and brightest of its candidates.  Knowledge is not only gleaned from an instructor but from the cadets themselves.  Open discussion is encouraged.  Critical thinking and creative problem-solving are implemented throughout each course curriculum.   There is a careful balance between technology and the humanities as well.

Cadets completing the Senior Capstone Experience chose projects that reflect the knowledge gained in their chosen fields of endeavor throughout their four years at the academy.  These particular projects focus on solving real-world dilemmas and often bring real-world solutions and honor to the cadet.

The Physical Programs

All cadets must engage in physical education and competitive sports.

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Jason at Gymnastics Practice

One of Jason’s underlining qualifications for West Point,  aside from good grades and community service, was his competitive edge and achievements in gymnastics.  He started at age 6 in gymnastics and by the time he was 13 had won every major qualifying championship in the sport.  He was an amazing athlete.

 Jason continued gymnastics throughout high school.  He practiced an average of 30 hours a week while still maintaining a 3.8 grade point average.  It wasn’t long after joining West Point’s gymnastics team, that he was appointed its captain, practicing long and hard to make a difference in the sport and a possible berth on the Olympics Gymnastics team in Greece.

Physical strength and endurance establish a battlefield presence and a lifelong pursuit of fitness.  Grades in Physical Fitness are crucial to graduation and incorporated into their overall achievements and grade point average.

The Military Program

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Jason during field exercises

West Point grooms and produces leaders in the US Military.  Discipline and training are paramount to a cadet’s goal in officer development.  From his first day, a cadet is immersed in a military environment where he’s organized into a company and serves in leadership positions within the corps of cadets.

The pulse of training occurs in the summer months.  Basic soldier skills of marksmanship, land navigation, and close combat are accomplished in the cadet’s first summer (boot camp).

 As each summer advances, cadets train to another more advanced level so that by graduation each cadet is ready and capable of leading soldiers and serving their country.  By graduation every cadet has participated in small unit leadership training, attended military schools such as Airborne and Air Assault, and served in a senior-level leadership capacity to junior cadets’ summer training.

Again, West Point is a stickler for protocol.  This time it was a cadet, who, while learning to parachute at night, fell incorrectly and broke his leg.  While it was not clear where the blame lay, the cadet did not graduate with his class.   Once graduated you become a commissioned officer and must be ready to initiate the process of leadership in a strong and healthy body.  Do Not seriously hurt yourself while at the academy!

The Graduation

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Vice President Gore Giving Jason His Diploma 5/2000

Graduation at West Point is a magical tapestry of excitement, relief, and monumental grandeur.   There are normal tours of the campus and various museums and stores, but the atmosphere is so different. Dignitaries are everywhere. (Vice President Gore handed out the diplomas in 2000!)

Pride and honor, acceptance, reward, relief, and achievement repeat themselves on every, single graduating cadet’s face.  Not even getting married or having children can compare to this single event in their lives.  For an exhilarating moment in time, they are the masters of the universe, they are the best of the best in stature, intelligence, and leadership.  They are prepared to make a difference in the world because they truly can.

The Dinner

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The Great Hall

My experience during the graduation regalia was supernatural.  I felt like I was walking on air.  I could have been the Queen of England, the pomp and circumstance were so surreal.  The atmosphere was of fairy tale proportion.  Even the smells swirling about seemed sweet and uplifting.

On the evening before graduation,  I was invited to have dinner with Jason during the award ceremonies.  The massive dining hall was hard to embrace because of its cavernous size and breadth.  I had never seen anything like it.    Each table had approximately 4 cadets and two family members each.  My son was an honored graduate so he got to sit at the head of the table and initiate introductions.

The Bling

Everything was proceeding like a scripted play when all of a sudden presents start getting passed out to the mothers of the group. (West Point makes sure its cadets never forget their mother’s birthday or Mother’s Day.  I received flowers every year for 4 years during his tenure.  To this day, Jason never forgets.)  Anxiously all the mothers unwrapped their gifts and that’s when I nearly fainted with surprise.  In my little box was the woman’s West Point  1/4 caret diamond graduation ring engraved with my name inside. Jason looked over at me and said, “You worked as hard as I did, you deserve a graduation ring too”.   You can only imagine the pandemonium that ensued.

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My Awesome Ring

I have worn my precious ring ever since that glorious moment, too afraid I might lose it if I ever took it off.   No matter what has happened in my life, no matter the crisis or loss, I have my little ring to verify that through my gifted son, I too have made a difference in this world.

Post Graduation

Jason, now a bona fide commissioned officer,  went to the Air Defense Officer’s training school in El Paso, Texas after graduation.  He enjoyed a brief R&R with his family then off to Germany as an Air Defense officer.   Shortly thereafter, the twin towers were attacked, and after that tragedy, Jason was sent to battle in Iraq when the second Gulf War erupted.

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Twin Towers in New York Before Attack in 2011; taken After Jason’s Graduation From West Point. Little Did We Know.

I did not see this coming.  I knew once Jason left for Germany he would be gone for a while but never, ever did I think a war would break out and he would among the “first responders”  on the battlefield.  Fortunately, the war did not last long and Jason was spared any serious injury.  But he did see death and destruction and spent the better part of a year manning the streets of Baghdad as a humanitarian and political liaison in Iraq’s attrition process.

As an officer or a soldier, never assume you’ll never see combat.  It is your job, your mission, to accept conflict and fight if necessary.  You are a sentinel in The United States Army.  Through your tireless efforts,  you are trained and ready to secure the safety of our nation and citizens from harm’s way, no matter the sacrifices they harbor.  

May God and your country show appreciation, gratitude, and love for your sacrifices. 

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Mom’s Support Group

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