 From Korea, to Germany. From Alaska, to Puerto Rico. All over the world, the men and women of your army are on the alert to defend our nation, you, the American people, against aggression. This is The Big Picture. Welcome to The Big Picture, presented by your United States Army. I'm Captain Carl Zimmerman. Today, The Big Picture takes you behind the scenes of West Point, the United States Military Academy. A name that's synonymous with your country's history, your country's military achievements. And later, you'll hear from the Ranking Cadet of the Corps, Cadet First Captain Gordon Carpenter. And now, an important part of The Big Picture, West Point. On the west shore of the Hudson River, a short distance north of New York City, stands a world-famous institution, an institution dedicated to the defense of freedom. West Point, the United States Military Academy. Much of our country's military achievement can be traced back to these rugged highlands, justifying a belief held by George Washington. For it was Washington who selected this as a site for a military academy, and repeatedly urged Congress to establish such an institution. Congressional action came at last in 1802. The system of academic construction that has made West Point outstanding, both as an educational institution, and a military academy, was introduced in 1817 by Colonel Savanus Thayer, known as the father of the military academy. This song expresses the deep-rooted sentiment of the 2,400 young men who make up the United States Corps of Cadets. What is the mission behind that sentiment? In many ways, West Point is like other educational institutions, but it differs in one particular respect. It trains young men for a life of military service. This is the academy's mission. And when a West Pointer graduates, he gets a Bachelor of Science degree and receives his commission as a second lieutenant in the regular army or the regular Air Force. Postgraduate education leads to higher command positions or technical specialties, or even to important diplomatic assignments in a world that is pressingly in need of leadership. The raw material for this leadership comes each year from a familiar source, the American community. Each year, young men who would enter West Point from civilian life normally seek an appointment from their congressman or senators. Other appointments go to enlisted men of the regular armed forces, the National Guard and the Reserves. Here comes some of that raw material for leadership. It is the first weekday in July. Their mental and physical exams over, they arrive about 750 strong. The path that leads to an academic and military education, men of all creeds and religions, and from all walks of life. New cadets have their first meeting with upperclassmen. It's their introduction to life at West Point. And for one year, they will be known by the dubious nickname of Mr. Ducro or Mr. Dumjohn, or just a plebe. And so begins a four-year period of learning and training. The New Cadets' Day is a busy one. Three things he learns almost immediately. Military bearing, precision, and courtesy. These three things help give the New Cadet a code of military ethics, a code based on loyalty, discipline, respect, and pride. The essential qualities of leadership. Those first few days. Long hours, full hours. Right now, a full schedule prepares the plebe for that West Point life. The first clothing issue puts civilian life far behind. Cadet gray is a symbol of cadet pride. Pride for the privilege of wearing the uniform of the United States Military Academy. Now, on to battle monument. It's toward the end of the plebe's first day. Uniformed and drilled to march in military formation, they go to be welcomed to the Academy by the Commandant. The brief ceremony ends with the Oath of Allegiance, the oath to support the Constitution of the United States. As night closes in, the New Cadet welcomes just two things. The sound of taps and an army bed. Five minutes to dress and fall in for Reveley. After breakfast, New Cadets turn out for training and indoctrination. The plebe's first hike into the field means that the period of indoctrination is nearly over, and so is his first West Point summer, not without a few mementos. Now that mental spade work begins, and life for the most part in that first year will revolve around books and blackboard. For West Point gives the Cadet a well-rounded college course. English, including the world's literature on the effective use of the English language. The social sciences, including history, economics, and mathematics. Small sections, such as we see here in this mathematics class, are especially designed to give every Cadet a maximum opportunity for individual attention. Each Cadet recites practically every time he attends class, whether it be in mathematics, English, or in any of the other academic subjects. One of the handy teaching methods used at West Point, a device that permits the instructor to lecture and illustrate while facing his audience, where a class in map reading exchanges glances with an old river, the Hudson, a river that knew the point as a revolutionary fortress. Each Cadet takes a foreign language for today's global strategy requires a knowledge of lands and their peoples. The faculty, chosen from the combined services, is carefully selected to cover the ever-broadening demands of academic as well as military education. These men have had postgraduate work in civilian colleges and universities. In other words, they are well-rounded educators who will turn out well-rounded Cadets. At mealtimes, the destination is Washington Hall, where the Cadet gains back the pounds he lost during last summer's hike, and the food is topped in wholesomeness. The entire Corps of Cadets is served in 30 minutes. This tremendous feat of catering is performed by a large number of chefs in an up-to-date, immaculate kitchen. As to all students comes a time for study. The Cadet studies, either in his own room in Barracks or in the historic West Point Library. But life at West Point isn't all study and hard work. There's time for a hobby, such as the well-equipped amateur radio station or the chess club, or if you want something with more action, model railroading. Yes, there's time to study, time for hobbies. Time for the boodlers for a chocolate maltador. What do you have? Time for talk, sports, politics, grades, girls. Then there's the pointer for those interested in journalism. This is the bi-weekly magazine written and published by Cadets. And the Howitzer, published each year by the graduating class. Cadets are conditioned mentally, as well as physically. Indeed, West Point sports do more than build up healthy bodies. They develop qualities of fair play and teamwork, a double must of leadership. Twice a week, Cadets take part in an extensive intramural program of sports. Each cadet must play on a team, unless he's already on an intercollegiate squad. Members of these squads play in competition and contribute to West Point victories and trophies. Before you know it, it's June, bringing the graduation parade in honor of the graduating class. For the plebs, it means recognition, recognition by upperclassmen. This is the first really big