Duty First (47 page)
Authors: Ed Ruggero
E’er may that line of gray
Increase from day to day
Live, serve and die we pray
,
West Point for thee
After the alma mater, the popular Commandant, Brigadier General John Abizaid, walks to the microphone to administer the oath of office. The 937 men and women, their heads uncovered, raise their right hands.
I … having been appointed an officer in the United States Army in the grade of second lieutenant, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.
Inside two or three minutes they have ended one journey—symbolized by the diplomas inside the white tubes—and have embarked on another with a solemn oath.
Up in the bleachers, the rest of the corps stands to watch the closing moments of the ceremony. It moves each of them a little closer to their own day. In the end zone behind the graduates, hundreds of children mill around behind the linked hands of cadet ushers. On the field, photographers position themselves to capture the moment that has come to symbolize graduation here: the hat toss. When the class is dismissed, the new lieutenants throw their white hats into the air (they no longer need the cadet cap). Children are allowed on the field to retrieve a souvenir hat. Cadets will sometimes put photographs, notes, even money inside the caps. And because this is a place of rules, there is a paragraph inside today’s program that spells out the procedure: Children must be between six and twelve years old, and “for the safety of the youngsters,” between thirty-six and fifty-four inches tall.
“In order to provide maximum opportunity for all, children will be strictly limited to one hat. … If you are unable to locate your child,” the brochure goes on without giving any hint of the melee that will ensue, “the Military Police will assist you in locating them at Gate 3.”
In photographs of graduation, the hats are always shown at the top of the arc. But that is just an illusion.
There is no stasis, of course.
Tempus fugit
and all that. Even as the first captain is being called forward to dismiss the class, hundreds of the younger cadets are thinking about their next duty, about their flight overseas, about summer school classes, about leave and Camp Buckner. Down in the cadet area, government-issue equipment is put away to make room for the shipments of new shoes and boots and blankets and uniforms for the Class of 2003. The Tacs ponder who among the class of 2000 is ready to handle the responsibilities the summer will bring. West Point is about forward motion and jampacked days; these are men and women of action, above all else. There is no hesitation, almost no time for reflection.
Robert Shaw, former first captain and now a second lieutenant of infantry, comes forward and centers himself before the speaker’s platform.
He gives the command for his classmates to “Re … cover,” at which they all put their white hats on for the last time.
General Christman tells Shaw to take charge and dismiss the class.
Shaw turns and bellows, “Class of 1999, dis-missed!”
Instantly the caps sail into the bright blue. And perhaps the cycle does hold still, if only for an instant, if only for as long as it takes the white hats to climb, pause at the top of the arc, tumble over in the sunlight, and fall back to earth.
Rob and Holly Olson
got their joint assignment to Fort Leavenworth, then Holly spent the last months of their tour attending a career course for medical officers at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. She commuted to Kansas most weekends. The Olsons put up with this relatively minor inconvenience so that they could move together to their next assignment in Hawaii, where Rob was to join the 25th Infantry Division for a second tour. Within weeks of arriving, Olson and his new unit deployed back to the mainland for a month of combat training.
Brian Turner
became more disillusioned with his chain of command during his second year as a Tac, 1999–2000. “I never thought I’d say I hate coming to work in the morning. Working with these kids is great, but I don’t respect the senior officers I work for.” Turner applied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, because he still wants to serve his country. As of summer, 2000, he is waiting for the FBI to lift a hiring freeze.
Within a year after graduation,
Kevin Bradley
was on patrol out of Camp Monteith, Kosovo. “We set up checkpoints, search cars, provide escorts, and things of that nature,” he says. “The most surprising thing to me and the thing I was not prepared for was the magnitude of the responsibility the PLs [platoon leaders, a lieutenant’s job] have. Each is assigned a certain number of towns. … They have to meet with the mayors and the town councils to listen to their problems (especially difficult in towns with both Serbs and Albanians) and keep the peace. It is a pretty brutal schedule … twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”
When it came time to choose his branch,
Grady Jett
picked the Field Artillery, which has been popular among football players in recent years. He also selected, for his first assignment, Fort Hood, in his home state of Texas. Jett plans on leaving the Army after his five-year commitment is up, although he says he is going in with an open mind. “I may stay in if I’m enjoying the unit and the people. If I’m not enjoying it, there’s no reason to stay in.”
Shannon Stein
branched Military Intelligence, but tried to change when an officer told her that, at her first assignment, she’d probably spend her days “getting coffee for colonels.” Stein will “definitely” leave the service after her five-year commitment. Among her friends, she “cannot think of a single person who wants to make a career” of the Army. “I can’t see myself staying in. No one has really impressed me that much—I mean, I’ve met some great officers, but I don’t want to be like them.”
Greg Stitt
married classmate Sarah Hatton on the day after graduation for the Class of 2000. The newlyweds were both headed to Fort Rucker, Alabama for aviation training. Stitt, who enlisted in the Army to become a pilot, is pursuing his dream.
Alisha Bryan
spent much of senior year recuperating from reconstructive knee surgery. She devoted her free time to planning a
Minority Youth Conference, where high school students and their cadet hosts talked about the virtues of education, personal awareness, and responsibility. Bryan selected the Quartermaster Corps and a first assignment in Germany, and is looking forward to her mother visiting her overseas.
