TOP SECRET -- West Point Military Academy

West Point Military Academy

Attention! I, Vany Sampayo, keep myself neutral about what I say. This document was prepared under a lot of research, so that is not said anything false or that compromises the authorities to which I present the most sincere respect. 

Information taken from websites and the program "America's Book of Secrets: West Point" by the History Channel and pictures taken from Google Images. Thank you.

Military Academy West Point

It is the most prestigious military academy in the world. Where evolved cutting edge technologies join battle traditions. But within this training camp for future elites are secrets. The new cadets take them with them to the grave. It is situated along the banks of the Hudson River to the north of New York. Here's where the bravest officers of the Army are trained and taught. Here were trained figures like David Petraeus, Norman Schwarzkopf and even Presidents like Dwight D. Eisenhower. But what is hidden behind one of the most impressive fortresses of America? Candidates come from all over the world and some are even recommended by the President. Of thousands who subscribe few hundred "survive" to the whole process. They say goodbye to their parents and during the next four years face a rigorous program. There are boys and girls who were the best in their classes, they are athletic and for six weeks are faced with physical and military intensive training known as Beast Barracks. They learn to be a member of a unit. For example, they enter a bunker where teargas is released and have to take off the masks and respond to their superiors.

Training with the Army

Only after they have become experts in shooting and explosives and having training in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks (known as CBURN) is that these cadets can return to campus and begin their education as official students. The first year their are called "freshmen". There are students of higher years that are consistently making question of mandatory military wisdom, which they should know, and are in a manual of 325 pages which is given to them in this first year designated Bugle Notes. They must memorize all the words to be able to respond correctly when a question is asked. If they do not they suffer punishments.
But long ago were performed obscure and secret rituals already banned. One of the worst was "The Silence". It was a practice against african-americans that no one spoke to them. In 1976 the academy accepted the first female cadets who have not suffered the hazing. But the greatest incident related to these hazings involved a young cadet named Douglas MacArthur. He had to squat on glass and he reached a point that could take no more and fainted. This led to an investigation by the Congress on unauthorized hazings. While there have been abolished there are some who say that they still exist but softer, in form of memory exercises described above, among others.

Soldier Bradley Manning

In May 2010, an Army soldier, Bradley Manning was accused of having delivered to the WikiLeaks site 700,000 secret documents. He has now been acquitted of aiding the enemy but guilty of violating the Espionage Act. It was a proof that the national security threats come not only from outside. This is a matter of the highest importance to members of West Point. 
The Academy was first used as a fortress in the war against the British but after that George Washington wanted to make it a military academy. But the Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, was disagreement and stated that this idea went against the Constitution. Eventually the idea was accepted and West Point was established in 1802. General MacArthur, a century later, returned to the Academy as superintendent and created a formal doctrine to end the dishonesty, the Honor Code. It says that a cadet should not lie, cheat, steal and tolerate those who do. In 2006 rumors began to run of a cadet who was to arrive, the first Iraqi citizen in West Point. Many foreign cadets are trained in this Academy with the purpose, among others, to establish ties with these countries.

Cadet Richard Cox

In 1950 after receiving mysterious phone calls, a cadet, Richard Cox, went dinner with a known and never returned. J. Edgar Hoover gave the case to the best agents to find out what happened, but not even now it's an answer. In the following decades researchers have found clues that indicate links with the CIA and Cold War espionage. It was the only cadet who disappeared since its existence  Cox, before entering West Point, had served in Germany. On the night she disappeared he said he was going to meet a friend he met there. But why J. Edgar Hoover sent many agents behind a simple cadet? Does hiding secrets made him a target? He was most probably involved in the Intelligence Services. A journalist did his research and said that he fled from the Academy to join the CIA. It is considered by many a spy.

But how extent is that West Point prepares future military commanders to situations that endanger their lives in military service? They recruit cadets when they leave high school and go immediately deal with situations in which they must survive. They have subjects like Leadership Combat, Air Force Helicopter, Cybersecurity, Information in the State of War, Nuclear Technology, National Security, Global Terrorism between the normal ones that are studied in any university. All teachers come from wars and field and therefore have a vast knowledge. Once they have all the military knowledge, students begin a regiment even more brutal. They train with the real Army. In the second summer the cadets can enter the school of divers, air assault, etc.. In summers they have intensive courses in fields such as Artillery and Aviation. They learn to be self-disciplined, persistent, learn about themselves and their responses to pressure. It is also amazing to see how they care for each other. If captured how they do to escape? They train them so that if this happens they do not reveal information.

Graduation in West Point

After four years and graduate, the best in academic levels follow the Medical Services Corps, the most radical for the Infantry. The new battleground is cyberspace. Students receive training in cyberwar attack and defense. 40% of those who graduate will take at least 20 years of service. After this service they work for the government in the FBI, CIA,... But beyond the battles and national security issues can these future generations of graduates from West Point be top candidates for professions even more unique? The crew of Apollo 11 had three members, two of them trained in this Academy. So far 18 American astronauts studied there. The great secret of West Point is that who is formed there face daily situations in which they have to overcome the difficulty.

The West Point Military Academy will remain in the front line of national security.

Vany Sampayo