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SUMMER
2015
westpointforusall.org
4
Spring Break
These three cadets took part in the
Academy Scholars
Program
or
Staff Ride Program
during spring break in
March. Each year, cadets and faculty take this week to gain
firsthand experience with the region, language, culture, or
history being studied in the classroom. The opportunity
serves as a way to bring the curriculum to life and deepen
cadets’ knowledge of the given subject matter.
For instance, this year 10 cadets traveled to Ireland as part
of the
History of Irish Nationalism Staff Ride.
The trip
was the culmination of a semester-long seminar studying the
development of various ideas of nationalism in the Republic
of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Throughout the week, the
group visited historical and cultural sites associated with the
Easter Rising of 1916, the “Troubles” in Northern Ireland
during the 1960s-1980s, and sites of Irish/Celtic cultural
heritage such as the Hill of Tara, the Giant’s Causeway, and
the Cliffs of Moher.
This year, the History of Irish Nationalism Staff Ride was
supported by
Mr. Terence Gallagher,
who is from Ireland
and has supported several international travel experiences for
cadets. “The root causes of the Irish Troubles go back
centuries,” says Mr. Gallagher. “A study of what transpired in
Northern Ireland over the forty-plus years spanning 1968 to
the present day has many interesting lessons for the military
historian—many of which have relevance today in training
cadets for the challenges they will face. I am glad to have
afforded some of them the opportunity to have a Staff Ride to
study this recent period in Ireland’s past. As a naturalized US
citizen, I am very conscious of the role our military plays every
day to keep us safe and free. I consider it a privilege to be able
to make some small contribution to the education of our
future military leaders.”
Another group of cadets traveled to Korea as part of the
Korea Staff Ride,
a seven-day historical tour aimed at
introducing cadets to the major political and cultural changes
that Korea has undergone since the late 19th century. Highlights
of the staff ride include visiting the Korean Independence
Museum, conducting a joint history class and tour of the
Korean Military Academy, and touring the Joint Security
Area and Demilitarized Zone.
“The trip to Korea was an incredible adventure,” says
Cadet Baumeister ’17. “I learned more about Korean culture
in that week than I ever may have hoped to learn in a semester
worth of classes. The greatest part of the trip was the Korean
War museum. I found it incredible looking at history from
another perspective.”
The Department of History also coordinated the
Cold
War Staff Ride
this year, supported by the
Class of 1945
and
other donors. Cadets traveled through Germany, Czech
Republic, and Hungary to study the effects of the Cold War
on the people of Central and Eastern Europe. The cadets
visited the major sites related to the Cold War in Berlin,
Prague, and Budapest.
Meanwhile, a group of cadets studying Russian traveled
to Kazakhstan at part of an academy exchange with the
All-Arms Defense Institute (ADI). While at ADI the cadets
lived, ate, and worked in the barracks with their Kazakh
counterparts, being fully immersed in the Russian language
and Kazakh culture of ADI. They were given the opportunity
to participate in training exercises and observe how Kazakh
cadets learn maintenance on their combat vehicles.
The Department of Foreign Languages also carried out
spring break trips to Beijing, China, and San Juan, Puerto
Rico. Those studying in China visited a number of historical
and cultural sites to include the Great Wall, Tiananmen
Square, The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer
Palace, and they also took part in everyday activities, such as
shopping at local grocery stores, markets, and street vendors.
“Some would say that going to another country for just a
week does little to affect language proficiency,” reflected
Cadet Madison Turner ’18, “but this trip allowed me to see in
person how my skills have developed and how vital foreign
language usage can be. I gained a lot of experience just from
doing day-to-day tasks such as shopping at the local market,
staying at a hotel, or eating at a restaurant.”
Cadet Gabriela Barrera ’17 also increased her language and
cultural fluency while spending spring break in Puerto Rico,
as part of an ongoing trip, funded in part by Goya Foods.
While in Puerto Rico, Cadet Barrera and her fellow cadets
took part in outreach efforts at secondary schools as part of a
partnership between the Department of Foreign Languages
and the Office of Admissions, and they toured the Puerto
Rico Capitol building and visited with President of the Puerto
Rico Senate. “I learned more than I could ever have anticipated
about Caribbean culture,” reflected Cadet Barrera. “I am so
thankful for the trip.”
Travel abroad ensures cadets a diversity of experiences that
contribute to their academic and leadership development. It
is for this reason that the Academy has deemed cultural
immersion opportunities a priority within the
For Us All
Campaign,
and many donors and classes have responded to
this need. For instance, the Class of 1976 is currently raising
$2 million for the
Class of 1976 Cultural Immersion
Endowment
and the
Class of 1967
is raising $1 million for
the
Semester Abroad Program.
Regardless of where they
travel or for how long, cadets inevitably return with greater
understanding of and appreciation for foreign cultures,
languages, and regions—both as they are today as well as
the significant historical events that took place there.
Cadet Jack Baumeister ’17 studied the development of Korean
nationalism and its effect on how Koreans interpret their
history while traveling in South Korea; Cadet PatrickWhite ’16
participated in training exercises with cadets in Kazakhstan;
and Cadet Gabriela Barrera ’17 traveled throughout Puerto
Rico to increase her language fluency.
Abroad
The KoreanMilitary Academy’s archery team introducesWest Point
cadets to traditional Korean archery.
Cadets andMr. TerenceGallagher at theWWI memorial inDublin.
While abroad,West Point and Kazakh cadets participated in
physical training and other daily regimens together.