day for Mr. Ducro and Mr. Dumjohn. Now they shed those dubious names, plus the designation plebe. Now they are yearlings. They have arrived. Before these yearlings get going on their second year at West Point, they have their first furlough at home. A few weeks of the family sedan, and then, it's a truck at Camp Buckner, West Point's training camp near the academy. And for the rest of the summer, we have tactics and technique, adding practice to theory on the range with flamethrowers, in tank warfare, house to house fighting. But summer camp isn't all work. This comes under the heading of off-duty hours at Camp Buckner, when boy meets girl. Off-duty or on-duty, the West Pointer is largely his own disciplinarian. Here we see one phase of the academy's famed honor system in operation, an honor system supervised only by cadets, all in keeping with the development of leadership, for leaders must have strength of character. A cadet's word is his bond, at all times. Any absence during duty hours is noted by the cadet on his absence card. His reason is accepted without question. As for overall administration, discipline and military training, West Point has a staff of outstanding tactical officers, noted in most cases as combat leaders. Want to know what's going on at West Point? Just ask the hostess. She's the confidant and chaperone for all social activities. The hostess is always around when you need her. And when you don't need her, well, you don't. Trophy Point is always a pleasant spot for a walk. Or Mikey Stadium, named in honor of the captain of the first West Point football team. Come football season, and every one of the 28,000 seats is filled. Speaking about football, the big game is the one in Philadelphia, the game between Army and Navy. This is one of the times when the whole corps of cadets, including Mr. Dumjohn, travels with the team. Here too, we can see the spirit of West Point, the spirit of initiative, teamwork, leadership. And leadership is the key note to the academy's training. The seeds of that leadership are sown in all West Point cadets. For instance, in the study of the psychology of leadership, here a cadet has built his own teaching aid, a caricature study of how not to give out awards. The object is to show the importance of an intelligent distribution of awards for meritorious service. It's all part of a four-year course in human behavior and the techniques of training and handling men. Leadership in cadets is further developed by having upperclassmen serve as instructors, by having upperclassmen serve as coaches in intramural sports activities, by having upperclassmen plan special ceremonies for visiting dignitaries. Yes, leadership. It comes with training and faith. Faith as exemplified by these words of the cadet prayer. Grant us new ties of friendship and new opportunities of service. Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong. The West Point course is well balanced between the humanities and technical subjects. Here we see a class in social science dealing with the problem in international relations. This subject is further explored by the annual student conference on U.S. foreign affairs. In the technical field, West Point's laboratories contain some of the finest equipment in the world, all geared to give the cadet a fine scientific background. Military instruction continues throughout the four years, claiming two hours of the cadet's time each week during the academic period. Nine months of each year are devoted to academic instruction. The bulk of the cadet's military training comes during the summer, when college students are normally on vacation. Summer training includes trips to military installations, like Fort Benning, Georgia, to study the latest in modern warfare. In this case, airborne infantry tactics. Or White Sands, New Mexico. Or a cadet's eye view of rockets and guided missiles. Or the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Center for the most modern developments in artillery and other ordnance equipment. Or the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio to see the latest developments in air warfare. Then there is Operation Kamid, joint amphibious landing operation by cadets and midshipmen at the Navy's amphibious training base in Virginia. Kamid, CA for cadet, M-I-D for midshipmen. Well, it looks as if the long haul is nearly over. When first classmen receive their rings, it means that graduation is just around the corner. A few months more, and June week, the week of graduation. June week brings out the alumni, and the oldest living grad present places a wreath at the foot of Colonel Thayer's monument. Other old grads, many retired, return to the point to pay tribute. June week brings the superintendent's reception for members of the graduating class and their families. This is it. Packing for keeps. Finally, the graduation parade. The last parade with the Corps of Cadets. Members of the graduating class take their place in the reviewing line. Underclassmen pass in review for the graduating class. On the morning following the parade comes graduation, the long awaited moment when each cadet receives his diploma, a Bachelor of Science degree, and commission as second lieutenant to train, to study, to learn, to pave the way for a lifetime of service and responsibility as tomorrow's leaders of tomorrow's Army and Air Force. This, then, is the cadet's mission at the United States Military Academy. This is West Point. This academic and military life of your academy. Cadet First Captain Gordon Carpenter of Silver City, New Mexico, Ranking Cadet in the Corps can tell you what it's like. Well, Mr. Carpenter, why did you decide to go to West Point? I believe we can call it a childhood ambition. Ever since I was very small, I wanted to go to the academy. Later, I got in the Army, found out I liked the life and the opportunity came along. How did you get your appointment? It was an Army competitive appointment. Now, is anyone in military service eligible to apply for one of these competitive appointments? They certainly are, yes. Provided a man has one year's service, he can meet the mental and physical requirements, and upon recommendation of his commanding officer, he can compete for entrance to the academy. Well, what are some of the other methods of applying for an appointment? By far, the most common method is either a senatorial or congressional appointment. However, each year, there are a number of cadets admitted through competition in the reserves in the National Guard, as well as sons of deceased veterans, and a few presidential appointments. Well, now you're going to be a graduate in June, right? I hope so. Well, looking back on the past few years, what do you think is the keynote to West Point training? I believe that all the training there, sir, is pointed toward the development of the cadets character. It gives each one a basis for a really successful military career. Thank you, Mr. Carpenter, for bringing a personal view of West Point to the big picture. Next week on our program, we'll show you the Army Reserve Team, the organized reserve, the National Guard, and the ROTC. This is Captain Carl Zimmerman inviting you to be with us then.