On West Point and the Honor Code

Honor Code “A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.” This is one of the first things imprinted on New Cadets when they arrive at West Point for Beast Barracks. Along with such tantalizing bits as “How’s the cow?” and “How many gallons in Lusk...

The US Naval Academy Was Founded Because of a Mutiny

And it wasn’t the Caine. I went to the Military Academy, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. Although Jefferson tended to be anti-military, he accepted the need for a standing army. And if the nation was going to have one, he felt it should be officered by a...
Which is more important: Honor or Loyalty?

Which is more important: Honor or Loyalty?

Many people consider the two the same, but I don’t. One is inward oriented, the other outward. At West Point we had to memorize quite a bit of ‘trivia’ otherwise known as Plebe Poop, which is self-explanatory. One bothered me a lot: In 60 major...