WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.700 Welcome back to the Deep Dive, where we turn 00:00:01.700 --> 00:00:04.559 your stack of sources into immediate, actionable 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:07.200 insight. Today, we are undertaking a deep dive 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:10.300 into an institution whose influence stretches 00:00:10.300 --> 00:00:13.599 from, well, the Revolutionary War trenches all 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:16.140 the way to the modern halls of corporate power. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:18.519 We are talking about the United States Military 00:00:18.519 --> 00:00:21.679 Academy. You know it simply as West Point. And 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:23.699 we're going to unpack why this place, which you 00:00:23.699 --> 00:00:25.339 might just see as a high discipline military 00:00:25.339 --> 00:00:28.179 training ground, is actually, I mean, it's an 00:00:28.179 --> 00:00:32.320 enduring 223 year old educational model that 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:34.579 profoundly shaped the physical landscape, the 00:00:34.579 --> 00:00:37.520 political DNA, and even the very structure of 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:39.640 American higher education. It's so much more 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:41.899 than just soldiers. Oh, absolutely. It's a story 00:00:41.899 --> 00:00:44.909 about engineers. educators and leaders. And that's 00:00:44.909 --> 00:00:46.869 the mission for you, the listener today. We want 00:00:46.869 --> 00:00:49.909 to move beyond that popular image of, you know, 00:00:49.909 --> 00:00:53.109 marching parades and rigid honor codes. Right. 00:00:53.210 --> 00:00:55.689 We want to provide a quick but really comprehensive 00:00:55.689 --> 00:00:57.990 understanding of West Point's history, its unique 00:00:57.990 --> 00:00:59.710 curriculum, what they call the four pillars, 00:00:59.810 --> 00:01:02.409 and the massive enduring influence of the Long 00:01:02.409 --> 00:01:05.269 Gray Line. And let's ground ourselves, literally, 00:01:05.469 --> 00:01:07.849 because the physical location is the foundation 00:01:07.849 --> 00:01:11.150 of everything. West Point is situated on this 00:01:11.150 --> 00:01:14.030 incredible strategic high ground, overlooking 00:01:14.030 --> 00:01:16.549 a critical bend in the Hudson River. It's about 00:01:16.549 --> 00:01:18.909 50 miles north of New York City. And that geography 00:01:18.909 --> 00:01:20.829 is the whole reason the Academy exists at all, 00:01:20.890 --> 00:01:22.829 isn't it? It is the only reason. The facts are 00:01:22.829 --> 00:01:25.900 just. They're impressive. It was officially established 00:01:25.900 --> 00:01:28.420 by the Military Peace Establishment Act on March 00:01:28.420 --> 00:01:32.040 16, 1802. That makes it the oldest of the five 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:34.739 American service academies. And its motto is, 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:37.980 well, it's three simple, powerful words. Duty, 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:41.040 honor, country. Exactly. And that motto drives 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:44.209 its entire dual identity. They are, of course, 00:01:44.290 --> 00:01:46.250 educating cadets for service as commissioned 00:01:46.250 --> 00:01:48.890 officers in the U .S. Army, yes. But they are 00:01:48.890 --> 00:01:52.030 also granting a comprehensive, fully accredited 00:01:52.030 --> 00:01:54.310 Bachelor of Science degree. And here's the big 00:01:54.310 --> 00:01:57.810 picture nugget that, for me, immediately reframes 00:01:57.810 --> 00:02:00.629 how you should view this institution. When West 00:02:00.629 --> 00:02:02.670 Point was founded, America desperately needed 00:02:02.670 --> 00:02:05.450 infrastructure. you know, building a nation from 00:02:05.450 --> 00:02:08.590 scratch. Right. Roads, canals, bridges, everything. 00:02:08.949 --> 00:02:10.930 So West Point wasn't just a military school. 00:02:11.090 --> 00:02:14.349 It was the first American college to have an 00:02:14.349 --> 00:02:16.830 accredited civil engineering program. And that 00:02:16.830 --> 00:02:20.949 fact is so key. For decades, its curriculum and 00:02:20.949 --> 00:02:25.349 its incredibly rigorous standards set the absolute 00:02:25.349 --> 00:02:28.120 benchmark for American technical education. So 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:29.740 if you wanted to learn civil engineering in, 00:02:29.780 --> 00:02:32.780 say, 1820. You either went to West Point or you 00:02:32.780 --> 00:02:34.639 learned from a West Point graduate. That was 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:37.639 pretty much it. And that massive, often overlooked 00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:40.080 civilian influence is where we need to start. 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:42.280 Okay, let's unpack that historical journey then. 00:02:42.580 --> 00:02:45.180 We can't understand the academy without first 00:02:45.180 --> 00:02:47.719 understanding why the Army staked its claim on 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:49.969 that particular spot on the Hudson. The site's 00:02:49.969 --> 00:02:52.150 military importance dates back to the very, very 00:02:52.150 --> 00:02:54.629 start of the American Revolution. The Continental 00:02:54.629 --> 00:02:58.330 Army occupied West Point on January 27th, 1778. 00:02:58.530 --> 00:03:00.710 And that date is important. It makes it the oldest 00:03:00.710 --> 00:03:03.250 continuously operating army post in the entire 00:03:03.250 --> 00:03:06.409 United States. It does. And the necessity was. 00:03:06.710 --> 00:03:09.590 It was acute. The British strategy was brutally 00:03:09.590 --> 00:03:13.460 simple. sail the powerful Royal Navy fleet up 00:03:13.460 --> 00:03:15.620 the Hudson River, which is the main artery connecting 00:03:15.620 --> 00:03:18.719 the northern colonies, and split the entire colonial 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.199 effort in two. Just cut New England off from 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:23.439 everyone else. Isolate them and choke the revolution 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:25.840 out. West Point was the perfect counter to that. 00:03:26.349 --> 00:03:28.789 The high cliffs gave American artillery total 00:03:28.789 --> 00:03:31.229 control over that S -curve in the river. But 00:03:31.229 --> 00:03:32.969 they needed more than just cannons, right? They 00:03:32.969 --> 00:03:35.509 needed a physical barrier. They did. To make 00:03:35.509 --> 00:03:38.550 that defense absolute, they built the great Hudson 00:03:38.550 --> 00:03:41.310 River Chain. And this was an astonishing feat 00:03:41.310 --> 00:03:43.210 of engineering for the time. We're talking about 00:03:43.210 --> 00:03:47.210 a 1 ,700 -foot -long chain weighing 65 tons. 00:03:47.370 --> 00:03:50.129 65 tons. Stretched across the entire river on 00:03:50.129 --> 00:03:52.189 these large wooden rafts, anchored to the shore. 00:03:52.370 --> 00:03:55.110 It was the physical barrier, the literal chain. 00:03:55.629 --> 00:03:57.710 that prevented the Royal Navy from ever sailing 00:03:57.710 --> 00:04:00.789 north. That's a staggering detail. A chain built 00:04:00.789 --> 00:04:03.349 to hold back an entire naval fleet. And right 00:04:03.349 --> 00:04:06.009 here, this is where we encounter the dark side 00:04:06.009 --> 00:04:09.330 of that revolutionary history. Indeed. The fortifications 00:04:09.330 --> 00:04:12.490 at West Point were, for a brief time, named for 00:04:12.490 --> 00:04:15.199 Arnold. After Benedict Arnold. Yes, before the 00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:17.899 commander, Benedict Arnold, famously attempted 00:04:17.899 --> 00:04:20.699 to hand the entire position, the absolute key 00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:22.899 to the northern colonies, over to the British 00:04:22.899 --> 00:04:26.279 in exchange for a huge financial reward and a 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:28.100 general's commission. The ultimate betrayal. 00:04:28.379 --> 00:04:31.199 It was devastating. After his act of treason 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.519 was exposed in 1780, the army immediately changed 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:36.560 the name of the fortifications to Fort Clinton. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:39.379 They were essentially trying to erase his memory 00:04:39.379 --> 00:04:42.310 from that sacred ground. And that attempt to 00:04:42.310 --> 00:04:44.709 sell the crown jewel of the revolution, it just 00:04:44.709 --> 00:04:47.470 underscores how vital that high ground at West 00:04:47.470 --> 00:04:50.470 Point truly was. Exactly. And, you know, while 00:04:50.470 --> 00:04:52.649 the site was secure, the post -revolutionary 00:04:52.649 --> 00:04:55.089 vision for an officer school was, well, it was 00:04:55.089 --> 00:04:58.069 chaotic. The formal establishment in 1802 was 00:04:58.069 --> 00:05:00.029 really slow to gain traction. What do you mean 00:05:00.029 --> 00:05:02.189 by chaotic? I mean, we're talking about an early 00:05:02.189 --> 00:05:04.750 student body where ages ranged from 10 to 37. 00:05:05.029 --> 00:05:07.649 There was no standardized course of study. A 00:05:07.649 --> 00:05:10.089 cadet might study for six months or six years. 