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The two-day (Jan. 10-11) event will include the Ring Melt and 500th Night for the Class of 2026. These cadets, called cows, are in their third year at the U.S. Military Academy. A tradition started with the Class of 1965, "500" marks how many days the class has remaining until graduation and commissioning as Army officers. The class celebrates 500th Night with a formal banquet in Washington Hall.
The Ring Melt happens just before the weekend begins. In a moving ceremony, donated USMA class rings are placed into a cauldron and melted down. The gold, along with shavings from over 800 previously donated rings, is used in future class rings, a physical embodiment of the Long Gray Line gripping hands.
Start: Friday, January 10, 2025
Location: U.S. Military Academy