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For their summer leadership detail, which is a requirement for graduation, the cadre of E-Company prepared the training orders, procured supplies for these events, and counseled the new cadets on both military tactics and the ideals of West Point. They also, at all times, modeled the behavior that they expected their new cadets to follow. “I’ve done my best to show them what I think West Point should be,” said E-Company’s Commander, Cadet Captain Rob Mayville ’14; “hopefully, I’ve left an impression on some of them.” According to an interview with members of 4th platoon, 2nd squad, who were led by Cadet Sergeant Gene Fugh ’15, the cadre of E-Company definitely left their mark.
“From the beginning the cadre pushed us to be the best, not just in our company but throughout the entire regiment,” said New Cadet Joseph Presti ’17 “They set the standards really high and made their lessons we learned stick by never giving us a break.”
“The lessons the cadre imparted was the importance of ‘locking it down’ or flipping the switch from being a buddy to being military and professional,” said New Cadet Lars Robinson ’17, “and they exemplified this in their leadership positions.”
“Our cadre instilled the idea of working hard to make it easy on ourselves,” said New Cadet Savannah Baker ’17. “Each one of them worked hard the entire time to make sure that we locked it down when we needed to, and that made us the hardest working company in CBT-I.”
“When we were waking up at 0500, the cadre was waking up earlier; when we had to go to bed, they were going to bed later—leading by example was pretty much the best thing they did,” said New Cadet Connor Byrne ’17.
Speaking of "best"... "The cadre told us we were the best so often that we started to believe it," said Evan Merritt ’17. And you better believe it: after the Lambka Challenge, CBT-I's culminating event, E-Company won the "Best CBT-I Company" Award.
The experience of leading the new cadets also left its mark on the cadre of E-Company. Cadet Lieutenant Andrea Bagley, who credits CBT for allowing her to put into practice the knowledge she has gained on leadership in her years at the Academy, said she is really going to miss working with cadets after her detail ends. “I am going to miss sitting down and talking with cadets about West Point and telling them what this place means,” Bagley said. “I am also going to miss hearing their thoughts on its meaning too.”
See photos of E Company competing in the Lambka Challenge in our myCapture album.