00:05:10.209 --> 00:05:12.370 It really wasn't a school. It was barely a training 00:05:12.370 --> 00:05:15.470 camp. It sounds completely unstable. So when 00:05:15.470 --> 00:05:17.769 was the turning point? When did West Point truly 00:05:17.769 --> 00:05:20.949 become West Point? That didn't happen until 1817 00:05:20.949 --> 00:05:23.269 with the arrival of Colonel Sylvanus Thayer. 00:05:23.769 --> 00:05:26.410 He is, and rightly so, known as the father of 00:05:26.410 --> 00:05:28.430 the military academy. He didn't just tweak the 00:05:28.430 --> 00:05:31.610 system, did he? Oh, no. He revolutionized it. 00:05:31.709 --> 00:05:33.889 He had traveled extensively in Europe and was 00:05:33.889 --> 00:05:36.610 deeply impressed by the French model, specifically 00:05:36.610 --> 00:05:39.089 the École Polytechnique. Which was basically 00:05:39.089 --> 00:05:41.589 the premier scientific and engineering school 00:05:41.589 --> 00:05:43.589 in the world at the time. The absolute best. 00:05:43.750 --> 00:05:46.949 And Thayer decided to transplant its rigor, its 00:05:46.949 --> 00:05:49.790 curriculum, and its disciplinary structure directly 00:05:49.790 --> 00:05:52.050 to the banks of the Hudson River. So what did 00:05:52.050 --> 00:05:53.839 the Thayer revolution mean? mean in practice 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:56.860 for the cadets on the ground. It meant the abolition 00:05:56.860 --> 00:05:59.860 of that chaotic ad hoc learning. He instituted 00:05:59.860 --> 00:06:02.579 strict disciplinary standards. He set a four 00:06:02.579 --> 00:06:05.500 -year standardized course of academic study that 00:06:05.500 --> 00:06:08.660 was incredibly heavy on math and science. And 00:06:08.660 --> 00:06:11.279 maybe most importantly, he made honorable conduct 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:14.240 the absolute centerpiece of the entire experience. 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:15.959 And that is what gave birth to the engineering 00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:19.120 era. It is. For the next five decades, basically 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.399 the first half of the 19th century West Point 00:06:21.399 --> 00:06:24.180 graduates became the nation's primary. Well, 00:06:24.360 --> 00:06:26.899 its construction workers. They were the bulk 00:06:26.899 --> 00:06:29.259 of the talent that engineered the nation's initial 00:06:29.259 --> 00:06:32.259 railway lines, mapped its harbors, built its 00:06:32.259 --> 00:06:35.079 bridges, and surveyed the roads for Weston expansion. 00:06:35.579 --> 00:06:37.639 It's just hard to overstate the civilian impact. 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:40.379 I mean, until Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 00:06:40.379 --> 00:06:43.259 was established in 1824, West Point was pretty 00:06:43.259 --> 00:06:45.139 much the only engineering school in the country. 00:06:45.560 --> 00:06:48.300 And its influence wasn't subtle. Its curriculum, 00:06:48.579 --> 00:06:51.160 its textbooks, its whole approach to instruction 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:54.740 significantly influenced every single American 00:06:54.740 --> 00:06:56.959 engineering school that was established before 00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:59.560 the Civil War. They literally wrote the book 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:01.920 on how America would build itself. But the ultimate 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:03.959 validation of this kind of rigorous training, 00:07:04.100 --> 00:07:05.680 I mean, it had to come through conflict, right? 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:09.680 It had to. And the first major test was the Mexican 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:12.370 -American War. This is where it gets really interesting 00:07:12.370 --> 00:07:15.189 because that conflict served as a proving ground 00:07:15.189 --> 00:07:18.490 for the academy's graduates. It really did. Of 00:07:18.490 --> 00:07:21.689 the 523 graduates who served, an astonishing 00:07:21.689 --> 00:07:25.389 452 received battlefield promotions or awards 00:07:25.389 --> 00:07:28.509 for bravery. The training absolutely held up 00:07:28.509 --> 00:07:30.230 under fire. And it's where history's biggest 00:07:30.230 --> 00:07:32.870 names. really cut their teeth exactly future 00:07:32.870 --> 00:07:35.389 civil war commanders like ulysses s grant and 00:07:35.389 --> 00:07:37.589 robert e lee who actually later returned to serve 00:07:37.589 --> 00:07:40.750 as the academy superintendent from 1852 to 1855 00:07:40.750 --> 00:07:43.389 they first distinguished themselves during the 00:07:43.389 --> 00:07:45.509 campaigns in mexico so there was this shared 00:07:45.509 --> 00:07:48.350 experience a shared training a shared competence 00:07:48.350 --> 00:07:52.209 that was just unmistakable yes but that shared 00:07:52.209 --> 00:07:55.110 competency led to what has to be the most devastating 00:07:55.110 --> 00:07:57.550 irony in the academy's history the civil war 00:07:57.550 --> 00:08:00.069 divide it was catastrophic for the alumni body 00:08:00.069 --> 00:08:01.920 it tore friendships and loyalties completely 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:04.439 apart. But at the same time, it served as the 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:06.639 strongest possible testament to West Point's 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:09.319 successful training model. Oh, so? Because nearly 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:11.560 every single general officer of note on both 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:13.779 sides was a West Point graduate. The statistics 00:08:13.779 --> 00:08:16.879 on that are just stunning. 294 graduates served 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:19.939 as general officers for the Union, and 151 served 00:08:19.939 --> 00:08:22.100 as general officers for the Confederacy. And 00:08:22.100 --> 00:08:24.649 think about the common thread here. A West Point 00:08:24.649 --> 00:08:27.529 graduate commanded forces on one or both sides 00:08:27.529 --> 00:08:31.730 in all 60 major battles of the war. Every single 00:08:31.730 --> 00:08:35.190 one. That fact speaks volumes. The Civil War 00:08:35.190 --> 00:08:37.710 wasn't just a conflict between states. It was 00:08:37.710 --> 00:08:40.169 a conflict fought largely by men who were educated 00:08:40.169 --> 00:08:43.029 under the Thayer system, using the same mathematical 00:08:43.029 --> 00:08:45.610 principles for artillery, the same engineering 00:08:45.610 --> 00:08:48.490 principles for logistics and fortification. Their 00:08:48.490 --> 00:08:51.059 training determined the course of the war. So 00:08:51.059 --> 00:08:54.019 following that agonizing divide, the Academy 00:08:54.019 --> 00:08:56.899 faced huge internal challenges. I imagine just 00:08:56.899 --> 00:08:58.799 reintegrating cadets from former Confederate 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.360 states was a nightmare. A huge challenge. But 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:02.840 the biggest challenge was social integration. 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:06.139 Right. 1870 was a key date. With the admission 00:09:06.139 --> 00:09:08.100 of the first black cadet, James Webster Smith. 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:10.820 Yes. And his time there was incredibly difficult. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:13.899 He endured just awful, harsh treatment, which 00:09:13.899 --> 00:09:16.960 sadly was often racially motivated. And he was 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:18.940 ultimately dismissed for academic deficiency 00:09:18.940 --> 00:09:22.299 in 1874 under circumstances that many historians 00:09:22.299 --> 00:09:25.000 now consider really controversial. But the progress, 00:09:25.220 --> 00:09:28.230 though painful, it did continue. It did. Henry 00:09:28.230 --> 00:09:30.389 O. Flipper of Georgia became the first black 00:09:30.389 --> 00:09:34.570 graduate in 1877. But at the same time, the internal 00:09:34.570 --> 00:09:38.049 culture of the academy was, well, it was hardening. 00:09:38.730 --> 00:09:41.289 After the Civil War, hazing, which had been less 00:09:41.289 --> 00:09:44.309 formalized before, took on a much harsher tone. 00:09:44.529 --> 00:09:47.070 What was that? Well, you saw veterans returning 00:09:47.070 --> 00:09:49.470 to the academy as officers or instructors who 00:09:49.470 --> 00:09:53.190 viewed hazing not as simple horseplay, but as 00:09:53.190 --> 00:09:56.129 a necessary disciplinary tool, a way to weed 00:09:56.129 --> 00:09:59.029 out the unfit and force immediate obedience on 00:09:59.029 --> 00:10:01.750 new cadets. And that harsh practice eventually 00:10:01.750 --> 00:10:04.129 blew up into the national spotlight. It did in 00:10:04.129 --> 00:10:07.169 1900 with the death of cadet Oscar L. Booz. That 00:10:07.169 --> 00:10:09.389 ignited congressional hearings into the academy's 00:10:09.389 --> 00:10:11.549 culture. Even a young Douglas MacArthur, who 00:10:11.549 --> 00:10:13.809 was a cadet at the time, he testified during 00:10:13.809 --> 00:10:15.580 those investigations. And when MacArthur later 00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:18.220 came back as superintendent in 1919, he specifically 00:10:18.220 --> 00:10:21.019 tried to curb hazing, right? He did. He assigned 00:10:21.019 --> 00:10:23.279 Army surgeons to run the freshmen's summer training, 00:10:23.419 --> 00:10:25.299 trying to professionalize what had become an 00:10:25.299 --> 00:10:27.500 amateur and often brutal tradition among the 00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:30.320 upperclassmen. OK, so before MacArthur's time 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:32.480 as superintendent, there was another pivotal 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:34.929 period. one that's often discussed in military 00:10:34.929 --> 00:10:37.850 history circles. The graduating classes between 00:10:37.850 --> 00:10:41.529 1900 and 1915. Ah, yes, especially the class 00:10:41.529 --> 00:10:44.070 of 1915. They are famously known as the class 00:10:44.070 --> 00:10:47.250 the stars fell on. And for good reason. This 00:10:47.250 --> 00:10:50.570 cohort produced a simply remarkable density of 00:10:50.570 --> 00:10:53.669 leadership talent, right on the cusp of America's 00:10:53.669 --> 00:10:57.090 entry onto the world stage in World War I. 59 00:10:57.090 --> 00:11:00.029 of the 164 graduates became general officers. 