Bob Friesema
concentrated on academics his yearling year and was rewarded with his highest GPA ever. He enjoyed his introduction to the Army’s branches during training at Camp Buckner, and by the spring of 2000 had volunteered for parachute training. He also spent part of his third summer on duty with a U.S. Armored Cavalry unit in Germany. The prospect of returning for cow year and the long commitment to the Army did not give him pause. “It’s not even a question for me.”
Jacque Messel’s
yearling year was marked by athletic triumphs, including a trip to national level competition with team handball. In the spring of her second year she was a little surprised to find herself preparing to be a Beast squad leader. Although she has grown to like West Point, the commitment that comes at the beginning of junior year is a bit sobering.
Pete Haglin
passed summer school chemistry and became even more committed to becoming an Army officer during Camp Buckner’s military training. During yearling year he failed physics and returned to summer school. He was also caught off-limits—sneaking off-post at night—which earned him a serious punishment. Then he did the same thing again, got caught and punished again. He continues to count the days until he can exchange his cadet gray for Army green.
W
est Point is a complex place, and my experience there, both as a cadet and as an instructor, is quickly fading into what the twenty-year-old subjects of this book would call “ancient history.” I would like to thank the following people, who helped put modern West Point in perspective, and who allowed me generous access to their lives, their careers, and their insights into leadership.
Lieutenant General Daniel Christman, the fifty-fifth Superintendent, is justly proud of the cadets, staff, and faculty at West Point. That translated into his providing me unfettered access to every corner of cadet life and to the workings of the Academy. He set an example of openness, and the rest of the command followed his lead.
Thanks to Brigadier General John Abizaid, Colonel Maureen LeBoeuf, Colonel Joe Adamczyk, Majors Rob and Holly Olson, and Captain Brian Turner.
The USMA Public Affairs Office was generous in providing me information and a home-away-from-home. Thanks especially to
Andrea Hamburger, Major John Cornelio, Mike D’Aquino, and Theresa Brinkerhoff.
Thanks to all those who opened up their homes to me: John and Angela Calabro, Don and Jennifer Welch, and Kathy and Scott Snook.
Thanks to my generous friend and professional colleague, Paul McCarthy of McCarthy Creative Services. This book was Paul’s idea; he entrusted it to me and coached me through its development. Thanks to Matt Bialer of the William Morris Agency, and to Henry Ferris of HarperCollins, who climbed on board midstream.
I owe the biggest debt to the cadets I had the pleasure of meeting and spending so much time with. They let me explore with them the meaning of their West Point experience, they let me watch them learn, and they shared with me their doubts and their triumphs. I especially want to thank Kevin Bradley and Kris Yagel, USMA 1999; Alisha Bryan, Grady Jett, Shannon Stein, and Greg Stitt, USMA 2000; Bob Friesema, Pete Haglin, and Jacquelyn Messel, USMA 2002.
E
D
R
UGGERO
was an infantry officer in the United States Army for eleven years. In addition to being the author of five novels about the military and coauthor of the manual
Army Leadership
, Ruggero is an experienced keynote speaker on leadership and leader development. He and his family live near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.edruggero.com.
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DUTY FIRST
“
Duty First
is a fascinating, highly readable and instructive view of the challenges our nation faces in shaping tomorrow’s leaders in the military sphere and beyond.”
—Ralph Peters, author of
Fighting for the Future
and
Traitor
“A remarkably incisive and candid portrayal. … Ruggero is a gifted storyteller who introduces us to some memorable individuals.”
—
Chicago Tribune
“Ruggero’s engagingly anecdotal approach provides a candid update on West Point for the nation it defends. The most honest and enlightening book about West Point published in many years.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
“By turns highly informative and critical, Ed Ruggero’s
Duty First
is a fascinating and revealing look at America’s premier military academy.” —
Houston Chronicle
“A textured, insightful report about the contemporary West Point experience.” —
Booklist
“An engaging read. … A strong inside look at the mind and body under this famous training.” —CNN.com
FICTION
The Academy
Breaking Ranks
Firefall
The Common Defense
38 North Yankee
NONFICTION
Army Leadership
(with the Center for Army Leadership)
Duty, Honor, Country
West Point’s motto
T
HE
M
ISSION OF THE
U
NITED
S
TATES
M
ILITARY
A
CADEMY
To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country; professional growth throughout a career as an officer in the United States Army; and a lifetime of selfless service to the Nation.
Duty is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things, You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less.
Robert E. Lee
Class of 1829
A hardcover edition of this book was published in 2001 by HarperCollins Publishers.
DUTY FIRST
. Copyright © 2001 by Ed Ruggero.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks.
EPub Edition © JUNE 2010 ISBN: 978-0-062-03269-0
First Perennial edition published 2002.
The Library of Congress has catalogued the hardcover edition as follows:
Ruggero, Ed.
Duty first: West Point and the making of American leaders / by Ed Ruggero.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-06-019317-4 (alk. paper)
1. United States Military Academy. 2. Leadership. I. Title.
U410.L1R84 2001
355’.0071’173—dc21
00-059775
ISBN 0-06-093133-7 (pbk.)
02 03 04 05 06
/RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1