“It’s the longest day that you’ll never remember.” So says Cadet Katie Holder ’16, the Regimental Commander for Cadet Basic Training or “Queen of Beast,” about R-Day, the annual first step that civilians take to becoming cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, leaders of character in the U.S. Army and members of the esteemed Long Gray Line. On June 29, approximately 1,270 took that first step as members of the Class of 2019.
Those who have been through the transformation themselves, however, eventually end up recalling the familiar sights and sounds of this famous West Point tradition, which hasn’t changed in decades. Columns of new cadets decked out in Army issued PT uniforms (black shirt, black shorts, black socks and black shoes) and carrying flight bags packed to capacity with all the items they will be allowed to have for the next 43 days moved from station to station throughout Central Area (barber shop, drill and ceremony, lunch) on their way to the renowned Cadet in the Rash Sash. Along the way, members of the cadre shouted at the new cadets to “move faster,” “hurry it up,” and “stop holding up your teammates.” “New cadets can never be fast enough,” said Cadet John Menges ’16, Full Story»