00:11:00.409 --> 00:11:02.799 59. That's an exceptionally high percentage. 00:11:03.019 --> 00:11:05.960 It's incredible. And this includes iconic five 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:08.279 -star figures like Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar 00:11:08.279 --> 00:11:11.600 Bradley. It's almost as if fate put all those 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:14.200 eggs in one basket right when they were needed 00:11:14.200 --> 00:11:16.720 for the global conflicts to come. It's an amazing 00:11:16.720 --> 00:11:19.279 historical confluence. So now that we understand 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:21.500 the historical model, the engineering foundation, 00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:23.740 the Thayer rigor, and the validation through 00:11:23.740 --> 00:11:26.320 war, let's look at how that structure endures 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.429 in the modern academy. The administrative structure 00:11:28.429 --> 00:11:31.129 is a fascinating paradox. It's built like an 00:11:31.129 --> 00:11:33.429 elite university, but it functions under a strict 00:11:33.429 --> 00:11:35.750 military chain of command. At the top is the 00:11:35.750 --> 00:11:38.210 superintendent. Right. A three -star general, 00:11:38.409 --> 00:11:41.870 a lieutenant general. They act as the university 00:11:41.870 --> 00:11:44.909 president or chancellor, but they report directly 00:11:44.909 --> 00:11:48.059 to the army chief of staff. So that ensures that 00:11:48.059 --> 00:11:50.279 even though it's an academic institution, its 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:52.519 mission and accountability are directly linked 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:55.200 to the highest levels of the U .S. Army. Precisely. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:58.019 And you have two other general officers who manage 00:11:58.019 --> 00:12:01.059 the daily operations, creating this kind of military 00:12:01.059 --> 00:12:03.379 triumvirate. You have the commandant of cadets. 00:12:03.539 --> 00:12:06.039 A brigadier general who is essentially the dean 00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:08.639 of students. He's responsible for all the military 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:11.460 training, the discipline, the overall quality 00:12:11.460 --> 00:12:13.700 of life for the Corps. And then you have the 00:12:13.700 --> 00:12:16.059 dean of the academic board. Also brigadier general. 00:12:16.269 --> 00:12:18.870 who functions as the provost, managing the entire 00:12:18.870 --> 00:12:21.570 academic curriculum and the faculty. And what's 00:12:21.570 --> 00:12:23.570 unique about the academic leadership is the academic 00:12:23.570 --> 00:12:27.190 board itself. It's composed of 13 tenured colonels 00:12:27.190 --> 00:12:29.250 who are the department heads. They hold the special 00:12:29.250 --> 00:12:33.830 title Professors USMA or PSMA. And that PSMA 00:12:33.830 --> 00:12:36.980 status is unique, isn't it? Very. These are tenured 00:12:36.980 --> 00:12:39.860 officers, they are colonels, many with doctorates 00:12:39.860 --> 00:12:42.740 who teach for decades. This blend ensures that 00:12:42.740 --> 00:12:45.179 the academic curriculum remains grounded in the 00:12:45.179 --> 00:12:48.500 practical, long -term needs of the Army. It prevents 00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:50.820 the academic priorities from floating too far 00:12:50.820 --> 00:12:53.659 into purely theoretical research. That rigor 00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:55.639 starts immediately with the admissions process, 00:12:55.899 --> 00:12:58.850 which is famously a two -tiered hurdle. The first 00:12:58.850 --> 00:13:01.509 tier is just meeting the high basic requirements. 00:13:02.110 --> 00:13:04.769 Candidates have to be between 17 and 23 years 00:13:04.769 --> 00:13:08.889 old, unmarried, no legal dependents. And academically, 00:13:09.110 --> 00:13:12.730 the expectation is stellar. 68 % of accepted 00:13:12.730 --> 00:13:14.769 candidates rank in the top fifth of their high 00:13:14.769 --> 00:13:16.629 school class. And of course, they have to pass 00:13:16.629 --> 00:13:19.230 the candidate fitness assessment, a demanding 00:13:19.230 --> 00:13:21.929 physical test. But the true gatekeeper is that 00:13:21.929 --> 00:13:24.690 second tier. The nomination. You have to apply 00:13:24.690 --> 00:13:27.970 directly to USMA and secure a nomination, usually 00:13:27.970 --> 00:13:30.169 from a member of Congress, a representative or 00:13:30.169 --> 00:13:32.309 a senator. And that nomination process itself 00:13:32.309 --> 00:13:34.950 is competitive even before you get to West Point's 00:13:34.950 --> 00:13:37.289 acceptance criteria. Absolutely. It involves 00:13:37.289 --> 00:13:39.690 writing essays, getting recommendations, and 00:13:39.690 --> 00:13:42.789 going through a formal interview with the nominating 00:13:42.789 --> 00:13:45.789 official or their local board. You can also get 00:13:45.789 --> 00:13:48.429 a nomination from the vice president or the president, 00:13:48.549 --> 00:13:51.350 but those slots are extremely limited. So it's 00:13:51.350 --> 00:13:54.970 intensely selective. For the class of 2024, the 00:13:54.970 --> 00:13:58.470 acceptance rate was 7 .74%. That's comparable 00:13:58.470 --> 00:14:01.350 to many of the nation's most elite civilian universities. 00:14:01.750 --> 00:14:03.629 And they want you for four full years no matter 00:14:03.629 --> 00:14:05.509 what. That's a non -negotiable point, right? 00:14:05.669 --> 00:14:08.429 West Point does not accept transfers. Nope. If 00:14:08.429 --> 00:14:10.289 you have two years of college experience, you 00:14:10.289 --> 00:14:12.889 still enter as a fourth -class cadet, a plebe, 00:14:12.909 --> 00:14:15.090 and you have to complete the entire four -year 00:14:15.090 --> 00:14:17.610 program. They are buying into the holistic development 00:14:17.610 --> 00:14:20.289 of the whole person, not just racking up academic 00:14:20.289 --> 00:14:22.509 credits. We should also touch on the preparatory 00:14:22.509 --> 00:14:25.870 school path, USMPS. That's a crucial safety valve, 00:14:25.970 --> 00:14:28.850 isn't it? It is. If a candidate is highly desired 00:14:28.850 --> 00:14:31.769 but maybe isn't quite ready academically, perhaps 00:14:31.769 --> 00:14:34.149 they need a stronger foundation in math or science, 00:14:34.370 --> 00:14:36.690 they might get an offer to attend the U .S. Military 00:14:36.690 --> 00:14:40.049 Academy Preparatory School for a year. So USMPS 00:14:40.049 --> 00:14:42.929 provides that specialized academic leadership 00:14:42.929 --> 00:14:46.169 and physical prep. Exactly. It's a chance for 00:14:46.169 --> 00:14:48.269 a candidate to prove they can handle the academic 00:14:48.269 --> 00:14:50.470 load before being officially appointed to the 00:14:50.470 --> 00:14:53.090 academy the following year. It really expands 00:14:53.090 --> 00:14:55.370 the talent pool and helps ensure a diversity 00:14:55.370 --> 00:14:57.629 of backgrounds. Okay, moving from the people 00:14:57.629 --> 00:15:00.549 to the place itself. When you walk onto the campus, 00:15:00.710 --> 00:15:03.080 you are walking into a living museum. You really 00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:06.279 are. The Academy area, including those original 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:09.379 Revolutionary War Fort ruins, was rightfully 00:15:09.379 --> 00:15:12.399 declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:14.960 And the architecture is just so distinctive. 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:17.519 It's defined by that massive construction project 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:20.960 started in 1902. They chose the neo -Gothic style, 00:15:21.299 --> 00:15:24.340 built almost entirely from locally sourced granite, 00:15:24.419 --> 00:15:27.500 which gives it that striking gray and black hue, 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:30.279 the source of the name the Long Gray Line. The 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:32.149 Cadet Chapel is the masterpiece of that. Oh, 00:15:32.230 --> 00:15:34.289 absolutely. Completed in 1910. It looks like 00:15:34.289 --> 00:15:36.269 a medieval cathedral that's been dedicated to 00:15:36.269 --> 00:15:38.629 duty. And at the center of all this is the plane, 00:15:38.789 --> 00:15:41.129 the massive central parade ground. And that's 00:15:41.129 --> 00:15:42.830 where you find the monuments to West Point's 00:15:42.830 --> 00:15:45.490 heroes. Right. The Washington Monument, the Thayer 00:15:45.490 --> 00:15:47.570 Monument, and of course, monuments to those. 00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:51.100 class of 1915 legends, Eisenhower and MacArthur. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:54.600 And there's also the General John Sedgwick Monument, 00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:57.159 which, as we'll discuss later, holds a wonderful, 00:15:57.220 --> 00:15:59.960 strange tradition. The history continues right 00:15:59.960 --> 00:16:02.600 into the West Point Cemetery. It feels like a 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:05.620 truly sacred space. It is. It's the final resting 00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:08.120 place for icons like George Armstrong Custer 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:11.419 and Winfield Scott. It's also home to 18 Medal 00:16:11.419 --> 00:16:14.399 of Honor recipients and, critically, holds the 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:16.559 graves of recent graduates who gave their lives 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:18.980 in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tying the Academy's 00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:21.240 long history directly to the present. Exactly. 00:16:21.620 --> 00:16:24.139 And to really understand the weight of that history, 00:16:24.299 --> 00:16:26.320 you have to visit the West Point Museum. It's 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:28.860 the oldest military museum in the country. And 00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:31.029 it's more than just Army gear. The collection 00:16:31.029 --> 00:16:33.850 tells the story of America's involvement in global 00:16:33.850 --> 00:16:36.049 conflict. I love that collection. And instead 00:16:36.049 --> 00:16:38.309 of just listing artifacts, let's focus on two 00:16:38.309 --> 00:16:40.549 specific ones that tell a story. You have George 00:16:40.549 --> 00:16:43.029 Washington's pistols, which represent the founding 00:16:43.029 --> 00:16:44.750 of the army and the struggle for independence. 00:16:45.149 --> 00:16:48.250 And then you skip forward 150 years and you find 00:16:48.250 --> 00:16:51.950 Adolf Hitler's gold -plated Lilliput pistol and 00:16:51.950 --> 00:16:55.230 Hermann Goering's captured dagger. Wow. And that 00:16:55.230 --> 00:16:58.070 contrasts from the revolutionary fight for freedom 00:16:58.070 --> 00:17:00.470 to the capture of the instruments. of fascism, 00:17:00.629 --> 00:17:03.070 it shows that West Point acts as the institutional 00:17:03.070 --> 00:17:05.809 memory for America's moral and physical defense 00:17:05.809 --> 00:17:08.750 across two centuries. That's a fascinating synthesis. 00:17:09.109 --> 00:17:12.289 It really emphasizes their role as curators of 00:17:12.289 --> 00:17:14.559 American military history. Now let's move to 00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:17.039 the heart of the cadet experience, those four 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.240 pillars that define their education and separate 00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:21.759 it from a traditional college. The academic education 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:24.859 is the first pillar, and it is defined by a commitment 00:17:24.859 --> 00:17:27.359 to the Bachelor of Science degree, no matter 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:29.819 what your chosen major is. This means the curriculum 00:17:29.819 --> 00:17:32.700 is highly structured. Cadets have to take 31 00:17:32.700 --> 00:17:34.920 core courses that are perfectly balanced between 00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:37.640 the arts and the sciences. That balance is completely 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:40.539 non -negotiable. You have 45 majors available, 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:43.000 everything from foreign languages and history 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:45.519 to mechanical engineering and management information 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:49.740 systems. But that core curriculum is the great 00:17:49.740 --> 00:17:52.559 equalizer. Cadets don't even declare their majors 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:54.880 until the spring of their freshman year. But 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:57.960 even after you declare, say, history, you are 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:00.460 still taking advanced courses in calculus, physics, 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:03.359 chemistry, constitutional law, economics, and 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:06.000 information technology. Exactly. It forces a 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:09.019 technical competency onto the humanities students, 00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:12.200 and it forces a political and historical context 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:14.640 onto the engineering students. The goal is to 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:17.299 produce well -rounded analytical leaders, not 00:18:17.299 --> 00:18:19.619 narrow specialists. That's the whole belief. 00:18:20.059 --> 00:18:22.240 A lieutenant needs to understand both the mechanics 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:25.180 of logistics, which is engineering, and the political 00:18:25.180 --> 00:18:27.660 context of the battlefield, which is history 00:18:27.660 --> 00:18:30.259 and law. And the method of teaching this incredibly 00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:32.519 dense curriculum is the famous Thayer method. 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:34.740 This seems to be the core difference between 00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:36.779 West Point and a big university lecture hall. 00:18:37.109 --> 00:18:40.230 It is. The Thayer method is simple in concept, 00:18:40.390 --> 00:18:43.670 but it's brutal in execution. It involves mandatory 00:18:43.670 --> 00:18:46.529 preparation, daily homework, and small classes, 00:18:46.769 --> 00:18:49.769 usually fewer than 18 students. And the professor 00:18:49.769 --> 00:18:52.809 doesn't deliver a lecture? No. The student is 00:18:52.809 --> 00:18:55.029 responsible for reading the material before class 00:18:55.029 --> 00:18:57.569 and preparing to teach or apply the concept themselves. 00:18:58.089 --> 00:19:00.809 So you show up ready to synthesize, not just 00:19:00.809 --> 00:19:03.589 absorb. The class time is spent with the professor 00:19:03.589 --> 00:19:06.430 leading collaborative discussion, solving problems 00:19:06.430 --> 00:19:09.109 on the board, and challenging the cadets to immediately 00:19:09.109 --> 00:19:12.130 apply the concepts. It demands constant, relentless 00:19:12.130 --> 00:19:14.089 preparedness. You cannot hide in the back of 00:19:14.089 --> 00:19:16.309 the room. And that standard is reflected in the 00:19:16.309 --> 00:19:19.869 faculty. The mix is intentional. 75 % military 00:19:19.869 --> 00:19:23.079 officers. often with graduate degrees, and 25 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:26.140 % civilian professors with PhDs. Right. This 00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:28.000 provides practical grounding from the officers 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:30.619 and deep scholarly continuity from the civilian 00:19:30.619 --> 00:19:33.140 staff. It's a really effective blend. Now, all 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:35.380 of these elements, academic performance, military 00:19:35.380 --> 00:19:38.119 leadership, physical fitness, they get combined 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:40.980 into the overall class rank calculation. Yes, 00:19:40.980 --> 00:19:43.539 and that rank is absolutely critical. It determines 00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:46.619 what Army branch you are allowed to enter, infantry, 00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:49.740 aviation, engineering, and so on, and where you 00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:52.160 will be assigned. So what's the formula? How 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:55.940 is it weighted? It's strict. 55 % academic performance, 00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:59.640 30 % military leadership performance, and 15 00:19:59.640 --> 00:20:02.140 % physical fitness and athletic performance. 00:20:02.420 --> 00:20:06.039 It is a genuine, holistic evaluation of the whole 00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:08.400 person. So while academics are the most weighted 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:11.440 factor, leadership and physical readiness are 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:13.920 absolutely essential. You can't just be a bookworm. 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:16.460 Which brings us to the second pillar. Military 00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:18.359 training and development. This is the ultimate 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:20.759 goal, right? Commissioning every graduate as 00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:23.220 a second lieutenant in the U .S. Army. The transition 00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:26.039 from civilian applicant to cadet is notoriously 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:28.380 abrupt. It starts on reception day, or our day. 00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:30.480 That's the day the entering freshmen, the new 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:33.140 cadets, begin cadet basic training. And it's 00:20:33.140 --> 00:20:35.660 universally called beast barracks, or just beast. 