To many Native Americans, the eagle symbolizes strength, courage, wisdom, honor and warrior spirit. It is only fitting, then, that the U. S. Military Academy's Native American Heritage Forum (NAHF) gifted eagle feathers to four former cadets from the USMA Class of 2023 during an Eagle Feather Ceremony on May 26, as they began their Army venture. 

Today, they are new second lieutenants, Soldiers, warriors and members of the Army team. For now, 2nd Lt. James Puls of the Cherokee Nation, this ceremony was a symbolic start, not just to a future career filled with possibilities, but also to his desire to use his military service to improve the lives of others.

"When I first applied to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, I promised to one day return to my tribe and use the knowledge and skills I learned in the Army to serve my community better,” Puls said. “This feather symbolizes my first steps to fulfilling this promise."

Maj. Patrick Sorensen, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the officer-in-charge of West Point's NAHF, said that it is important to note that there are 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States and when working to understand Native American culture, one must look individually at each tribal group first before examining the similarities. As a member of a Native American tribe, Sorensen is aware that there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to a ceremony of this nature.

Sorensen planned, coordinated and implemented the first-ever eagle feather gifting ceremony last year and organized this year’s ceremony. 

One commonality among many tribes is that eagle feathers invoke deep feelings of honor and are highly-revered symbols, Sorensen said. West Point's NAHF is one of over a dozen diversity clubs supported by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity. It supports Native American cadets transitioning from civilian to cadet life and seeks to increase cultural awareness.

"Although there are several ways that individual nations have used eagle feathers, the eagle's status as the most highly-revered bird is nearly universal across nations," Sorensen said. "In any era, it is commonly understood that receiving an eagle feather from an elder or family member is the highest honor and gift that can be given.”

Members of the various tribes may gift an eagle feather to another tribal member for various reasons. These reasons include reaching significant milestones, contributing to their community, and graduating from college or other considerable career achievements. Completing West Point's 47-month experience aligns with these traditional reasons.

After learning about the significance of the eagle feathers, you may desire to get your hands on one of them. However, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's website, eagle feathers are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940. This law prohibits anyone without a permit issued by the Secretary of the Interior from possessing parts of an eagle. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issues these permits, which the requestor's home tribal office must validate. Getting a permit is not a quick 10-minute process. According to Sorensen, applicants can wait anywhere from 15 months to 10 years for eagle feathers or parts, depending on the quality and species. Permits are granted to members of federally recognized American Indian Tribes. The cadets understand this process's importance and the event's significance.  

"The Eagle Feather Ceremony was extremely special for me and my family to celebrate my heritage and tribe, the Chickasaws. My tribe has done so much for me and my family, so the ceremony was an awesome and rewarding experience," said new 2nd Lt. Margaret Neumeyer, a former cadet-in-charge of West Point's NAHF. "West Point's NAHF does an amazing job of bringing parts of Native American culture and heritage to West Point that we would most likely otherwise not experience, and the Eagle Feather Ceremony is just one example."

Hosting the feather gifting ceremony was indeed a team effort. The feathers used in the ceremony were cleaned, prepared and beaded by Francisco Bailon, a respected elder and beading artist from the Diné (Navajo) Nation. Bailon's two sons, John and Cheston Bailon, both Marine Corps veterans, hand-delivered the feathers from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to West Point for this ceremony.

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Ron Cook Jr., a former paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division with a combat jump in Panama and a member of the Seneca Nation, helped explain to those in attendance the importance of how each feather should be received and held during the ceremony. 

Alan George, a former combat medic in the 82nd Airborne Division and a Vietnam veteran and medicine man from the Seneca Nation, led the traditional prayer and presented the feathers to the cadets.

"The Army taught me you must be in shape; and you have to be healthy to learn. There are things you learn in the Army that you might not notice right away, but it will help you in the future," George said.

Native Americans now can maintain several visual aspects of their identity and see themselves as both Soldiers and warriors. Although there were some setbacks along the way, Sorensen was happy to point out his recently granted religious exemption. His exemption allows him to wear his uncut hair loose while in uniform at Native American worship services, rites or rituals. Sorensen can also wear eagle feathers fixed to his hair with leather and beads during official military ceremonies that honor fallen or missing service members.  

"Growing my hair is important to me because it is a daily reminder of growing past my losses, dedication to God, the creator, and is the physical device necessary to wear my eagle feathers properly," Sorensen said. "What I didn't realize was that this accommodation request process would open the door to conversations and opportunities to share my story with others. This has become the greatest aspect of my healing process."

Being part of the West Point NAHF has not only helped Sorensen with his healing process; it has also helped cadets connect with their indigenous backgrounds.

“I never engaged in traditional Native American customs growing up, so this was a special experience. It helped me connect with my roots and identity,” said New 2nd Lt. Paige McDaniel of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe. "It sparked curiosity in me and opened the door to exploring this part of myself.”

New 2nd Lt. Brock Hinkle appreciated the opportunity to connect to other tribes and pay tribute to his grandmother.

"Through the years as a member of the NAHF, I was exposed to several different tribes and cultures of Native Americans across the country that I had never experienced before I came to West Point. The ceremony was a way to honor my grandmother for her dedication and love in raising me," Hinkle said. "I could not have accomplished what I have in my life without my grandmother’s support, and the ceremony was a way to acknowledge that support and keep the family tradition of warriors going."

Reconnecting with his roots has inspired Sorensen to imagine himself making a positive impact in the lives of other Native Americans for the remainder of his service and using his Army experience to make a difference in the lives of Native Americans in the future. He is currently transitioning to another post, where he hopes to continue his work with indigenous people. 

As Sorensen transitions to his next duty station and Dr. Marc Boberg takes over his leadership role, Sorensen did not leave West Point empty-handed. At the end of the formal ceremony, Amos Maldonado, the diversity and inclusion training coordinator, presented Sorensen with the Superintendent's Coin of Excellence. Sorensen received the coin for his volunteer work with the NAHF and in recognition of his work with the academy’s admissions team, resulting in a record enrollment of 21 Native American and Alaskan Native cadets who received appointments to the USMA Class of 2026. 

"Military service is the only comparable modern-day equivalent to being a native warrior,” Sorensen said at the feather ceremony. “Today, we mark this rite of passage of becoming warriors in a culturally appropriate manner by gifting eagle feathers."