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| Our first stop on the tour of West Point
was this chapel, one of five on campus, which is Protestant,
non-denominational and seats 1,500 cadets. Other chapels offer
services for Jewish, Catholic and Lutheran cadets. |
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| The chapel was completed in 1910.
Until 1973, when the US Supreme Court declared it as unconstitutional, all cadets
were mandated to attend services at one of the five chapels on campus. |
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| The tour included a stop in the
cemetery in which about 8,300 famous, and not so famous, people are buried.
To be buried here, one must have a connection to West Point, either as a
graduate or as someone who dies while on duty here. If one dies while
on duty here, their family can be buried here, too. |
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| We were surprised to find that
not all the headstones are the same, as they are in the national cemeteries.
Here, the government provides a "standard" headstone but families may pay to
have another headstone placed here. |
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| William Westmoreland, as you may
know, was a 4-star general who commanded U.S. military operations in the
Vietnam War at its peak (1964-68). |
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From day one, cadets are immersed in a military environment where they are
organized in companies and serve in leadership positions within the Corps of
Cadets. The heart of the military training takes place during the summer.
The basic Soldier skills of rifle marksmanship, land navigation, and close
combat are but the underpinnings of each cadet's initial training the first
summer; by graduation every cadet has participated in small-unit leadership
training; attended military schools such as Airborne and Air Assault; served
as senior leadership to junior cadets' summer training; and interned as an
officer in active duty units across the globe. Each summer of training
builds the leadership skills of the previous, so that by graduation each
cadet is prepared to lead Soldiers and serve our nation. No matter what
major course of study they choose, cadets are said to graduate with the
knowledge, confidence, and ability to be successful in their careers. |