00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:38.000 And for anyone listening who hasn't experienced 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:40.299 it, this is often the most intense and difficult 00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:43.440 period of a cadet's life. It's a relentless seven 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:46.400 -week immersion. They are strict of their civilian 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:48.819 identity, taught fundamental soldier skills, 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:52.319 subjected to intense physical training, and introduced 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:55.319 to military discipline and the honor code. It's 00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:57.400 designed to be a crucible that welds the class 00:20:57.400 --> 00:20:59.539 together. And that rigor continues throughout 00:20:59.539 --> 00:21:02.259 the summers. The second summer is dedicated to 00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:05.220 cadet field training. Or CFT. Right, held at 00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:07.500 Camp Buckner, focusing on more advanced field 00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:10.539 craft, marksmanship, and platoon -level operations. 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:13.240 And later summers offer more specialized opportunities. 00:21:13.660 --> 00:21:16.140 They do. Cadets might be selected to serve as 00:21:16.140 --> 00:21:18.019 instructors for the younger classes, which is 00:21:18.019 --> 00:21:20.900 a huge leadership opportunity. Or they could 00:21:20.900 --> 00:21:23.339 serve with active Army units anywhere in the 00:21:23.339 --> 00:21:25.440 world, getting a real taste of the operating 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:27.660 force. Or they can attend some of the Army's 00:21:27.660 --> 00:21:30.220 most demanding schools. Like Airborne, to jump 00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:32.740 out of planes, air assault, to repel from helicopters. 00:21:32.809 --> 00:21:36.150 or specialized courses like SAPR for combat engineering 00:21:36.150 --> 00:21:39.950 or Pathfinder for navigation and insertion. These 00:21:39.950 --> 00:21:42.250 are critical experiences for developing junior 00:21:42.250 --> 00:21:44.849 officers. And overseeing all of this training 00:21:44.849 --> 00:21:47.869 are active duty captains or majors who serve 00:21:47.869 --> 00:21:50.849 as company tactical officers, the TAC officers. 00:21:51.549 --> 00:21:53.789 TAC officers are crucial. They are the daily 00:21:53.789 --> 00:21:56.250 mentors, the disciplinarians, the teachers of 00:21:56.250 --> 00:21:58.769 character. And they are assisted by active duty 00:21:58.769 --> 00:22:01.490 senior non -commissioned officers, the TAC and 00:22:01.490 --> 00:22:04.250 SUES. They represent the reality of the active 00:22:04.250 --> 00:22:06.509 army, ensuring the training is relevant and the 00:22:06.509 --> 00:22:08.650 discipline is maintained to the highest standard. 00:22:08.910 --> 00:22:11.890 Okay, now on to the third pillar, the physical 00:22:11.890 --> 00:22:14.869 education dimension. And this is not just, you 00:22:14.869 --> 00:22:17.650 know, a gym membership. It is a mandatory core 00:22:17.650 --> 00:22:20.079 part of the curriculum. Absolutely. The program 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:21.960 is run by the Department of Physical Education, 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:25.779 or DPE, and the head of DPE still holds the historic 00:22:25.779 --> 00:22:28.180 and wonderful title of the Master of the Sword. 00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:30.920 I love that. A throwback to the days when swordsmanship 00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:33.299 was a core part of an officer's training. It 00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:36.079 is. And every cadet must take specific, mandatory 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:38.680 physical courses that reflect the unique demands 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:41.160 of military service. This includes things like 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:43.039 military movement, which is essentially applied 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:45.240 gymnastics for navigating obstacles, boxing, 00:22:45.539 --> 00:22:48.319 survival swimming, and advanced combatives. And 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:50.759 beyond the courses, they have to pass the Army 00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:53.380 Physical Fitness Test twice a year. Just like 00:22:53.380 --> 00:22:56.109 every soldier in the force. But the defining 00:22:56.109 --> 00:22:58.269 physical challenge, the one that makes every 00:22:58.269 --> 00:23:01.329 cadet nervous, is the annual indoor obstacle 00:23:01.329 --> 00:23:04.609 course test, the I -O -C -T. The I -O -C -T has 00:23:04.609 --> 00:23:07.230 been administered in Hays Gymnasium since 1944. 00:23:07.769 --> 00:23:10.950 It is a true measure of functional military fitness, 00:23:11.150 --> 00:23:14.390 not just endurance or strength, but agility and 00:23:14.390 --> 00:23:16.740 coordination under pressure. It's a terrifying 00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:18.900 sprint through a series of obstacles. You're 00:23:18.900 --> 00:23:21.099 navigating cargo nets, climbing ropes to the 00:23:21.099 --> 00:23:24.000 ceiling, scaling 20 -foot walls, performing low 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:26.500 crawls, and jumping over various barriers. So 00:23:26.500 --> 00:23:28.920 it tests the ability to rapidly overcome physical 00:23:28.920 --> 00:23:32.019 challenges in sequence and failure. Failure means 00:23:32.019 --> 00:23:34.740 remedial training and the potential loss of privileges 00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:37.420 or even separation from the academy. It's a huge 00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:39.940 deal. And the importance of this pillar is emphasized 00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:42.960 by the required participation in athletics. Every 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:45.480 single cadet, every semester, has to participate 00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:48.740 in an intercollegiate, club, or intramural sport. 00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:51.940 And this is tied directly to General MacArthur's 00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:55.160 famous quote. Upon the fields of friendly strife 00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:57.839 are sown the seeds that, upon other fields on 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:00.440 other days, will bear the fruits of victory. 00:24:00.839 --> 00:24:03.039 The final and arguably the most important pillar 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:06.220 is moral and ethical training. And this hinges 00:24:06.220 --> 00:24:08.799 entirely on the Academy's motto and its code. 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:11.619 The Cadet Honor Code is famous for its simple 00:24:11.619 --> 00:24:15.539 but absolute terms. A cadet will not lie, cheat, 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:18.640 steal, or tolerate those who do. That final clause? 00:24:19.160 --> 00:24:21.599 or tolerate those who do, that's what makes the 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:24.240 code so demanding. It is. It forces the cadet 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:27.519 to choose between friendship and integrity. Ignoring 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:30.299 an honor violation is itself a violation of the 00:24:30.299 --> 00:24:32.819 code. It creates an environment of intense self 00:24:32.819 --> 00:24:34.680 -policing. But violating the code can lead to 00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:36.980 severe punishment, including turning back, which 00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:39.240 means you have to repeat an academic year or 00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:41.480 outright separation from the academy. And here 00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:43.299 is what we have to exercise some critical thinking. 00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:47.039 If duty, honor, country, and the honor code are 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:49.500 the absolute foundation, how does an institution 00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:52.819 survive two massive, high -profile cheating scandals? 00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:55.539 That's a legitimate and very challenging question. 00:24:56.059 --> 00:24:59.299 The most dramatic example was the 1976 scandal 00:24:59.299 --> 00:25:03.980 involving 151 junior cadets, primarily in an 00:25:03.980 --> 00:25:06.279 electrical engineering course. Right. They were 00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:08.400 all expelled, although many were later offered 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:10.559 a chance to re -enroll after a period of service. 