March Back - August 10, 2009

More march back photos of our West Point Waldo, Company D!


Posters note:

I cannot even begin to express how proud I am of the New Cadet Class of 2013, but in particular of my son. Although I am a graduate of the Naval Academy, and have always held a healthy respect for West Point in addition to our heralded rivalry, my exposure up close to West Point in the last few weeks has multiplied 100-fold my respect for the institution, it's graduates, and the current Corps of Cadets. From my earliest memories of seeing the Navy ships in Norfolk and meeting the sailors that my father served with, I have always been proud to be an American, proud of this fabulous country, proud of the heritage of military service in my extended family, and proud to have had the opportunity to serve in some small way to keep our land safe and free. This last seven weeks has been exquisitely beautiful while at times also gut-wrenchingly trying and even painful, as my dear sweet wife and I have grown closer as we witnessed from afar remarkable personal growth, the cementing of personal resolve, and strong evidence of a new heightened level of maturity in our New Cadet. In eight short weeks he has grown from a 17 year old youth into an 18 year old soldier and future leader for our country. I know in my heart that in many ways he is the same, that his spirit and personality and individuality and sense of self are intact - but I also know that he has been tried and tested and tempered and found to measure up on a host of fronts heretofore foreign to him, and as an unavoidable result in many other ways he is a much different. He is now part of something much bigger than himself, be it his squad or platoon or company or regiment or the Corps of Cadets or the United States Army, and on Saturday he will join the "Long Grey Line"! What a wonderful honor, and what an appropriate new home for him. I have sensed his inate leadership talents from the time he was a tike, and have zero doubt that he will grow into a well-respected Cadet and Officer. Let me take this moment to thank and salute him, his classmates, and the entire Long Grey Line for their selfless service and sacrifice. May God bless the United States Military Academy, and the United States of America!

Duty-Honor-County