Pointerview Story and photo courtesy of Kathy Eastwood 
The MX400 Officership course is the capstone experience for a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy and a requirement for all graduating seniors. Beginning in 2007, cadets were assigned to write an essay reflecting on their four years at West Point––and a chance to receive one of 36 awards for the General of the Armies John J. Pershing Reflective Essay Awards.
The eighth annual award presentation was held April 14 at the West Point Club and is sponsored by the William E. Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic and the West Point Association of Graduates. Retired Lt. Gen. John H. Cushman, a Class of 1944 graduate and one of the founders of the competition, presented awards to members of the Class of 2014.
Thirty-two bronze medallions were presented as company level awards, three silver medallions presented as regimental awards and one gold medallion was given to the overall brigade winner. The silver medallions were presented to Class of 2014 Cadets Christen Constantino, Co. E-1; Chance Carrick, Co. B-2; and Zachary R. Williams, Co. A-4.
Class of 2014 Cadet Luke Schumacher, Company D-3, received the gold medallion for his essay titled “The Dedicated Moral Compass: The Price of a Salute.” Schumacher, an American Politics major, has twice been published in academic journals, writing on the contemporary Islamic doctrine of jihad and the effects of Egyptian regime change on the country’s prospects for war and peace.
“To be selected for an award named in General Pershing’s honor and presented by a man as accomplished and respected as Gen. John Cushman is nothing short of inspiring,” Schumacher said. “Reflection remains integral to the lifelong education of an officer, but we are rarely afforded the time and space to think critically on our transformative experiences, lessons learned and future goals. I cherish every opportunity to do so and hope to continue thinking and writing in the future.” Schumacher said he hopes to contribute to the social science literature and Army professional publications in the next few years. His essay reflected on the moral questions he wrestled with––and still wrestles with after a devastating football injury and resulting complications. The following is an excerpt from his essay:
“The series of misfortunes forced me to consider the realities of joining the profession of arms. In many respects, I matured by considering these questions. I was growing up fast at an institution that requires its pupils––at 18 years old––to commit the next 12 years to an ideal. Yet, the nature of the pondered issues smacked of backtracking; only now, after deciding on West Point, did I tackle foundational inquires concerning self, purpose and future. Perhaps I rested somewhere in the middle, reconciling boyish tendencies with manhood realities.” “Eventually, I landed on concrete difficulties. I spent a sleepless night engaged in inner-conflict, evaluating the morality of killing enemy combatants in war. With time and conversations, I’ve accepted the morality of depriving life in pursuit of a just cause and the Soldier’s obligation to defend against aggression. Still, the resultant questions persist: Can a Soldier fight a war that he doesn’t believe is just?”
The essay competition is endowed by Cushman '44 and Anne Mudd Cabaniss, widow of Cushman’s friend and classmate, Jelks H. Cabaniss, Jr., '44 through the West Point Association of Graduates.
See this entire Pointerview edition published by the West Point Public Affairs Office. - April, 24, 2014