00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:14.150 And it happened again in 2020. with over 70 cadets 00:25:14.150 --> 00:25:16.509 accused of cheating on remote exams during the 00:25:16.509 --> 00:25:19.009 COVID -19 pandemic. And while the circumstances 00:25:19.009 --> 00:25:22.289 change remote learning versus in -person, the 00:25:22.289 --> 00:25:24.369 fact that systemic cheating can occur suggests 00:25:24.369 --> 00:25:26.750 that the immense pressure cooker culture might 00:25:26.750 --> 00:25:29.730 at times overwhelm the ethical framework. It 00:25:29.730 --> 00:25:31.950 seems to underscore that constant tension between 00:25:31.950 --> 00:25:34.390 the desire to succeed in an intensely competitive 00:25:34.390 --> 00:25:36.809 environment and the ethical standard required 00:25:36.809 --> 00:25:39.349 for leadership. And historically, there was an 00:25:39.349 --> 00:25:41.630 unofficial social sanction for violations known 00:25:41.630 --> 00:25:44.119 as silencing. Tell us about that. Silencing was 00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:46.859 this, this painful mechanism where cadets accused 00:25:46.859 --> 00:25:49.220 of violating the code were just completely shunned. 00:25:49.220 --> 00:25:51.140 The entire Corps refused to speak to them or 00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:53.880 even acknowledge their existence. It was a form 00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:56.019 of peer social execution. And that was eventually 00:25:56.019 --> 00:25:59.480 banned. Yes. It was deeply divisive and came 00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:01.920 under heavy national scrutiny, which led the 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:04.579 Academy to finally ban the practice in 1973. 00:26:05.630 --> 00:26:07.750 These challenges really highlight that while 00:26:07.750 --> 00:26:10.509 the pillars are foundational, the pressure of 00:26:10.509 --> 00:26:12.950 maintaining that high standard is perpetual. 00:26:13.569 --> 00:26:16.609 Let's move now to how cadets actually live their 00:26:16.609 --> 00:26:19.930 lives within this demanding framework and the 00:26:19.930 --> 00:26:22.390 unique traditions that define the Corps. The 00:26:22.390 --> 00:26:24.509 official terminology for the student body is 00:26:24.509 --> 00:26:26.970 the United States Corps of Cadets. It's organized 00:26:26.970 --> 00:26:30.390 into a military brigade led by the first captain, 00:26:30.569 --> 00:26:32.769 who's the senior ranking cadet and the commander 00:26:32.769 --> 00:26:35.109 of the entire corps. And the classes are officially 00:26:35.109 --> 00:26:38.210 categorized as fourth, third, second and first 00:26:38.210 --> 00:26:40.450 class. But the colloquial nicknames are much 00:26:40.450 --> 00:26:43.970 more descriptive and and fun. Fourth classmen, 00:26:44.089 --> 00:26:46.829 the freshmen, are known as plebes. It's a term 00:26:46.829 --> 00:26:48.930 derived from the Latin plebeian, meaning common 00:26:48.930 --> 00:26:51.329 citizen. Third classmen, the sophomores, are 00:26:51.329 --> 00:26:54.309 yearlings or yucks. Second classmen, the juniors, 00:26:54.369 --> 00:26:56.750 are affectionately, or maybe ironically, known 00:26:56.750 --> 00:26:59.069 as cows. And the third classmen, the seniors, 00:26:59.289 --> 00:27:01.670 are simply firsties. Okay, the nickname cows 00:27:01.670 --> 00:27:03.509 is particularly interesting. What's the origin 00:27:03.509 --> 00:27:05.839 of that? Well, the most widely accepted theory 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:08.720 traces back to the tradition of leave. Cadets 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:11.339 historically had no leave whatsoever until the 00:27:11.339 --> 00:27:13.799 end of their third class, their sophomore year. 00:27:14.380 --> 00:27:16.400 That's when they were finally granted a long 00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:20.079 summer furlough. So their return as second classmen, 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:22.740 as juniors, was heralded by the older cadets 00:27:22.740 --> 00:27:25.529 as the cows coming home. A return to the fold 00:27:25.529 --> 00:27:27.789 after being out in the pasture of civilian life. 00:27:28.009 --> 00:27:31.009 Exactly. It marks our transition from the restricted 00:27:31.009 --> 00:27:33.289 early years to the greater freedoms of the upper 00:27:33.289 --> 00:27:35.630 class. And the organizational structure mirrors 00:27:35.630 --> 00:27:38.369 the army. The brigade is broken down into four 00:27:38.369 --> 00:27:41.410 regiments, then battalions, then companies, identified 00:27:41.410 --> 00:27:44.890 by letter in number A1, B2, H3, and so on. And 00:27:44.890 --> 00:27:47.210 all the leadership positions, right down to platoon 00:27:47.210 --> 00:27:50.230 leader, are held by first class cadets. Now for 00:27:50.230 --> 00:27:52.920 the plebes. The foundation of their entire existence 00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:55.880 is a little book called Bugle Notes. Ah, the 00:27:55.880 --> 00:27:59.279 Plebe Bible. It's this dense, manual -sized collection 00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:01.920 of every single piece of knowledge a fourth classman 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:04.359 is expected to know instantly. Songs, traditions, 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:06.819 historical facts about the academy, the army, 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:09.940 and, critically, the rivalry with Navy. But it's 00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:12.339 not just fixed information, is it? Plebes have 00:28:12.339 --> 00:28:15.190 to memorize daily shifting knowledge. They do. 00:28:15.349 --> 00:28:17.690 And this includes the running countdown to major 00:28:17.690 --> 00:28:21.269 academy events, which they call the days, the 00:28:21.269 --> 00:28:24.710 day's entire mess hall menu, and perhaps most 00:28:24.710 --> 00:28:27.390 bizarrely, the lead stories in The New York Times. 00:28:27.549 --> 00:28:30.289 Why The New York Times? The expectation of absolute, 00:28:30.390 --> 00:28:33.130 immediate, factual recall, even about outside 00:28:33.130 --> 00:28:36.829 events, is a constant tool used to impose mental 00:28:36.829 --> 00:28:39.349 pressure and discipline. It forces them to be 00:28:39.349 --> 00:28:41.309 aware of the world they'll soon be leading in. 00:28:41.490 --> 00:28:44.069 This intense pressure cooker environment is soft. 00:28:44.140 --> 00:28:47.460 or at least ritualized by traditions that bind 00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:50.339 them to the long gray line. Let's start with 00:28:50.339 --> 00:28:52.960 the class ring. West Point actually started the 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.799 collegiate tradition of the class ring with the 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:58.180 class of 1835. The design is standardized. You 00:28:58.180 --> 00:29:00.059 have the academy crest on one side, the class 00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:02.079 crest on the other, but the center stone can 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:04.319 be individualized. And when the senior class 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:06.859 receives their rings during ring weekend, there's 00:29:06.859 --> 00:29:09.519 a charming, if mandatory, interaction with the 00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:12.880 plebes. Yes. The freshmen will surround the seniors 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:15.480 and ask permission to touch the ring, but only 00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:18.819 after reciting the required and often goofy poem 00:29:18.819 --> 00:29:21.420 known as the ring poop. But the ring tradition 00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:24.259 has a deeper connection to history through the 00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:27.119 Memorial Class Ring Donor Program, which was 00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:30.079 established in 2002. It's a wonderful program. 00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:32.660 Alumni or their families donate their rings, 00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:35.519 and that gold is melted and merged, infusing 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:38.500 a portion of it into the new, firsty rings. Just 00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:40.980 think about the symbolism of that. Every single 00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:44.160 new ring literally contains atoms of gold from 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:46.920 previous classes. Every cadet who graduates is 00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:48.799 wearing the physical legacy of the long gray 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:50.940 line. Another critical piece of institutional 00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:53.380 identity is the column number. It's assigned 00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:55.779 sequentially to every graduate since the very 00:29:55.779 --> 00:29:58.640 first, Joseph Gardner Swift, who is column number 00:29:58.640 --> 00:30:01.970 one, graduating in October 1802. General George 00:30:01.970 --> 00:30:04.450 W. Cullum started this chronological numbering 00:30:04.450 --> 00:30:06.650 system in 1850, not just for identification, 00:30:06.750 --> 00:30:09.569 but to chronicle the biographies of all graduates. 