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Winner
of
"West Point Society Contest"
2002
Duty-
Honor-Country
West Point at 200 years
"Timeless
Leadership"
February 2002 perches the United States of America at a perilous time in history. I feel blessed to be a Junior in high school during these dramatic and eventful days to further my understanding of the politics as well as the policies of our great government. I know that I have the youth and dedication to play an instrumental part in the patriotism and protection of our Freedom. In America, we take for granted the freedoms we have and often forget that privilege, until faced with adversity. Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "We would rather die on our feet than live on our knees." President Roosevelt proved to be a timeless leader in his efforts in World War 11 to rally the country when we were apparently the underdog, which consequently proved to be otherwise.
The Bicentennial year to celebrate West Point could come at no better time. The reservoir of the American people is being tapped. The September 11 attack is not the only time in recent history when we have been tested. Memories of Pearl Harbor still live on today as a reminder of the resolve and constitution of the American people to respond vigorously when attacked. The perpetrators of these acts of war expected a different response than what they received. America lives and fights for a belief. This belief is rooted in the depths of the timeless need; need to live in a free enterprise, need to
follow the pursuit of happiness, and the need to carry on our forefathers' fight for independence. The United States is not a war frenzy nation, nor do we pick fights, but in the United States, we fight to fix situations that would harm the misbalance of world peace and we fight for global democracy. In the battles where the politicians stepped aside, the military was able to bring a resolution to any war, and restore the peace.
Although I live in the present and know that the future of the world lies in the hands of a very few, I would like to take the time to reflect on the message our forefathers presented to us, the future generations, when they created the constitution. I am amazed that a group of men in the late 18'h century, through their untiring resolve to craft a government blueprint, which has survived the rages of time, wrote and implemented a flawless documentation of government. This was a new, radical government in the eyes of many European governments at the time, which turned into the model representation for modem constitutions. I must commend those great leaders of our country's birth with their timeless solution to governing people, which has been successful from the early pioneer days to the modem nuclear age.
Although two hundred years ago our nation was only in its infancy, a time when it could barely walk or speak, European countries, particularly France, England and Spain, heard the voice of America loud and clear across the vast Atlantic Ocean. We were still crawling when our second president, John Adams, expanded the Naval Force to be one of significant military strength. We were just beginning to walk when our third president, Thomas Jefferson, founded West Point, the academy, whose candidates exude honor, duty, and country in all its glory!
America moves swiftly and gallantly during times of distress. America shows her elegance and grace during times of peace and prosperity. Timeless leadership, the ability to adapt and adjust and to be ready anytime anywhere; is the motto for our dedicated military, citizens, and government officials. We are not cowards; we are not bullies; we are a nation of a belief A belief that all men are created equal and that the human spirit rallies when this belief is challenged. This is a toneless belief, ancient as the Greeks - modem as the Special Forces. America counts on its military to be the backbone of democracy and its timeless leaders from West Point in the nineteenth and twentieth century show us that their leadership both strategically and socially has been consistent to always striving for the best.
Two timeless leaders of the nineteenth century who bore the title of a West Point graduate were Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. Robert E. Lee's leadership stretched from the Mexican American War to the Civil War. His determination and leadership won him popularity among soldiers and civilians in both the North and the South. He achieved as a commander, and, as he once said, "Make no needless plan." His counter general in the great Civil War was Ulysses S. Grant. Grant advanced in the ranks to become the le@ he became. He felt a strong conviction to religion and h@ by saying, "Hold first to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties."
The West Point graduates of the twentieth century who participated in World War 2 include Dwight D. Eisenhower, George S. Patton, and Douglas MacArthur. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who commanded the European theater and brought an end to the Nazis' tyranny, understood leadership and how to direct others. He once said, "You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership." His intelligent leadership led him to the White House after World War Two. Douglas Macarthur, who commanded the ground troops against Imperial Japan, used his leadership and his troops' trust and respect to take the initiative to bring victory in the Pacific. His leadership doctrine included, "Never give an order that can't be obeyed." A simple saying but a difficult task when one is confronted with the pressures of war, press, and politics. The famous four star General in World War 2 who commanded the Third Army and advanced at every opportunity, George S. Patton, mastered the technique of leadership among his subordinates. He achieved his fame through his field tactics against the Germans. He said, "Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning." An idea that always stands true. West Point has produced countless heroes in its two hundred year history.
These remarkable leaders learned the qualities of proper leadership and performed their tasks as commanders swiftly and diligently in the Civil War and the Second World War. These men's ideas are timeless; what they said one hundred and fifty years ago are still good one hundred and fifty years from now because these philosophies of leadership are timeless when it comes to dealing with human nature. An idea taught as a West Point doctrine to ensure successful leadership.
The timeless leaders from West Point all bad these qualities in common: integrity, honor, and leadership. The integrity they possess is not only noticed by American citizens but by people in different countries all over the world. A West Point graduate represents the romantic hero; his or her truthfulness never goes unnoticed and an order is never questioned. In battle, the West Point officers are always called first to lead their platoon or their regiment into battle. The politicians, generals and the Non-Commissioned Officers all notice the leadership of a West Point graduate and accept him to lead the dangerous missions that secure the peace and democracy of the world. As General George Marshall once said, "I need a man for a secret mission, I need a West Point football player." West Point epitomizes this ability in our country's strengths and fortitude as a strong force to be reckoned with, when and if violated.
Getting back to the good fortune that I feel if I am and can be an integral part of our country's history, I wish to conclude this paper with a quote from a recent president, Ronald Reagan. "Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women." The West Point officers and their timeless leadership have carried on the American spirit of free enterprise, democracy and freedoms that many people in the world still are not given, West Point epitomizes the American ideal of free will. The United States Military Academy and the United States of America truly represent the City on a Hill -the perfect place that produces the strongest, brightest, and most honest men to lead forth to spread democracy. These timeless leaders from the United States Military Academy live up to their slogan of Duty, Honor, Country and the values of an officer - God Bless America
Robert Redling (16)
Winter Park, FL
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