West Point Graduation Week – Day Seven

Today was the exclamation mark to a week of festivity, but represented so much more than celebratory activities.  There are milestones in life, and then there are milestones truly etched in a collective memory for a lifetime.  To me, my son’s graduation from West Point today represented everything he’s worked for since he was eleven years old.  He earned his Eagle Scout just as he was turning 13, but he’s been in a uniform since January 2002 when he joined Civil Air Patrol.  Vice President Joe Biden today referred to the class as the “9-11 generation,” because they grew up only knowing a nation at war.  It’s a class that joined knowing full well the potential risks and sacrifices inherent in the profession of arms.  Almost half the 1,032 graduates have a parent who served while less than one-percent of our nation has been on active military duty in the past decade.  The graduating class chose as their motto, “For More than Ourselves.” and as Biden said today, think of a world if that was everyone’s motto.  My sentiments to the class are the same as what I wrote to my son four short, but long years ago, “The opportunity before you is ripe with options, and I could not be prouder.  Keep pursuing your dreams and make a difference in this world.  You are truly destined for greatness.”

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2 Comments

  1. Pam Fuschetto on May 27, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR SON AND YOU. ALL OF YOU DESERVE TO BE SO TERRIBLY PROUD OF A JOB SO EXCEEDINGLY WELL DONE. I am tremendously grateful that there are such phenomenal young men and women in our country as your son. I grew up in the Viet Nam error and married an Airman who served four years overseas. I appreciate so much what your son is doing, especially when he doesn’t have to. A testimony to his magnificent character.

    Thank you so much for such a wonderful accounting of a monumental experience in the lives of your son, yourselves and the cadets. I am a great supporter of the military, especially our young troops, cadets and “new officers.” I wish your son all the best that life can give and thank him for being so wonderful. God Bless you son.

    • Jan Rutherford on May 27, 2012 at 8:52 pm

      Pam – we read your comment as we were crossing the state line into Pennsylvania tonight, and it was a great way to wrap up the day! Thank you so much for your touching comments – and thank your husband for his service as well! -Jan

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