00:30:09.829 --> 00:30:13.109 Today we are pushing past 65 ,000 alumni identified 00:30:13.109 --> 00:30:15.490 by a number. The weight of the Cullum number 00:30:15.490 --> 00:30:18.819 must be immense. Oh, it is. When you are standing 00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:21.359 in a formation and they list graduates by their 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:23.859 number, you realize you are merely the latest 00:30:23.859 --> 00:30:26.059 in a line that stretches back to the post -revolutionary 00:30:26.059 --> 00:30:28.980 era. You aren't just a soldier. You are column 00:30:28.980 --> 00:30:32.700 number 64 ,500. But not every tradition is about 00:30:32.700 --> 00:30:35.559 formalized identification in gold. Some lean 00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:38.640 heavily into pure legend and superstition, which 00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:40.660 brings us back to the monument we mentioned earlier, 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:43.990 Sedgwick Spurs. This is truly one of the most 00:30:43.990 --> 00:30:46.609 delightful aspects of West Point culture. The 00:30:46.609 --> 00:30:48.930 monument to the Union Civil War general, John 00:30:48.930 --> 00:30:52.109 Sedgwick, stands prominently on the plane. And 00:30:52.109 --> 00:30:54.849 the legend states that if a cadet is dangerously 00:30:54.849 --> 00:30:57.869 close to failing a critical exam, a term paper, 00:30:58.150 --> 00:31:01.450 or a final, they have one last resort. On the 00:31:01.450 --> 00:31:03.109 night before the final, they have to don their 00:31:03.109 --> 00:31:05.890 full -dress parade uniform, the official high 00:31:05.890 --> 00:31:08.430 -collar buttoned -up gray uniform. and visit 00:31:08.430 --> 00:31:10.650 the statue at the stroke of midnight and then 00:31:10.650 --> 00:31:12.730 they have to spin the rowels of the statue's 00:31:12.730 --> 00:31:15.390 bronze spurs and then comes the desperate rush 00:31:15.819 --> 00:31:18.039 They must run back to the barracks as fast as 00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:20.400 possible. Because the legend dictates that if 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:22.880 Sedgwick's ghost doesn't catch them, the cadet 00:31:22.880 --> 00:31:25.819 passes the exam. It's a wonderful example of 00:31:25.819 --> 00:31:28.500 chaos in a world of order. It perfectly captures 00:31:28.500 --> 00:31:31.940 the paradox. An institution defined by ironclad 00:31:31.940 --> 00:31:35.900 rules and honor secretly tolerates, even celebrates, 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:39.160 the tradition of a cadet breaking curfew and 00:31:39.160 --> 00:31:41.799 sprinting from a ghost, all while wearing the 00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:44.400 most formal uniform just for the sake of survival. 00:31:44.910 --> 00:31:47.170 A tradition tied directly to the intense Navy 00:31:47.170 --> 00:31:50.369 rivalry is the goat engineer game. Right. This 00:31:50.369 --> 00:31:52.410 intramural football game has been played since 00:31:52.410 --> 00:31:55.529 1907 as a key lead up to the official Army -Navy 00:31:55.529 --> 00:31:58.390 football game. It pits the goats, the bottom 00:31:58.390 --> 00:32:00.589 half of the senior class academically, against 00:32:00.589 --> 00:32:03.029 the engineers, the top half. And the stakes are 00:32:03.029 --> 00:32:05.690 purely superstitious. The legend dictates that 00:32:05.690 --> 00:32:07.950 if the goats win the intramural game, Army beats 00:32:07.950 --> 00:32:10.329 Navy in the main event. Given the extreme pressure 00:32:10.329 --> 00:32:13.339 to perform academically, The goats must relish 00:32:13.339 --> 00:32:15.440 the chance to succeed where the engineers have 00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:17.779 failed, even if it's just for bragging rights. 00:32:18.250 --> 00:32:20.769 Oh, I'm sure they do. Now, when cadets do break 00:32:20.769 --> 00:32:23.990 those regulations, like curfew or a minor uniform 00:32:23.990 --> 00:32:27.210 infraction, they face a distinctive form of punishment 00:32:27.210 --> 00:32:30.450 known simply as walking the area. Officially 00:32:30.450 --> 00:32:33.369 called punishment tours or hours. Yeah. This 00:32:33.369 --> 00:32:36.470 is a highly visible, grueling punishment. It 00:32:36.470 --> 00:32:38.990 is. It involves walking back and forth, often 00:32:38.990 --> 00:32:41.069 for hours on end during their free time, like 00:32:41.069 --> 00:32:43.230 on weekends in the central area of the barracks 00:32:43.230 --> 00:32:45.890 courtyard, wearing their full dress gray uniform 00:32:45.890 --> 00:32:49.000 and carrying a rifle. arms. Being late to class 00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:51.819 might get you two hours, but serious infractions 00:32:51.819 --> 00:32:55.480 can easily accumulate 60 to 80 hours. Cadets 00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:57.299 who frequently get in trouble are often called 00:32:57.299 --> 00:33:00.359 area birds. And the truly unfortunate ones, those 00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:02.920 who accumulate over 100 total hours in their 00:33:02.920 --> 00:33:06.519 career, are known as century men. It is a physically 00:33:06.519 --> 00:33:08.980 and mentally exhausting spectacle designed to 00:33:08.980 --> 00:33:11.140 use public visibility to reinforce discipline. 00:33:11.440 --> 00:33:13.519 Before we discuss the legacy of those who walked 00:33:13.519 --> 00:33:16.269 the area. We really have to acknowledge the profound 00:33:16.269 --> 00:33:19.390 social changes that redefined the core in the 00:33:19.390 --> 00:33:22.650 late 20th and early 21st centuries. The 1970s 00:33:22.650 --> 00:33:25.190 marked the end of the all -male tradition. Following 00:33:25.190 --> 00:33:27.410 a congressional amendment to the Defense Authorization 00:33:27.410 --> 00:33:30.849 Bill, West Point admitted its first 119 women 00:33:30.849 --> 00:33:34.490 in 1976. They graduated with the class of 1980. 00:33:34.869 --> 00:33:36.869 And that integration has permanently changed 00:33:36.869 --> 00:33:39.369 the face of the academy. Today, women make up 00:33:39.369 --> 00:33:42.009 about 20 % of new entrants, and this inclusion 00:33:42.009 --> 00:33:44.190 has led to significant diversity in leadership 00:33:44.190 --> 00:33:46.730 roles, which is a powerful message to the nation. 00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:49.779 Absolutely. The first African -American led the 00:33:49.779 --> 00:33:53.539 Corps of Cadets as first captain in 1979. The 00:33:53.539 --> 00:33:56.460 first woman held that senior rank in 1989. And 00:33:56.460 --> 00:34:00.039 more recently, in 2017, Simone Askew became the 00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:02.200 first African -American woman to hold the rank 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:04.720 of first captain, commanding the entire brigade. 00:34:05.140 --> 00:34:07.259 And furthermore, after the lifting of the controversial 00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:10.380 Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy in 2011, the Academy 00:34:10.380 --> 00:34:12.760 began actively admitting and retaining openly 00:34:12.760 --> 00:34:15.559 gay cadets. Yes. And that led to the formation 00:34:15.559 --> 00:34:17.619 of the Spectrum. Gay -Straight Alliance group. 00:34:17.940 --> 00:34:21.059 By 2015, Spectrum had 40 cadet members and two 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:23.579 faculty advisors, creating a supportive environment 00:34:23.579 --> 00:34:26.460 that was just unimaginable decades prior. The 00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:29.159 Academy has clearly navigated and adapted to 00:34:29.159 --> 00:34:32.059 societal changes while fiercely maintaining its 00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:35.039 core military structure. It has, which brings 00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:37.440 us to the most visible aspect of West Point for 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:40.260 many Americans, the famous Army athletics and 00:34:40.260 --> 00:34:42.320 the true extent of the Long Gray Line legacy. 00:34:42.840 --> 00:34:45.159 The athletic pillar is essential to West Point 00:34:45.159 --> 00:34:47.719 culture. driven directly by MacArthur's belief 00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:50.559 in the value of competitive strife. Which is 00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:53.280 why every cadet, regardless of academic focus, 00:34:53.599 --> 00:34:56.639 must participate in a sport intercollegiate club 00:34:56.639 --> 00:34:59.800 or intramural every single semester. The famous 00:34:59.800 --> 00:35:02.119 nickname is the Black Knights, shortened from 00:35:02.119 --> 00:35:04.420 Black Knights of the Hudson, which references 00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:06.360 the granite buildings and the gray uniforms. 00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:09.420 And their mascot is the mule, symbolizing the 00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:11.360 traditional strength and perseverance required 00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:14.000 of the Army. The chief rivalry, of course, is 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:16.460 the U .S. Naval Academy. It permeates the daily 00:35:16.460 --> 00:35:18.780 life of a plebe who has to greet upperclassmen 00:35:18.780 --> 00:35:21.760 and faculty with the phrase, beat Navy. They 00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:24.199 even have a physical manifestation of that rivalry. 