A Message from the Commandant of Cadets

November 2024

To the Parents, Families, and Friends of our Corps of Cadets:
 

As we enter the final stretch of the fall semester, I wanted to take a moment ahead of the holidays to express the United States Corps of Cadets' warmest wishes to you this season. I also want to thank you for your continued support of the Academy.

Each of our four classes did a tremendous job this semester in their leadership positions and in the classroom, successfully navigating the transition from summer training to the academic semester. From the Class of 2028 taking their place in the Long Gray Line to the Class of 2025 beginning the last year of their West Point journey, teamwork was on full display! As your cadets near the end of the term, please encourage them to manage their time appropriately and prioritize their requirements, particularly with final projects and term end exams rapidly approaching. Help them to finalize travel plans that are safe and sensible, particularly with potential weather impacts in various regions. Every member of the West Point team is dedicated to your cadet's safety, success, and well-being. As I said in my previous letter, encourage them to reach out early and often to their chain of command and their instructors.

This semester has been filled with examples of excellence and amazing shared moments. At Family Weekend in October, we were excited to welcome many of you to West Point for a few days to see how hard your cadets are working and how far they have come. Some notable performances from this semester include: three cadets from the Class of 2028 earning the maximum possible number of points (600 points) on the Army Combat Physical Fitness test back in August and Company H4 claiming victory at the fall brigade company athletics finals as the intramural soccer champions. Additionally, the West Point Sandhurst Black and Gold teams received a silver rating at the Cambrian Patrol Exercise in the United Kingdom. The Sandhurst Black and Gold Team competed against military units from more than a dozen countries, to include some of those nations' most elite forces. Like you, we are tremendously proud of these cadets and the many others who achieved similar success in other endeavors.

Many more great experiences are ahead in the Spring term! The class weekends (100th Night, 500th Night, Yearling Winter Weekend, and Plebe Parent Weekend) are fast approaching, followed shortly by our International Sandhurst Competition. Time will pass quickly as the days until graduation for the Class of 2025 dwindle down. Remind your cadets to take full advantage of the time they have left at the Academy!

From our families to yours, happy holidays and BEAT NAVY!

Duty, Honor, Country!

R.J. GARCIA
Brigadier General, USA Commandant of Cadets