• The members of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2008 receive the oath of office from the Commandant of the U.S. Corps of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Michael Linnington. Of the class of 972 graduates, 958 took the oath today. The other 14 graduates are foreign cadets, who will return to their respective countries to serve. The class included 148 women, 57 African Americans, 69 Asian/Pacific Islanders, 56 Hispanics and 12 Native Americans. There are 138 members who are also attended the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School, Fort Monmouth, N.J. -- 114 men and 24 women.

    2008 U.S. Military Academy Commencement

    The members of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2008 receive the oath of office from the Commandant of the U.S. Corps of Cadets, Brig. Gen. Michael Linnington. Of the class of 972 graduates, 958 took the oath today. The other 14 graduates are foreign...

  • Cadet 1st Captain Jason Crabtree, a Rhodes Scholar, was the third member of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2008 to receive his diploma from Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, who was the commencement speaker. Secretary Geren also presented diplomas to the 43 honor graduates including the class valedictorian, the class president and the Army Athletic Association trophy winners and shook the hands of the rest of the class. There were 972 cadets who graduated and were sworn in as second lieutenants before a crowd of parents, other Family, friends and cadets at West Point's Michie Stadium May 31.

    2008 U.S. Military Academy Commencement

    Cadet 1st Captain Jason Crabtree, a Rhodes Scholar, was the third member of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2008 to receive his diploma from Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, who was the commencement speaker. Secretary Geren also presented diplomas...

  • Secretary of the Army Pete Geren was the commencement speaker at the 210th graduation at the U.S. Military Academy for the 972 members of the Class of 2008. Secretary Geren spoke to both the cadets and their Families and friends who had come to the event. As part of his speech, he told the assembled group "What a profound honor it is to share this occasion with you. ..." and thanked everyone for their service and sacrifice.

    2008 U.S. Military Academy Commencement Speech

    Secretary of the Army Pete Geren was the commencement speaker at the 210th graduation at the U.S. Military Academy for the 972 members of the Class of 2008. Secretary Geren spoke to both the cadets and their Families and friends who had come to the...

  • The 972 newly commissioned second lieutenants of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2008 toss their hats after being given the command "Class dismissed" at the 210th graduation ceremony held at West Point, N.Y. May 31.

    Hat Toss

    The 972 newly commissioned second lieutenants of the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2008 toss their hats after being given the command "Class dismissed" at the 210th graduation ceremony held at West Point, N.Y. May 31.

WEST POINT, N.Y. (May 31, 2008) - In a stadium where severe weather threatened, 972 cadets graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point Saturday. They represent about 79 percent of the cadets who entered West Point almost four years ago.

This was West Point's 210th graduating class and the 29th class to graduate women. (No classes graduated in 1810 or 1816 and there were two graduating classes in 1861, 1917, 1918, 1922 and 1943.)

The class included 148 women, 57 African Americans, 69 Asian/Pacific Islanders, 56 Hispanics and 12 Native Americans. There are 138 members who also attended the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School, Fort Monmouth, N.J. -- 114 men and 24 women.

There are 14 foreign cadets, who represent Albania, Cameroon, Columbia, El Salvador, Republic of Korea, Lithuania, Philippines (2), Romania (2), Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Tunisia and will return to those nations for service.

The Class of 2008, who's class motto is "No Mission Too Great," has 63 members who are sons or daughters of U.S. Military Academy graduates. Three of these cadets have parents who are both graduates.

Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, the 2008 commencement speaker, said to the about-to-be-commissioned young men and women and their Families and friends, "What a profound honor it is to share this occasion with you ..." and thanked everyone for their service and sacrifice.

He first addressed the parents and Families, telling them, "Your sons and daughters are among the nation's very best. ... They chose the path of duty, honor and country. ... They are men and women of character -- they came to us like that."

To the cadets Geren said, "You will extend the Long Gray Line another generation into our nation's future."

He then quoted extensively from the graduation speech President John Kennedy made to the West Point Class of 1962, saying he could say it no better.

He also told them, quoting Gen. Creighton Abrams, Class of 1936, "People aren't in the Army, people are the Army." He talked about the all-volunteer Army, which includes not only the Soldiers, but their Families, and told the future officers, "As Army leaders, you must take care of Army Families. ... You are a leader and the well-being of Soldiers will be in your hands."

In closing he told the class to "take pride in your record here at West Point. Take great heart in your bright future. ... Our nation needs you. ..."

Prior to being dismissed and the traditional hat toss, 956 of the graduates were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. Two others were commissioned in the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Navy, respectively, and the 14 foreign cadets will return to their respective countries to serve.

Page last updated Sat May 31st, 2008 at 20:26