00:35:24.500 --> 00:35:27.219 The tunnel running under Washington Road is officially 00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:30.400 named the Beat Navy Tunnel. They compete against 00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:32.860 both Navy and the Air Force Academy for the Commander 00:35:32.860 --> 00:35:35.940 -in -Chief's Trophy, which is a source of intense 00:35:35.940 --> 00:35:39.000 inter -service pride. Historically, Army football 00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:41.889 was absolutely dominant. Under legendary coach 00:35:41.889 --> 00:35:44.929 Earl Blake in the mid -20th century, they were 00:35:44.929 --> 00:35:47.170 a national powerhouse. Oh, completely. They won 00:35:47.170 --> 00:35:49.570 three consecutive national championships from 00:35:49.570 --> 00:35:53.409 1944 to 1946, and they produced three Heisman 00:35:53.409 --> 00:35:56.349 Trophy winners, Doc Blanchard, Glenn Davis, and 00:35:56.349 --> 00:35:59.230 Pete Dawkins. The Army -Navy game remains a monumental 00:35:59.230 --> 00:36:01.929 tradition, played as the final regular season 00:36:01.929 --> 00:36:04.530 division I -College football game, often hosted 00:36:04.530 --> 00:36:07.389 in a major metropolitan stadium. And the rivalry 00:36:07.389 --> 00:36:10.320 is palpable. Navy holds the longest winning streak 00:36:10.320 --> 00:36:12.940 at 14 consecutive victories, which was finally 00:36:12.940 --> 00:36:16.480 broken by Army in 2016. Beyond football, Army 00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:19.179 maintains a strong presence in the NCAA Division 00:36:19.179 --> 00:36:22.380 I Patriot League. Their men's lacrosse team is 00:36:22.380 --> 00:36:25.320 historically strong, with eight national championships. 00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:28.039 And here's a fantastic piece of trivia that shows 00:36:28.039 --> 00:36:30.860 the broader coaching influence. The legendary 00:36:30.860 --> 00:36:34.539 NCAA winningest coach Bob Knight began his head 00:36:34.539 --> 00:36:36.840 coaching career at Army. I did not know that. 00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:40.840 Former players and assistants there, a man named 00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:43.480 Mike Kraszewski, famously coached Army before 00:36:43.480 --> 00:36:45.639 moving on to Duke, where he became one of the 00:36:45.639 --> 00:36:47.840 most successful college basketball coaches of 00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:50.380 all time. The Long Gray Line trains leaders across 00:36:50.380 --> 00:36:52.860 every field. And that takes us from the playing 00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:55.119 fields to the boardrooms and command centers. 00:36:55.340 --> 00:36:58.599 The true legacy of the Long Gray Line. The Academy 00:36:58.599 --> 00:37:00.800 has, surprisingly, gained a recent reputation 00:37:00.800 --> 00:37:03.500 as a CEO factory. And this is due to the sheer 00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:05.900 number of alumni who have achieved major success 00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:08.860 in the business world, translating that structured, 00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:11.420 high -stakes military training directly into 00:37:11.420 --> 00:37:13.309 corporate leadership. Think about the names. 00:37:13.489 --> 00:37:16.710 Jim Kimsey, a co -founder of AOL, Alex Gorski, 00:37:16.829 --> 00:37:19.530 former CEO of Johnson & Johnson. Bob McDonald, 00:37:19.869 --> 00:37:22.210 former CEO of Procter & Gamble. The Skills West 00:37:22.210 --> 00:37:24.590 Point instills structured risk assessment, mission 00:37:24.590 --> 00:37:27.949 focus, resource allocation, and maintaining composure 00:37:27.949 --> 00:37:30.809 under intense stress are highly valued at the 00:37:30.809 --> 00:37:33.050 top tiers of business. But their military and 00:37:33.050 --> 00:37:36.440 political legacy remains the most defining. We've 00:37:36.440 --> 00:37:38.619 already mentioned the Civil War impact, but this 00:37:38.619 --> 00:37:41.820 lineage includes two U .S. presidents, Ulysses 00:37:41.820 --> 00:37:45.219 S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower. plus Confederate 00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:48.099 President Jefferson Davis. In the modern era, 00:37:48.219 --> 00:37:50.420 the graduates have shaped nearly every major 00:37:50.420 --> 00:37:52.980 American conflict. The commanders who oversaw 00:37:52.980 --> 00:37:56.059 operations in the Middle East and globally, from 00:37:56.059 --> 00:37:58.940 Norman Schwarzkopf in the Gulf War to David Petraeus, 00:37:58.960 --> 00:38:01.460 Raymond Odierno, and the current Secretary of 00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:04.099 Defense, Lloyd Austin, they are all products 00:38:04.099 --> 00:38:06.719 of the system. And their influence is truly global. 00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:09.179 The Long Gray Line has produced four foreign 00:38:09.179 --> 00:38:11.639 heads of state or government. That's right, including 00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:14.199 former presidents of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and 00:38:14.199 --> 00:38:16.460 the Philippines, and currently the prime minister 00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:19.460 of Cambodia, Hun Mene. And furthermore, academically, 00:38:19.800 --> 00:38:22.219 they stand tall against the best civilian institutions. 00:38:22.820 --> 00:38:25.920 Despite being a service academy, West Point ranks 00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:28.539 highly among American universities for recipients 00:38:28.539 --> 00:38:31.039 of prestigious scholarships. They rank fifth 00:38:31.039 --> 00:38:33.420 for Rhodes Scholarships, seventh for Marshall 00:38:33.420 --> 00:38:35.820 Scholarships, and fourth for Hertz Fellowships. 00:38:35.920 --> 00:38:38.400 This shows they are producing scholars, thinkers, 00:38:38.599 --> 00:38:41.519 and future innovators, not just warriors. So 00:38:41.519 --> 00:38:44.300 if we synthesize all the pieces, the history, 00:38:44.539 --> 00:38:46.800 the Thayer method, the relentless curriculum, 00:38:46.980 --> 00:38:49.840 and the global legacy, what do we tell the listener 00:38:49.840 --> 00:38:52.659 about the nature of West Point today? What we've 00:38:52.659 --> 00:38:55.019 unpacked today is the enduring paradox of West 00:38:55.019 --> 00:38:57.409 Point. It's a highly specialized institution 00:38:57.409 --> 00:39:00.769 dedicated to creating military leaders, yet it 00:39:00.769 --> 00:39:03.030 achieves this through a broad, balanced, and 00:39:03.030 --> 00:39:06.210 uncompromising bachelor's science education that's 00:39:06.210 --> 00:39:08.590 rooted in the engineering principles of the 19th 00:39:08.590 --> 00:39:11.369 century and the liberal arts of the 21st. Its 00:39:11.369 --> 00:39:14.130 centuries -long success really lies in its ability 00:39:14.130 --> 00:39:17.690 to adapt, integrating women, changing curricula, 00:39:17.690 --> 00:39:20.309 navigating scandals, while fiercely upholding 00:39:20.309 --> 00:39:22.030 fundamental traditions like the column number, 00:39:22.230 --> 00:39:24.570 the honor code, and the rigorous four pillars 00:39:24.570 --> 00:39:26.989 of development. And that holistic approach is 00:39:26.989 --> 00:39:29.909 recognized today. The Academy is consistently 00:39:29.909 --> 00:39:33.230 ranked in the top 10 in the 2025 edition of Best 00:39:33.230 --> 00:39:36.010 Colleges in National Liberal Arts Colleges by 00:39:36.010 --> 00:39:39.210 U .S. News. Its dual identity is not a weakness. 00:39:39.329 --> 00:39:41.949 It is the source of its strength. I think the 00:39:41.949 --> 00:39:43.969 History Department's unofficial motto perfectly 00:39:43.969 --> 00:39:46.650 encapsulates the scope of its impact on the world. 00:39:47.039 --> 00:39:49.280 Much of the history we teach was made by people 00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:52.079 we taught. It's a powerful realization. You should 00:39:52.079 --> 00:39:54.739 reflect on how this 223 -year -old institution, 00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:57.840 with its unique blend of academic rigor, physical 00:39:57.840 --> 00:40:00.500 stress, and strict moral codes, continues to 00:40:00.500 --> 00:40:02.360 mold leaders who shape domestic and international 00:40:02.360 --> 00:40:05.579 affairs every single day. And as a final provocative 00:40:05.579 --> 00:40:08.219 thought for you to chew on? Remember the story 00:40:08.219 --> 00:40:10.860 of Sedgwick Spurs. We described a place where 00:40:10.860 --> 00:40:13.260 honor is absolute, where discipline is enforced 00:40:13.260 --> 00:40:16.019 by century men walking the area, and where failure 00:40:16.019 --> 00:40:18.960 is not tolerated. Yet they maintain a celebrated, 00:40:19.260 --> 00:40:22.519 shared legend. A secret ritual involving a ghost 00:40:22.519 --> 00:40:25.300 in a full -dress uniform to grant failing students 00:40:25.300 --> 00:40:27.699 a sliver of hope and a chance to cope with that 00:40:27.699 --> 00:40:29.860 impossible pressure. It suggests that even the 00:40:29.860 --> 00:40:32.380 most rule -bound institutions understand the 00:40:32.380 --> 00:40:35.179 human need for tradition, superstition, and a 00:40:35.179 --> 00:40:37.539 tiny act of defiant hope to overcome impossible 00:40:37.539 --> 00:40:40.960 odds. So what other seemingly rigid structures 00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:43.719 in our modern world rely on centuries -old legends 00:40:43.719 --> 00:40:46.599 or even unofficial superstitions to help their 00:40:46.599 --> 00:40:49.199 people maintain sanity and perform under duress? 00:40:49.500 --> 00:40:51.239 Something to think about the next time you hear 00:40:51.239 --> 00:40:54.659 those three words. Duty, honor, country. We'll 00:40:54.659 --> 00:40:56.219 catch you next time for the next Deep Dive.